Why did the Ford Durango fail so badly?

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Apparently I don’t know what “infamous” means. I think the fox platform is amazing folks, that’s my bad!

[@DarthEcoli]

Fox body platform was a game change in 79 and that's why it lasted til 93 and even extended with the SN95 platform til like 05 I think? So, yes. You are quite correct in it being amazing. :)

[@MrDpbazan1955]

Infamous means famous for bad reasons

[@n5ifi]

I'm a lifelong Ford guy and I never even heard of a Ford Durango.

[@mypronouniswtf5559]

I bought one a Ford Durango in 1991.. I always bought/sold cars still do...Was a decent ride,put around 150 miles on it and made money on it too..Cant remember how much but it took 3 months to sell...I had it around my lot for awhile..Not bad as I knew it had limited appeal..I did buy some shrubs and other yard materials for my parents then new house,came in handy..Strange how different memories pop up when you see a car you forgot about lol..I bought and sold hundreds it seems of Fairmonts,those sold really good 2,4 doors and wagons..Even when they turned to the LTD basically a Fairmont but nicer. Chevy also had a Durango,they took the name after Ford dumped it..S-10 Durango...Then Dodge from 1998-today(2024).. Did you ever hear of a Plymouth Suburban? Made from the 1940's to the late 1970's I had a beautiful dark red 1970 Sport Suburban with a super strong 440 4bbl that was fun to drive,blew away a lot of 80's so called muscle cars lol..Even my brother in laws then new 88 Mustang GT 5 speed! I know people dont believe it but it did,the wagon would light the tires up from a 20 mph roll.. He was on my bumper roughly 1 car behind but still,funny..He is a Ford guy 100%..We got the numbers it was a factory order trailer tow with 3.55 gears,most had 2.94's. I bought that in 1990 sold it for a good profit even back then certain people knew what they were and wanted it..I did belong to a car club so that made it easier to sell.. the guy still owns it today,I asked about it he said he would take $25,000 car is immaculate ,but maybe one day when I am too old and I get sit in the rear facing seat and drool on myself and make faces at cars behind! Cheers!

[@dhart28]

I think he meant Ford Ranchero. 😊

[@DennisFrechette-et6gg]

Same here but I actually saw one in real life in Rome ga the other day and I thought someone just modified a fairmont, which is why I looked it up and this is what I found

[@computerweenie]

I'm probably mistaken but wasn't this an after market thing? I mean dealers could take a Fairmont to someon and have this done. Much like Cadillac did with Eldorado convertibles in the mid to late 90's.

[@TheLionAndTheLamb777]

@@computerweenie You are 100% correct. Ford sent them away to be converted. The car used was the Ford Fairmont Futura and it was converted into the Ford Durango. People saying that he meant a Ranchero are also mistaken as these were made after their production ended.

[@samd7601]

I had a 1971 Ford Torino Ranchero, so awesome

[@RipRoaringGarage]

They are so cool. Still have my 74. Needs so much work, but dont have the heart to junk it

[@samd7601]

@@RipRoaringGarage hold on as long as you can, I thought when I sold mine, I'd buy another later in life. Yeah...

[@donphillips5957]

That generation was absolutely the best looking in my book.

[@darrendavis4731]

79 GT

[@AdamaSanguine]

That was a fun trip down memory lane. Good Times! Thanks GHawk. 👍

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Thank you for watching man!

[@caseysmith544]

@@GreenHawkDrive Do one on Ford and Chevy/GMC having truck/SUV minivans in 1987--2001 for Chevy/GMC and 1990--1995 for Ford.

[@P_RO_]

Never saw this Durango IRL, but I remember reading about it when it came out. It had one major flaw which helped kill it: you can't legally drive it with the tailgate down because that renders the tail and brake lights invisible. And people are going to drive trucks and station wagons that way even if you warn them not to. Utes are an awesome idea, giving car-like comfort with the usefulness of a light truck when you need that, but they never really caught on in the US. Now people just buy trucks which come with all the creature comforts of a car instead. if you can afford them that is...

[@charlesyoung7436]

Also the rear license plate was not visible. They came with a warning not to drive with the tailgate down.

