Hey Guys and Gals, I haven’t posted in a while but I have a question that’s been scratching at me. I did some reading and found out about the Farm and Ranch Special trucks, they seem to have beefy suspension and a step bumper. Mine came factory with a step bumper and heavy duty rear springs. There is a copy of my Marti Report below.

I’d like to think my truck might have been a Farm and Ranch Special but I don’t know much about them to start!

 

I'm not sure they offered that particular package after 72, and the ones they did had 9" sides made of wood that went into the bed stake positions. They were painted the same color as the truck. Plus the bumpers were really beefy, the one on yours looks to be the plain jane step bumper.

Just off of my research anyways... someone with more knowledge on them than me may add better info though.

 

I have never heard of a Farm and Ranch Special and I do not see that mentioned on your Marti report. I would think that a Farm and Ranch would at least be a F250 with a large V-8 for towing. AFAIK the bumpers were installed at the dealership, NOT the factory.

In the Ford Truck Accessories catalog dated 7/78 you could order a Rear Step Bumper, Chrome or a Rear Step Bumper, Argent. Argent is a color like silver.

FTE talk about a Farm and Ranch Special. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...h-special.html
And other places, seems like it was a pre 73 option. https://www.fordification.com/forum/...pic.php?t=6794

 

Those side panels are cool though...

The rear bumpers I had seen in some of the ones for sale were serious beef... with a built in tow hitch.

Like so:




Of course that could be from any different manufacturer back in the day... it's a mystery.

 

Hey Rich, here is a picture of new trucks loaded on train cars getting ready to be shipped out. I believe this was the San Jose plant in late 1979. Three of the trucks that can be seen have a step bumper mounted. There are a couple being shipped out that don't have the rear bumper.

 

I found this low res pic/description in an old thread on fordification, similar to the bumpside above. I only see farm and ranch mentioned when talking about bumpside trucks

 

A friend built his F and R bumpers using what looked like 5 or 6 inch well casing, only he put the tag below the casing and on the rear, the hitch ball mount surface at the lower edge of the tag, but not in a receiver ... just a thick steel bar poking out. He capped the ends, had air fittings too.

 

pfffffffffffffft .......................

 

You had a little extra air in your mouth?

I had an air tank bumper I welded together on an old toyota pick up! Was kinda nice to have a way to air up my tires after a day of wheeling to my favorite fishing spots.

 

Mike are you saying the information I was told on FTE was wrong? Say it ain't so. Cool picture, I have that one saved and have posted it before in the past. I like getting a little bit more history on it, thanks.

 

Just picking up the slack for Bill . Haven't seen him on here much lately.

 

I think Bill has retired retired even from FTE. His last FTE visit was 06-18-2023. So not sure, maybe he is in Mexico drinking margaritas.

 

 

Thanks for all the input, guys. I guess the Farm and Ranch Special was a Bumpside thing. My truck was definitely a farm truck though. the farmer I bought it from had it since 74, I may make some wooden cattle racks like the Bumpsides pictured above had.