Most car enthusiasts are familiar with the Chevy El Camino, a unique vehicle that combined the features of a car and a truck and was in production from the 1960s until the late 1980s. Ford also had a similar offering named the Ranchero during that same period. However, few know about its lesser-known successor: the Ford Durango. This rare, unofficial vehicle was custom-built in limited numbers and is now available for sale in Vermont for $11,000.
When a Craigslist link appeared in our editor’s chat, I initially assumed it was just another person selling an SUV without knowing its name. But to my surprise, the Ford Durango is indeed a genuine model. Essentially, it is a modified Fairmont with the rear cut off and replaced with a truck bed. Notably, this vehicle was not an official Ford product; it was a custom conversion executed by another company before the few hundred units were distributed through dealerships.
Information about the Ford Durango is scarce. The vehicle was produced by a company called National Coach Products in California, which appears to have either gone out of business or is difficult to find online. A 2008 article by classic car publication Hemmings provided some insights, but the article has since disappeared from the site, and I couldn’t locate a cached version. It would be helpful if someone could provide an archival link in the comments.
Nonetheless, I did manage to uncover some discussions about these cars in an old forum thread on Ford Truck Zone. A user named KW5413 shared an intriguing excerpt from the old Hemmings piece, attributed to Mr. Bill Stephenson:
I wanted to contribute since I helped design and build these with my father, Jim Stephenson. He was a custom car builder in Los Angeles since the mid-late 1960s, having worked at Barris Kustom and managed George’s shop intermittently while subcontracting for George for about 20 years.
The original “Durango” was constructed in our shop in Sylmar, CA, aiming to provide a replacement for Ford’s “Ranchero” after it was discontinued. My older brother, Jim, alongside George and Katie Gowdy of G&K Fiberglass—who produced various famous funny car bodies—contributed to the project. George Price, a skilled “body man,” completed most of the finish work on the original molds used for the production of the truck bed. He was exceptional at working with “Bondo.”
I performed many of the metal fabrication tasks on the bed and assisted in the design and construction of the tailgate and hinges. The metal work I completed was utilized for creating the molds for the fiberglass production parts.
The tailgate presented one of our greatest design challenges. There was no feasible method to relocate the taillights to the rear quarter panels due to space constraints, and developing an entirely new taillight was too costly. Consequently, we opted to use factory taillights implemented within a fiberglass tailgate that swung out and away from the bed to align with the bed floor when opened.
Once we finalized the prototype, we approached “National Coach” to gauge their interest in production. My father managed to strike a deal with them to acquire the molds and production rights, along with a royalty arrangement for each unit sold.
National Coach’s initial step involved purchasing a fleet of new Fairmonts from Ford, but they forgot that we had specified the conversion was designed for cars without sunroofs. The dealer they bought from offered an attractive deal on multiple vehicles with sunroofs, and they made the purchase without consulting us first. This oversight consumed a significant part of their budget and posed a problem for my father, whose income relied on the number sold. It nearly halted production entirely. My father and brother Jim collaborated with National Coach to bring the vehicle to market, but I had already moved on to other projects. I returned briefly to assist in redesigning the tailgate hinges due to some production challenges with the original design.
The Durango marked the last custom car I built with my father. It’s gratifying to witness people appreciating our work and striving to preserve the few remaining models.
While I don’t have an easy way to validate this information, I find it credible. On another vintage forum called Ranchero.us, I discovered several images of Ford Durangos and an old brochure featuring National Coach Products:
With this context in mind, let’s revisit the Craigslist listing that sparked our interest: a 1979 Durango priced at $11,000 and in reasonably good condition. The seller describes it as “a driver but not a show car for trophies.” That description seems fair. It’s hard to determine what constitutes a good deal for such a rare vehicle, but the Durango would surely attract more attention at car shows compared to other more expensive cars.
As a fan of compact pickup trucks, I can understand why this model didn’t gain popularity. Much of the structure surrounding the truck bed appears to be fiberglass, which could pose risks when loading sharp or heavy items. Additionally, the division between the bed and the cab also seems to be fiberglass, raising safety concerns. However, the one listed for sale may have some wood flooring added to address these hazards.
Given the few Durangos produced—estimates in forum discussions range from under 100 to as many as 300—it’s remarkable to see one available for purchase today.
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