[@richardprice5978]

@@charlesyoung7436 trailer kits fix that design-look wise in cut&shut is 👍 ( looks better than some after thought ute's-looks and wagon's as the back is harder to convert from passenger car and or convertible's, i should know as i looked at dodge's/charger's themed version's, the 1966 finned wagon roll down/bobble-top 😲👌and i generally don't like 1st gen's as im a 2 gen-owner ) but yes a pain for lumberjack-run's for home-project's so lighting would have to be monitored on the flag/lumber-end ( or cop-bar mounted ) and the plate would have to be in the back window ( id get a photocopy/picture as remounting can be a pain 😉, cop whats to craw-upside down that's on them lol 😆 besides there's generally a mounted front plate/tag's as a pair back+front-USA 🇺🇸 ) or on the trailer-lighting-kit at least for not towing/4-axel mode's

[@jamescooley5744]

Plus it was brought out when Ford already had two small pickups-the Courier that was imported from Mazda, and the soon to be introduced US made Ranger. Both would have taken sales from the Durango.

[@v8valiant68]

Ford Australia and Holden GM only just recently stopped making utes, Chrysler Australia stopped in the early 80s, the utes down under Australia and New Zealand are very popular, still are, I had two 78 HZ Holden utes,

[@MichaelBradley1967]

Having had a 2005 GTO, I always thought GM missed the boat by not bringing the Maloo over as an El Camino, even if it was a bit detuned like the Pontiac G8.

[@overjack46]

My name is Dick Nesbitt, I am the"Veteran Ford Designer" mentioned. Fabrication was by Jim Stephenson...

[@badbiker666]

I had a 1980 Ford Fairmont Futura. I bought it used in 1980 with the factory warranty still in place. It had the straight six engine and 3-speed auto trans. It was a perfectly decent car, and I loved it. I had it until 1987 when my wife took it to the store and totaled it. Bummer. But, the reason I mention all of that is because, not too long ago, I saw an original, unrestored, Durango offered for sale by the side of the road near my house. Interior and exterior were the EXACT same colors as my old car. I wanted it! But, they wanted $12,000 for it, which was WAY out of my league. And it needed some work. I didn't have a garage any more, so restoring it myself was just not possible. Ah well. That's life, Eh?

[@jamesbosworth4191]

Too bad. You would have had a car that the pundits would insist never existed.

[@Sh4dowgale]

4:54 Ironic, comsidering nowadays, Ford gave the Mustang name to a shitty crossover.

[@richardprice5978]

BEV crossover/EscapeE is okay iv been in one but it's still not a mustang or convertible/pony platform, so i say it might shut people up and or attract people like me if there was a S550-BEV-convertible or hard-top to the lineup, and ps im a RB/hemi+7speed challenger/charger fan/owner 😉

[@999benhonda]

Man, I wish they'd do this again. Not some 4d with a small bed, but a 3 seater (bench) with a 6' bed.

[@OLDS98]

Excellent research once again. I recall the LTD II because my family had one. It was jade green and stripped. No power windows or locks. Am radio. I recall that car big time. It was on the same platform with the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar of that area. They were all based off the Ford Elite before them. That was the 1977-1979 era. I also recall the Durango. They were indeed rare, but I recall them and you found some videos on You Tube. I recall GM's El Camino and GMC version from that era too. GM had two vehicles to Ford's one. The El Camino sunset after 1987 model year. They thought about bringing it back on the W Lumina. They had concepts they showed, but it never went into production. There was one based of the 1994-1996 Chevrolet Impala SS that also did not go into production. GM Pontiac was using the Holden Commodore as the Pontiac G8, they were going to bring the Holden UTE to the United States and sell it as the Pontiac sport truck., It did not happen. There are videos of these cars I am sharing here on You Tube and online. Thank you for the video. I do not use social media, but I appreciate you giving a way to contact you.

[@P_RO_]

Nice to see you and your vast knowledge here 😁 Another thing that killed the Utes from the manufacturer's drawing boards was the valid fear that they would cut into small and mid-sized truck sales which were doing well at the time, and the mid-sizes still are. I've seen a few well-done home-made Utes and if the opportunity presents itself I might do one myself.

[@OLDS98]

@@P_RO_ Thank you for your very interesting information as well. I totally did not think about that.

[@adamtrombino106]

@@P_RO_ Yes. What killed that market was the compact truck craze started by Japan. By the mid 80s, the American made compact trucks could have every luxury option known to man, offer 4wd, a small back seat, and do more than a ute could. Add that these trucks could be had with more efficient fuel injected engines and manual OD transmissions for good mileage. I believe the only yr 1 could get an El Camino with EFI was that last yr of 87, with the 4.3 V6. I worked on 1 of those when I worked for GoodYear from 95-03. It's the only 1 I've ever seen since.

[@ItsDaJax]

I think I want an LTD ii sedan now.

