Raven Black was not the most common color to grace the flanks of a 1971 Ford F-100 Ranger, and the fact that this F-100 rolled off the production line wearing that particular shade is already enough to make it that little bit special. The fact that the engine bay now houses a 428ci V8 is really icing on the cake. That has the potential to make this a pretty effective tow vehicle, even if what you wish to tow is about the size and weight of your average aircraft carrier. If that sounds like exactly what you need, or even if you don’t actually need it but just plain want it, you will find the Ranger located in Canyon Creek, Montana, and listed for sale here on eBay. I don’t find it at all surprising that this is a vehicle that has generated plenty of interest, with strong bidding and plenty of people watching the listing. The bidding action has pushed the price along to $4,494 in what is a No Reserve auction.

I always like it when a seller provides plenty of photos of every aspect of the vehicle that they are selling, and on that score, this is a seller that doesn’t disappoint. What the vast array of photos show is a Pickup with no rust issues beyond some light surface corrosion. The panels generally look nice and straight, with only a couple of minor dings to contend with. The paint is worn away in the bed, but the steel in there doesn’t look terribly battered and bruised. The Raven Black paint has worn through in a number of places, and where it has worn to the steel, surface corrosion has developed. The owner hasn’t applied any clear coat to this but has given it a clean and polish to preserved that aged look. Whether it remains this way or is treated to a repaint will be something for the next owner to consider. The alloy wheels aren’t original, but they do suit the character of the vehicle and appear to be in good condition. The tinted glass appears to be free of any significant problems, while the trim and chrome also present well. Of course, the “428” badges on each front fender provide a pretty decent clue that this is anything but you average F-100.

The original owner purchased the Ford new back in August of 1971. When he took delivery, the F-100 came equipped with a 390ci V8 and a 4-speed manual transmission. He drove the Pickup on a regular basis, but when he retired, he decided to give himself a retirement gift. He had a local shop build him a 1967-vintage 428ci V8 and a C6 automatic transmission, and had these slotted into the engine bay. What he did retain are the original power steering and power brakes. It isn’t clear just how much power this replacement engine produces, but you can be pretty sure that it would be significantly more than the 390’s original 255hp. The engine was treated to a Melling cam, an Edelbrock intake and 750cfm carburetor, along with tubular headers. I think that a power figure north of 300hp would be a fairly conservative estimate. The owner states that the Ranger runs and drives really well, and isn’t short of power. I have included a video at the bottom of this article of the vehicle running and driving, and it does sound really sweet and strong.

For a workhorse of this age, the interior condition of the Ford is actually pretty reasonable. It has no immediate needs and certainly remains very serviceable. There are numerous small issues that could be attended to over an extended period of time, but it isn’t like the entire interior requires replacement. The dash pad and steering wheel are both cracked, and the interior would present better if both were replaced. The vinyl on the door trims is rippled, but I suspect that this could be stretched back into shape okay. However, the cover on the seat looks good, and if the next owner chooses to leave the exterior largely untouched, then the condition of the interior would be well within keeping with the vehicle’s overall character.

So, what to do with this F-100 Ranger if you bought it. I guess that has to be the million-dollar question. There will be plenty of people who would plump for a repaint to make the Pickup really stand out, and I wouldn’t blame them for following that path. For me, I would be tempted to leave it largely as is, but swap on a set of original steel wheels, remove the 428 badges and then lob at my nearest drag strip with a very ordinary-looking and unassuming Pickup. It would be worth it to see the jaws drop when this beast launches down the ¼ mile. I might be getting older, but you’re never too old to enjoy that sort of fun. How about you?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB62uKVdEjk&feature=youtu.be