A Pennsylvania mechanic with a passion for vintage cars has brought a classic back to life after it spent 20 years collecting rust and dust.
Thirty-six-year-old mechanic Chris, who works out of a garage just north of Philadelphia, found a medium jade 1979 Ranchero GT for sale in nearby Royersford and knew it would make the perfect restoration project.
The car had 96,000 miles on the dial and was being sold by the granddaughter of the original owner. All the other potential buyers had wanted the car for parts, but the granddaughter couldn’t bear to see the beloved Ranchero torn apart.
Chris put in a bid and promised to make the car roadworthy again. He towed it away and kept a copy of the registration, as the first owner wanted the original as a keepsake.
The Ranchero still had all its original parts, including a 5.0L “coyote” engine, though it had suffered rust damage, had rodent droppings covering the interior, and had beehives in the wing mirrors. The original owner chose medium jade metallic paint for all his vehicles as branding for his company. Chris marveled at the craftsmanship of the upholstery.
Working on the car, he commented, “The man had some cool taste because that’s a cool-looking Ranchero. ... For a Pennsylvania car, this is a true survivor.”
Chris tackled the automobile in stages, starting by cleaning the exterior and vacuuming the interior to remove dirt, trash, rodent scat, and superficial rust. Next, he checked the car’s engine condition and oil and ditched the dead battery.
He power-cleaned the engine bay while noting the melted ignition box. He then checked the brake lines and changed the tires using original spares stored under the back seat, all the while Chris’s excitable wiener dog and a flock of free-range chickens on the property watched on.
After cleaning surface rust from the metal components and ripping out the ceiling, owing to irreparable rodent damage, Chris left an ozone generator running inside the car overnight to eliminate air pollutants. The next day, he was ready to turn the ignition. The Ranchero started on the first try.
“That is a testament to Ford quality! Didn’t even hesitate,” Chris said. “Just choked and fired up, unreal!”
The car’s headlights lit up though blew out immediately, yet the brake lights and high beams still worked. The left rear wheel was locked and rusted; Chris salvaged as much “good old American iron” as possible in repairing it. He then changed out nearly 10 gallons of 20-year-old fuel and prepared to hit the road.
The Ranchero’s first successful test drive was a testament to the workmanship of the car and the skill of its restorer. The car drove smoothly; the front brakes operated like a dream; the gearbox was clunky but functional; even the door-ajar light still worked.
With the restoration a complete success, Chris decided to list the 1979 Ranchero for sale, in hopes of finding a fellow mechanic or classic car lover to present the newly-roadworthy jade-green beauty a little more love and the new lease on life she deserves.
“Wow, didn’t take much to get that back on the road. Lots to learn in each episode,” wrote one netizen.
“Amazing job, Chris, on these old classics,” wrote another. “Love the way you can bring them back to life with hard work and know-how, the world needs more of this.”
https://youtu.be/ODq1fkh3gcg