[@johneckert1365]

I think the name was a licensing issue. Ford had "Ranchero" trademarked, so the conversion company couldn't have used it without Ford's permission. If it was Ford produced, then Ranchero would've been absolutely appropriate. All the other Rancheros were basicly conversations from cars that already existed in thier lineup. First it was thier full-size car line, then the Falcon line, then the Fairlane line, and then lastly was the mid-size Torino-bird line.

[@Photo0021]

Of course now they're back with the Crossover with a bed (Maverick). I'm seeing a lot of them!

[@U.S.S.SOUTHSIDE]

The Maverick is a pickup truck, Not a crossover. Can we PLEASE STOP calling Everything a crossover?!?!

[@Photo0021]

@@U.S.S.SOUTHSIDE Its basically an Escape with a bed and extra kick. It's a pickup truck but it also drives like a crossover with a bed.

[@Plumberboi91]

Not a crossover. It's just a small truck like the ranger used to be.

[@autochatter]

It's FWD or optional AWD based off a car/crossover platform. A traditional truck is RWD/4WD with a body on frame design. A Maverick is a truck as it has a bed I guess. Its like a Honda Ridgeline.

[@StinkzMehaff]

​@@U.S.S.SOUTHSIDE I agree with you 100%. It's a truck. "BUT ITS UNIBODY" yeah yah goober, who needs the additional 600 lbs of weight lol

[@BretButlerSr]

When I was a kid I saw the Ford Durango at the dealership .

[@aussieausdeutschland4245]

I like how you called it a Ute instead of a "Truck", what really does surprise me is that Ford didn't use the 250 crossflow from Ford's Australian division, it was a direct bolt in to replace the ageing Thriftmaster from the original 1960 Falcon, it had 155hp and a mountain of torque as well it worked well with the pollution gear which was thrown on them at the time.

[@ItsDaJax]

There was a 200/3.3 inline six option for the fox chassis from about 78-81. It had a proper crossflow head, unlike the 300.

[@RadioReprised]

I had a 70 Ranchero with the hidden headlights from the Torino and a 429 with a 4 speed...tire roaster! El Camino was the best Truckcar ever though in the 70 Chevelle body.

[@ItsDaJax]

They're coupe utility vehicles. That El Camino was a Chevelle, it used the wagon body and even had the backseat fasteners in the floor, but covered on top. Same with the Ranchero; it's basically a Torino.

[@brickhead_07]

Junkyard Digs revived one a few years ago

[@louyork8379]

My adult daughter’s neighbor has one of these. It was given a modern 5.0 back in the early 2000s. It’s a very cool old car that I’d love to have. Old feller won’t sell it but you can bet I’ll be at the auction when he passes away lol. Really cool topic btw, great video as always ❤

[@jameswalsh6131]

Great video Green Hawk! I don't remember this truck but the others for sure. I always thought the concept of a car/truck was so great. Thanks for sharing and bringing back memories for me. Hope that you are doing great!

[@Rockfan10001]

Thanks for this story, Green Hawk. I don't recall the Ford Durango, but enjoy seeing the old Rancheros and El Caminos, whenever I come across one. Keep up the good work!

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Thank you for commenting man. I appreciate that😎

[@KillrMillr7]

My Dad had a 77 Ranchero, he loved that thing.

[@autochatter]

My best friend drove a 79 LTD II for years. Never really understood it as it was real similar to the Thunderbird then. Utes were cool, but more practical compact trucks with extended cabs, and no 4x4 versions pretty much killed them off. Awesome vid Hawk!

[@johneckert1365]

In that era, Ford's LTDII, T-bird, Torino, and Ranchero were all pretty much the same carm

[@autochatter]

@@johneckert1365 Yep.. His was burgundy with a white factory Starksy and Hutch style stripe on it

[@johnmcmullen456]

​@@johneckert1365Mercury Cougar too.

[@johneckert1365]

@@autochatter lol, awesome 👌

[@AledPritchard]

Seeing that Skyranger again made me nauseous. Another really good video, lots here I didn’t have a clue about. You guys had so many cars of so many variations of so many brands in the 70s, 80s, and maybe even the 90s. We had a few car brands over here in the 70s, but even at the height of car production here there was never the amount of options as available in the USA. Spoilt for choice.

[@adamsmith9636]

As a huge fan of Fairmont Futura when I first heard of the Ford Durango I said i must have one , well 25 years later and still no Ford Durango in my garage.

[@timcompton8352]

They’re fun to reminisce about but they were a gutless POS. My dad had a Durango throughout the 80’s into the 90’s. You couldn’t haul anything with the tailgate down because the taillights wouldn’t be visible.

