1964 Falcon Ranchero
Sunbeam Tiger V-8 Powered

Here is something that’s really different. A Ford Falcon Ranchero with a genuine 260 cubic inch Sunbeam Tiger V-8 motor and an equally genuine Tiger top loader four-speed transmission. I don’t think I’d be going too far off on a limb to say that this is probably the only one of these you’ll ever find.

The history of the car was told to me this way. A man in California owned two cars. A six cylinder, 200 cu. in. ranchero that he drove everyday to work and an original Sunbeam Tiger for fun on weekends. Unfortunately, one day he rolled the Tiger and totaled it. So, the next thing you know, he got the idea of putting the power train into the Ranchero and that’s where it sits today.

I like Rancheros and I like Tigers too, so I bought it. I had a chance to buy an original 200 cu. in. six cylinder engine so I bought that too. The motor came with a rebuilt automatic, which was a nice bonus. This Ranchero just happened to be equipped as an automatic originally and the column lever with gear selector collar is still in place. So, converting it back to an automatic would be pretty easy.

For a car to restore this one is far better then most of these you’ll find. It’s believed to be an original California car so that helps a lot. I’m very familiar with these and they generally have problems in the same areas. It’s usually just a question of degree. This car is exceptionally straight but it’s definitely going to need some floor pan work, primarily on the drivers side, which I think you’ll find in just about all of them that haven’t been restored yet.

What I was planning on doing was to restore the ranchero with the six-cylinder automatic as a neat little everyday driver. It would be really unique and deliver great gas mileage. The 200 c.i. Ford sixes are GREAT motors!!! If you doubt this, just look these up on a search engine like Google and read what people say about them. I’ve seen great running 200’s that are just as fast as 289’s and usually with greater longevity. 

Next, I hoped for (or perhaps I should say dreamed of) finding a Tiger to use the original engine and transmission in. As you probably know, Rancheros have really gone up in price lately but prices for Tigers have gone absolutely CRAZY!!! I’ve heard that some have sold for over sixty grand. If that’s the case, how much is the nearly impossible to find original Tiger engine and transmission worth?

Personally, I’ve been thinking about these two projects quite a bit. My only concern is when will I find the time to do it? On the Ranchero, a person could do the cosmetics and mechanical work to the brakes etc and drive it with the Tiger motor in it. The V-8 engine is running good. A person could choose to leave it with the V-8 in it permanently. For me, I need to concentrate on finishing some other projects that I’ve already started rather then tearing into additional ones at this point. So, the bottom line is that I’ve decided to offer it for sale. 

If you happen to be lucky enough to have a Tiger and need an original drive line then you’ve just found the Holy Grail for Sunbeam owners. Personally, I’m not a guy who’s into clones but if you are, then you’ve just found the ultimate parts to make your project complete. To say the very least, the Tiger driveline in this car really affects the value. Actually, I think it’s definitely worth more then the car is. 

I've found this car somewhat difficult to price. I know that I've probably got something here that nobody else has but rarity doesn't always translate to value. I was asking $7,850 for this car, including the spare engine and transmission which I felt was reasonable. However, I've decide to reduce the price down to $6,500 which I think is an excellent buy for this package and I hope will lead to a quick sale.

Please call Larry at 480-483-2555. If you would like to email me first, the address is ljkay@cox.net.

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