Real Ranger Pick-ups

[Jack]

I have been building and restoring 61-66 Ford pick-ups from mild to wild since the 80s
I recently purchased a V-81 F-100 and a T-81 F-250
My question is if I put 20K in each to restore will they be worth much more than a standard pick-up??
Jack in San Diego

[FarmMotorSports]

That's a great question. To which the answer is not easy.
If you watch the big Auction houses our slicks don't command high dollar. Yet, every now and then some truck with what I would call serious flaws in build quality goes for bigger than normal $$$. Over time they are going up in value, just a little faster than a mint fresh Yugo.

My answer is If your building a slick purely as an investment, you may not be totally sane or, I hope your under 16 yrs old so that ship has time to come in.

If you're building a slick because you enjoy doing it and you don't care if it pays off or not, your bound to be happy and it just might command the $$$ for your beneficiarys some day.



PS: I would expect a well documented rare optioned vehicle to gain value faster than a run of the mill one.

[ThinLizzy13]

What's a v-81 and a t-81?

[36truck]

Body code numbers that tell how the truck was built. In this case they are for Ranger option interior.

[ThinLizzy13]

Ah gotcha. Thanks!

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

Since I see so much a FAKE Rangers and FAKE Mercury's and so much of experts all I have seen lately by going by Book Material,, These answers are not in the books

My ? is how can you spot a FAKE Ranger, Now on Fake Rangers OH yes change the door plate, cut out the # off Frame Rail and reinstall the #, install all the Ranger Parts or have the ORIGINAL Build Sheet or transaction paperwork,, But still one place to tell if real or not

Now one other note NOT ALL FRAMES Where stamped with Vin#'s,, I talked personally to a Ford Rep and answer was about 95% of frames where stamped on trucks for many years but a few where missed

AND Next

My ? is how to spot a Fake Mercury especially ones from 1966 to 1968 trucks,, Now from 1965 down is a little harder

[bruceandersson]

I also do not think the body codes are always accurate. My first slick was a '65 from Texas that had a x81 body code. I do not recall the color code for the x. The truck was a plain jane no option shortbed. I also am not sure how much the Ranger option adds to the value of a vehicle. There just aren't that many people out there who understand or care about its rarity. I have a ranger/camper special that I was overjoyed to find. But a lot of people just shrug off the interior.

[Michelle]

That is way I always ask for a picture of the VIN plate, if it is a brand now plate I start to have doubts if it is real or not. I also ask for pictures of the truck and if possible old pictures of the truck. If I see old and faded Ranger badges or a vey worn interior I can pretty well believe that it is indeed a true Ranger. If it has a new VIN plate and the truck looks brand new I start to have serious doubts.

[Michelle]

I also do not think the body codes are always accurate. My first slick was a '65 from Texas that had a x81 body code. I do not recall the color code for the x. The truck was a plain jane no option shortbed. I also am not sure how much the Ranger option adds to the value of a vehicle. There just aren't that many people out there who understand or care about its rarity. I have a ranger/camper special that I was overjoyed to find. But a lot of people just shrug off the interior.

I would strongly suspect that the X81 code was on a special order truck with some interior that was not standard production.