[@johnmcmullen456]

Nice looking vehicle. Price always a problem when you involve a subcontractor vs done in-house like the El Camino. Too bad it wasn't around long enough to get the Mustang GT 5.0 and 5 speed. I doubt the tailgate light placement kept owners from dropping it when needing to carry longer loads. The El Camino later models with the tail lights in the bumper seems would obscure visibility of lights as well with the tailgate down.

[@tommissouri4871]

I almost bought a Dodge Rampage in early '83. I could get one through the military auto sales for a very good price, drive it overseas while I was there, and they would ship it home for me free when I headed back. An idea of American dependability in a country known for Lucas, Prince of Darkness, was very attractive. I don't remember why I finally decided not to buy it.

[@Bonjour-World]

"Ute" is an Australian term and there were several lines of Australian built utes. This is the first I have heard the term applied to an American built vehicle. Back in the 1950's (when cars still had frames) it not unheard of for someone to cut the back half of a car body off and replace it with a truck box. Also a mention of the VW “Micro Bus” Truck would not have been out of place.

[@Flies2FLL]

They made 212 of these and they were not actually produced by Ford.

[@IOSALive]

Green Hawk Drive, Your videos are fantastic! I just had to subscribe!

[@jimlangley4779]

The LTD II took over for the Torino. The LTD II The Thunderbird and the Couger were all made on the same platform from 77 to 79

[@jimlangley4779]

In 1974 Ford had a 2 door coupe called the Grand Torino Elite and was produced 74 75 and 76 on the same platform as the Mercury Cougar The LTD II Got similar lines as the Grand Torino Elite

[@pcno2832]

@@jimlangley4779 It seems that Ford decided that the Coke-bottle lines of the Torino were more dated than the boxier lines of the Cougar, so they tried to build all of their mid-size Fords with Cougar sheet metal, so the cars got bigger but no roomier and Ford did some really strange things with the rooflines. It's surprising how many cars Ford sold this way, but the newly decontented Thunderbird added a lot to the total. I don't think it did much for Ford's brand identity and the shock of the shift from bloated Torino-based models to saner but much smaller Fox-based models left buyers complaining about getting less car for more money.

[@jimlangley4779]

@pcno2832 the cougar the Thunderbird and the LTD II were all basically the very same car the Thunderbird got used for NASCAR and took over for the racing duties of the torino and that is why the LTD life was short lived the mercury villager wagon was the same as the montego wagon and got a cougar front clip and a new name

[@alwayslearningthefacts5881]

Had a 78 t-bird, and 79 Lincoln mark IV. loved both.

[@jimlangley4779]

@@alwayslearningthefacts5881 I always wanted to get a 77 79 Thunderbird front clip and put it on a ranchro that would look cool

[@Stinger430]

Dude! I never knew there was a Ford Durango!!! Mind blown. Excellent video Hawk.

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Neither did I😂 Thank as always man😎

[@ianhelyar6383]

Ford continued making utes in Australia until 2016. the last few, from 2000 had a two piece construction. Separate cab and tray. Holden (GM) had a one piece ute until 2016 as well. With a 5litre V8, it was a monster!

[@johnperry1334]

Ford Australia also used a 5.4 V8 for awhile, last of falcon utes used the 4.0 Barra inline six N/A or Turbo.

[@ianhelyar6383]

@@johnperry1334 There was a time when Ford utes were available with a 351...I've never had a V8. Mine is the 4.0 Barra N/A.

[@michaelelmore5103]

Had a 70 El Camino years ago. Loved it. One thing that spelled the end for these coupe utilities was the small pickups that could haul more in size and weight. They were usually cheaper and more heavy duty.

[@kirksway1]

I think you should include the REO Speedwagon when you show pickup/Ute comparison. Many would argue that it's the first "pickup-truck" as we think of one today.

[@donphillips5957]

To put the price into perspective, the base Fairmont went out the door at $4500. I know because I had one. Running up the price by 50% for the Futura package was already a stretch. I can see why Ford declined the Durango.

[@markschall1657]

I am a Ford guy, and have never heard of a Ford Durango until this morning when I saw something about it while getting ready for work. Great video!! Thank you!

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Much appreciated man!

[@ronsloan7662]

Hey GHawk, that was great content. I learned a few things even though I grew up in that era. Keep up the great work. Cheers!

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Thank you, I really appreciate that

[@53kenner]

I had a 78 Fairmont wagon with the 4 cylinder and 4 speed. It wasn't an exciting machine, but the handling was great and the vehicle possessed both surprising utility and economy. I could have gotten behind the Durango.

[@sandgroper4044]

Ford Australia was first to make a ute in 1934

[@MrSloika]

If you definition of 'Ute' is a car chassis with a pick-up bed in place of a rear seat, the first 'Ute' was the Ford Model-T.

