Review by Tony Cook/Model photos by the author
As a die-hard Ford fanatic, Brekina’s new late 1970s Ranchero is beyond awesome! While it is commonly maligned as Detroit’s malaise era, I grew up with, and am a devotee to, 1970s vehicles. This model is a great reproduction of Ford’s 1977–1979 Ranchero.
This intriguing vehicle design entered Ford’s line in 1957 and the most recent offering in North America was the seventh generation (1977–1979) now reproduced by Brekina in HO. The car/truck was not really a pickup and more for show or fun, being built on a station wagon base. Ford generally borrowed the grille and design from an existing vehicle in the line and adapted it for each generation of Ranchero. This seventh generation shared the look of Ford’s mid-sized LTD II. This version was the longest wheelbase (220 inches) of any Ranchero offerings.
Brekina’s 1:87 replica brings this Ford vehicle to car collectors and model railroad enthusiasts alike with a finely rendered effort. The two-piece body shell is injection-molded plastic with a separate plastic insert for the cabin interior and clear plastic insert for the windows. There are no screws present holding the underframe to the body, but you’ll find you can carefully pull apart the two sections to gain access to the interior should you desire to add paint there. The examples I examined, courtesy of Masterbilt Models of Texas, all featured a black interior section with dash, steering wheel, and bucket seats. Rancheros of this era could have bench or bucket seats. The rubber-like tires are mounted on plastic hubs and a thin wire axle running through the underbody. The wheels rolled fine on the samples examined.
The bumpers, grille, headlights, and taillights are chrome-plated plastic with color added for brake lights. The turn signal indicators up front are separate plastic sections and presented in an amber hue. The underbody includes dual exhausts, which I’m not certain was a standard option (except for maybe on the 400 engine).
The colors produced in the first releases are all accurate Ford hues. The majority of offerings include the GT package, which is represented with dual sport-style rearview mirrors, and striping across the lower body and running off the cab sides and along the upper rim of the bed. The two-tone silver with black example (shown above) is the base Ranchero 500, which had no stripes and basic chrome rearview mirror on the driver’s side (the model includes the GT-level mirrors).
This is another winner from Brekina and a must-have for many auto enthusiasts. It’s great to see vehicles from the 1970s reproduced in 1:87! As with many Brekina offerings, you need to strike quickly to secure them. Check with your hobby dealer or visit Masterbilt Models online for stock on this and other HO scale cars and trucks.
Brekina HO-scale
Ford Ranchero
GT Metallic Green w/Gold 18226, $26.95
GT Red w/Black 18225, $26.95
GT Silver w/Black 18228, $26.95
500 Silver w/Black 18231, $26.95