[@riogrande163]

You mean the model TT?

[@bobbrinkerhoff3592]

@@riogrande163 in 1925 Ford started making a pickup truck out of the ModelT roadster by leaving the turtle deck off and putting a pickup bed in it's place . However this isn't considered to be a Ute because the cab and bed are two separate items and not of an unibody design .

[@jamesbosworth4191]

@@riogrande163 The Double T was a real truck from the ground up.

[@michaelcolston9334]

The LTD was a restyle and rename of the Ford Torino line which includes the Ranchero

[@UhOK327]

*LTD II

[@TomSnyder-gx5ru]

A blunder by Ford, it really cheapened the LTD brand in my opinion - like Cadillac did with the Cimarron.

[@pcno2832]

This was around the time that "real trucks" and SUVs were catching on as the new alternatives for big-car buyers and I remember a lot of truck buyers having a serious attitude about these car-based pickups. It's too bad, because for buyers who didn't need a real truck, especially business owners, these vehicles would have done the job on a lot less fuel.

[@tommissouri4871]

Right, up until the mid '70s, trucks were trucks. But the Silverado version was bringing a refinement to the Chevy trucks that meant you no longer needed an El Camino to have a car-like interior. Part of what made that possible was the Suburban had gone from being completely utilitarian and moving the family vehicle in the previous generation, especially with camping and towing a camping trailer. The same with the Chevrolet crew cab which was primarily a work truck, but by applying an off-the-shelf in-house deluxe interior, could be turned into a family-friendly tow vehicle for camping, boating, horses, and such. The need of a car-like El Camino was lessened. Also, using a truck platform allowed more towing capacity, like larger camping trailers, larger horse trailers, and larger boats. By the time the Ford Durango came out in the '80s, there just wasn't a strong need. The Dodge Rampage was a way to compete with the Ranger and S-10 pickups.

[@whirlpool1978]

I’m partial to the El Caminos-they were my favorite of that style body.

[@teresawalker4492]

Actually saw one of these Durangos in the Mall parking lot near my home. I was so surprised, because I didn't know anything about them. It makes since that they were 2k more than the El Camino, having been a conversion vehicle. I owned 2 Dodge Rampaiges, 1983 models. I loved them being fuel efficient and roomy inside.

[@Joe-cu4hi]

LTD II was very similar to the Torino and Cougar of the same era. My dad had all three at different years 😊

[@steves7896]

1:43 WOW! Beautiful! You said that because the Durango was so rare, you wouldn't have very many pics of one. But I thought you did a great job.

[@GreenHawkDrive]

I appreciate that man, thank you

[@62Madison]

The Ford Durango was a handsome aftermarket conversion- didn’t know it was so $$. The 1977 LTD II was a redesigned Tornio with a lot of front overhang. Ford downsized the Ranchero to Falcon in 1960 which morphed into Falcon based Fairlane-Torino in 1967. The 1972 Torino/Ranchero was a heavy body on frame ‘midsized’ that ended with LTD II/Ranchero in 1979.

[@petestaint8312]

Excellent video! Never knew this about Ford. 👍

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Thank you man😎

[@melikama]

The utility or "ute", originated with Ford Australia, in 1934. The Aussie Ford, and GM range always included utes, up until local manufacturing ended in 2016/17, respectively. Australian Chrysler Valiants were available as utes from 1965, to 1980. Utes are a cultural icon here, popular both with tradesmen, as well as hoons. (ie.revheads)

[@stevegabbert9626]

I went to Australia in 2015/16 and pleased to see that they were still making Ford Utes.

[@TheDuck632]

Brother don't worry about what people think about your opinions I miss pop up and down headlights

[@chuckwilson2301]

My dad had a 69 Ranchero. He kept it for a few years, then traded it for a GMC sprint, which was GMC’s version of the Chevy El Camino. Both vehicles drove and rode well.

[@MrJayrock620]

One of the guys I went to school with had a Dodge Rampage. He swapped a 2.2 turbo out of a Daytona into it

[@OG-BIG-SHEPHERD.]

And it still did 0-60 in 25 seconds😂

[@MrJayrock620]

@@OG-BIG-SHEPHERD. “0-60?” (Dodge) “Yes”

[@adamtrombino106]

I did that for a friend that had an 82 Rampage 2.2, after that engine grenaded. We found an 87 Shelby Charger that was hit hard in the rear and transplanted the drivetrain, electrical, fuel tank etc. We had to get an exhaust system made for it though. The Shelby's exhaust was crushed and the stock L body stuff wouldn't fit the Rampage platform. Plus it was way too small. Slow off the line due to turbo lag, once it got spooled that thing moved! We should've put in the Shelby's firm feel quick ratio steering system and larger frt brakes. Fun fact is that we had to use 2 Shelby wheels ( 5 stud) on the front, and 2 OE Rampage wheels on the rear, 4 stud, so the car kinda looked goofy IMO.

[@dannysrigid]

@@adamtrombino106 Early '90s, I had a co-worker that drove a Shelby Rampage as his daily driver.

[@danwolfe7665]

Looks exactly like my first car, a Mercury Zephyr, with a truck bed instead of back seats!

[@siegessaule]

I wonder how durable the fibreglass bed was, especially after 10+ years of UV exposure. I'm sure anyone who actually planned to haul things in the bed would choose the El Camino for the cheaper price and conventional steel bed.

[@Bonjour-World]

I can remember when trucks came with wood rail beds. Some people soaked them with used engine oil to keep them from rotting.

[@VB-bk1lh]

I saw something similar but it used the wagon rear end and Futura front. My guess is they took a Fairmont Futura and grafted on the rear quarter panel sections and gate from a wagon. The bed was made up of what looked like cut down Ranchero floor and front bed wall from an earlier model. The tail gate had Fairmont wagon outer metal and the inner panel was made somehow from an earlier Ranchero, my guess would be maybe a first or second gen model. Under the hood was an '86 Mustang GT 302 4bbl HO motor with a Borg Warner T5 trans. For wheels it was on a set of Fairmont/T bird alloys and painted in a two tone burgundy/champagne combo with red on the sides and champagne bronze color on the top surfaces. It was a sharp car but likely a one-of build that took someone a butt load of time to build.

[@chuckselvage3157]

Utes were first made in Australia

[@GTFORDMAN]

junkyard digs brought, revived and road tripped one, it was a good episode!

[@BillLaBrie]

I saw these when new. Very well-done for what it was. I think they came at a time most pickups were getting fancier and more comfy. The mini-trucks were coming on strong. The reason for a car with a bed in back were fast disappearing. Additionally, the Foxbody rear suspension was never a good candidate for heavy loads.

[@rancherodan5152]

Never owned but I have driven one pretty neat little ride. straight 6 powered with a c4 auto trans. very hard to find as there were only a handful made.

[@jeffpeterson6959]

Had heard that some were built on the Mercury Zephyr platform, too. Perhaps that Sun Coupe was one of them? Like to see a video on the '56 and '57 Chevy El Morocco. Very cool.

[@tedlogan4867]

The fox body was a failure outright, and almost destroyed Ford. the least worst selling fox body was the Mustang, and much of the fox body mustang sales were to government agencies across north America. The fairmont, the cougar, the zephyr, the marquis, as well as lincoln continental and mkvii.... and the granada... all were duds. Mustang was due to be permanently cancelled after the 1984 model year, and replaced with the Ford Probe, but due to a letter writing campaign, ford pulled mustang from the scrap heap and started from scratch with body SN95. every single model of fox body ford/mercury/lincoln were duds, with the musting being the least of a dud largely due to CHP and many other government agencies buying nearly half of fox body sold. To understand this fully, look at Ford share prices. they were on the brink of bankruptcy, and it was the Taurus that saved the company, but that's another story.

[@kevinwong6588]

SN95 was a reworked Fox. And Fairmont/Zephyr did well in their early years, at least until competition went FWD in the early 80s.

[@tedlogan4867]

@@kevinwong6588 Again, go back and look at Ford shares. The company was on the razors edge of failing. Almost every line they made, except their pickups, was a net loss, and had been for years. That entire era is known as "the malaise era" and ford was right there in the middle of it. Until Taurus came out of nowhere, but that's another story.

[@TheREALOC1972]

It was a failure simply because, the Dodge Rampage and Subaru Brat failed, it was built on the wrong platform, The Compact car was never a viable platform for the Ute. Had they built the Durango on the right platform like the Crown Vic/Grand Marquis platform it would have worked.

[@HighStrangeDrifter]

How do explain the Ford Maverick then? It’s a unibody FWD platform that they can’t keep in stock. Also the Subaru Brat was a success. Produced from 77 to 94, they just stopped selling them in the States in 86.

[@TheREALOC1972]

@@HighStrangeDrifter Your talking a 40 year difference too...... What people back then isn't what people want now. The newest generations of Malibu's and Chargers have ALL been 4 doors, they would have NEVER gotten away with in the past but they sell like Hotcakes now. Go to a local car show or a Cars and coffee's, you'll see cars you never thought you'd see at a car show, 4 doors, Ford Fairmont's, Station wagons, mid 70's Muscle cars.... Things change over 40 years. The subcompact Ute works now, it didn't back then.

[@colorwashcarsandguitars]

I want a Ranchero. Always liked them and El Caminos. I dont need a full sized truck.

[@AndrewAMartin]

Maybe a Maverick would fit your needs? I don't need a full size truck either, except for those couple times a year I need to haul something that either won't fit in my small SUV or I don't want inside (dirty/smelly/messy).

[@RobotDCLXVI]

Same boat, but just bought my first car after driving a Colorado and Ridgeline for the last 20 years. Even the mid size trucks handle like boats. Never drove a Maverick or Santa Cruz. As far as I understand, they are built on crossover/tiny SUV platforms. Those are a mixed bag when it comes to handling.

[@Rocketsong]

@@AndrewAMartin The Mav is a cool little trucklet, but it's FWD, and automatic only. I want a modern Ranchero built off a Mustang with a 5.0 and stick shift. 6" bed so you can lay down in it, and it would be perfect.

[@tjs114]

At least some of these were purchased by Pacific Bell's offices in the San Francisco East Bay. I remember seeing them running around back then along with the Ford Couriers that were the standard service vehicle at that time.

[@sableminer8133]

Oh wow, I never heard or saw b4 and I was a 16 y.o. car nut that regularly read Motor Trend, Car & Driver etc (admittedly not a funny/custom car fan) but that's pretty cool conversion for a more modern car! Man, how many cool designs were cut by the brass? Aren't the ads great from back then? What memories and thanks for ad content as usual🎉

[@mikalnaylor]

I had the 82 Rampage and a 1979 Ranchero GT and Ive owned a 1969 El Camino.

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Wow😂

[@murraymadness4674]

Never heard of this vehicle, but it looks good, thanks for the video, learned something new. as others have commented, they had small trucks toyota, datsun so the 'ute' was not really needed. I am really tempted to create a truck out of my v90 volvo wagon. I've seen many of the smaller volvo wagons made into 'ute's. I orginally thought this was a going to be an australian only vehicle, they seem to be big on 'ute's

[@Raymo2u]

There is a ranchero near me that is pretty well kept up. Ive always wanted a LS6 Camino though...or a Holden SS-V 6.0 MY dad had a Rampage when I was a kid with a 3.6 v6 swap...it was pretty neat.

[@juliangrcuffini]

Much love from Italy!

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Thank you🤌🤌🤌

[@showsiff]

Well done on doing an entire video on utes without mentioning Australia, never mind the fact that Ford Australia made utes right up until 2017 😂

[@nato7.62mm4]

I liked the video, so thank you for your time and effort creating it. I must admit my bias regarding this as I own a 1977 Ranchero GT that I have been modifying (as I do with all my vehicles), so the topic is " Near & Dear" to me. Thanks again... :-) L8R G8R

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Thank you man. It means a lot😎

[@316jd140]

I heard of the Ford Durango, but not until recently in another youtube video that I believe was talking about the Ford Fairmont and the Mercury version (Zehper, I believe). It's ironic that this design is showing up again, starting with the Honda Ridgeline from a few years ago, to the more recent Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. Of course in the 80s there was the Dodge Rampage and Plymouth Scamp and the VW Rabbit pickup, and Subaru had the Brat that came out before those did.

[@hughjass1044]

They must have been rare indeed. I never heard tell of such a beast.

[@rogerrendzak8055]

Funny how Chrysler, never introduced, a coupé utility vehicle. I always wondered, 'bout that🤔.

[@kevinwong6588]

Rampage and Scamp.

[@abboudab6794]

Great videos man, appreciate your efforts.

[@GreenHawkDrive]

I appreciate that!

[@QuartetTenor]

I saw a number of Rampage trucks, both at the dealership and in the wild. I had a ‘56 Plymouth Savoy at the time, and being a Chrysler nut, I thought the Rampage was beautiful! The front end looked very much like the Charger/Challenger which I also thought was awesome.

[@oshawott2250]

Loved the vintage commercial with Tom T. Hall.

[@Jim-re3sr]

Had a 72 Ranchero with a 351. Had a blast with it.

[@TopNotch2real]

My first car was a 79 Ford futura this is the truck version

[@1heavyelement]

these things were all over the place in arizona and california back in the 80s same with the rampage. the armed forces bought the rampage in mass.and i had a78 ltd 2 such a stupid name for a car. but i needed wheels and it was cheap.what's really cool is that ford made a 4 speed manual trans for the fairmont.

[@crankychris2]

I liked all of these vehicles.

[@Dwayne-mb2uj]

Durango is a mountain village in Colorado near the border of NM and Utah with the Animas River cutting thru it .Animas means spirit in Spanish.

[@stephentaege6255]

Wow if I had the money at the time i would have bought 10 Ford Sun coupes and put them in storage absolutely beautiful 👍👍🤠🦅⭐

[@toddanderson6952]

Never heard of it, thank you. 6:10, that looks fantastic

[@billymwaffles]

Im 26 and i love your videos keep it up and do you take recommendations?

[@gregwillis7767]

I've seen one, when I was younger. But I've also seen a used funeral home Cadillac"flower wagon" being put to use for the same purpose..

[@Ken-l2e]

I have seen 3 of these since the late seventies. Two at car shows and one at a Cracker Barrel in Monroe mi.

[@jeffbranch8072]

I think the Fairmont-based Durango had production possibilities and would have sold reasonably well. But what ultimately killed the market was that these "coupe ute" were replaced by compact pickups - Ford Ranger, Chevy S-10/GMC S-15.

[@mikyl-fo8rh]

The durango was a half-hearted attempt.

[@jaqass07]

Good research

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Thank you man!

[@alexanderspenser4960]

Surprised the LTD II, is news, precursor to the down sized Mark based T-Bird. First time I saw a Ford Futura, I figured it would make a handsome UTE. The last Rancheros were uncomfortable for most drivers over 6 foot, and what really hurt sales, was I could not wear my Cowboy hat in there.👍🏾

[@hotpuppy1]

Never saw one. Neat looking truck. Nice conversion. That would have been easy for the factory to do.

[@donkarnes5946]

VW was just called the pickup as I recall. Although, it was based on the Rabbit. Another downside for the Durango is that the taillights aren't visible with the tailgate down.

[@Mark_317]

I have a 71 GMC sprint SP, its got an ls-5 454 a 4speed and a 12 bolt rear end. It's the same as a 71 el camino SS with GMc badges. My uncle willed it to me a few years ago. I've brought to a bunch of car shows and hardly anyone knows what it is.

[@sirradiodude]

The issue with the model isnt just price. NHTSA requires brake and indicator lights be on a fixed portion if the vehicle. This us why those El Camino tail lights were notoriously on the bumpers and not tailgate. This design would have made those tail lights unroadworthy. The idea for the restriction is that if vehicle is disabled and tailgate is down the hazard flashing lights can still be visible from rear. Its akso worth noting these rules also apply to current SUVs with rear hatch designs. This is why the BRAKE indicator lights are NOT located on rear hatch door. There often is trim lights across back of hatch doors but those are "marking" lights that if indicate braking or turning the do so in addition to lights located on rear corner edges (not on hatch doors).

[@cheharrison7107]

You've gained some credibility man, and a sub, I'd love a Baja. Have you heard of the Impreza Gravel express? Car design used to be so much more interesting.

[@mpf1947]

A spare tire carrier on the back of an Imprezza looks so wrong. The bull bar on the front looks nice, though.

[@cheharrison7107]

@@mpf1947 I don't totally disagree, but wrong/odd is at least interesting, far more than the bland generic blobs of today. Like the Citroen CX having it's radio cassette player down in the center console between the seats, terrible idea but at least it's interesting!

[@DominatorGarage]

The ranchero from 66-76 was tied to the fairlane/Torinos…

[@Rocketsong]

Which is why the 65 is Peak Ranchero. All the small parts are Falcon/Mustang parts. And it's got the cool 65 Falcon side sculpting.

[@DominatorGarage]

@@Rocketsong not really. Shitty truck at that point. It’s functionality was better from 66-76

[@jerrynorton1080]

So, i dident think the studey had an integrated cab-box; the pic shown looks seperate. Ford of austrailia has classically been called the originator of the integral body/box utility (ute). Even hudson's pickup was a separate box.

[@marko7843]

Wow, so many interesting tidbits that I never knew, even though I grew up in a garage. Not just the Durango itself, which should have been called a Ranchero no matter what, but I also never saw or heard of a 440 Ford automatic or at 255 V8... This is certainly a better-looking car than the Rampage or the Rabbit pickup I think the big question is why did making a Ranchero out of the Fairmont cost so much more than making it out of a Fairlane or a Torino or an LTD II?

[@jamesschuck1210]

To say it failed badly is kind of strong. The marketing just wasn't there to support it, plus with it being an aftermarket build, folks were more hesitant about it. If they'd been factory built, this could've been a different story Thanks for doing this video to help keep it in the public eye.