Ford built the US mass-market auto industry on the iconic 1908 Model T—but it’s not the only old Ford you should know about. From 1990s Police Interceptors to the first-ever

Mustang

and the original

Bronco

, these are all the old Ford cars you should know.

We've created a guide to all the Fords that put

Dearborn

on the map. Whether you’re in the market for a Ford with a few (thousand) miles on the odometer or just curious about the history of one of the automotive greats, we’ve got the cars you’re looking for.

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How to save on your Ford insurance costs

What makes an old car great?

Even Ford lovers agree: not all Fords are built equal. So what separates the old Ford cars we’d rather forget (yeah, we’re looking at you, Pinto) from the all-time stars of the Blue Oval lineup?

The cars we included on our list hit a few different high points. Some are historically significant, like the original Model T. Some, like the F-Series, have stood the test of time as Ford’s most dependable, functional vehicles. Then there’s the weird and wonderful: pony cars, luxury cars, and cars that tried something new (not always successfully).

Not every car on this list is a good used Ford—that’s why we’ve followed up our ranking with a guide to the best old Ford cars to buy.

12. Ford Crown Victoria (1992-2012): the thin blue line

The

Crown Vic

might not be Ford’s most impressive car, but it’s definitely among the most memorable old Fords. Powered by a 4.6-liter V8 engine, this full-size sedan swept to fame in the ‘90s as the vehicle of choice for police forces. If you haven’t seen one of these lean, mean Fords cruising down Main Street, you’ll almost certainly recognize them from the silver screen.

In 2012, the Crown Vic stepped down to make way for new Ford Police Interceptors based on the

Taurus

sedan and

Explorer

SUV.

11. Ford SkyRanger (1991): yes, there was a convertible Ford pickup

Ford is known for its pickup trucks (more on them later), but the 1991 SkyRanger might just be the rarest old Ford truck out there. For one thing, it was a convertible pickup truck. For another thing, the SkyRanger wasn’t actually built by Ford: it was a third-party conversion, and only 17 were ever produced.

The SkyRanger was the result of Ford’s engineers playing with new truck concepts, but it kept a lot of what made Ford a giant in the pickup world.

The truck, essentially an early-90s

Ranger

with a convertible soft top, was powered by a 4-liter V6 engine that generated a respectable 115 hp. Between that plucky engine, a fun five-speed manual transmission, and solid build quality, the SkyRanger was a uniquely cool pickup truck. But good luck getting your hands on one—with so few models ever built, listings are few and far between.

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The best convertibles under $50k

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10. Ford EXP (1982-1985): a face only a mother could love

A cousin of the

Ford Escort

and the direct predecessor of the regrettably-named Probe coupe, the Ford EXP was a memorable car—just not a very successful one. Produced in the chaotic early 1980s following Lee Iacocca’s firing, the EXP feels like the embodiment of the Ford Motor Company’s uncertainties.

It’s not that the EXP was a bad car. It got great gas mileage, with Car and Driver reporting 44 mpg in their tests. And it stood out from the crowd, with bold headlights, a boxy rear notchback design, and big-lipped wheel arches.

But drivers were divided on whether the EXP’s unique styling was a good thing, and the Escort’s tame 1.6-liter four-cylinder couldn’t accomplish much in the EXP’s heavier body. Sales never took off, and Ford discontinued the EXP after just six years to make way for the Probe.

9. Ford Fiesta Mk1 (1977-1980): the original supermini

Ford has sold more than 16 million

Fiestas

since the supermini first debuted in 1976. Most of those, however, hit roads across Europe: Ford only sold the first and sixth generations in North America. That’s what makes the Mk1 Fiesta such a special Ford.

It’s also an attractive little car, thanks to its distinctive late-seventies hatchback styling. And although Ford stopped selling it in the US due to the increasing popularity of beefier Fords like the F-Series pickup and the Bronco SUV, the first-generation Fiesta had respectable performance specs, with a zero to 60 time as short as 9.5 seconds in some trims. Unfortunately, rust is a major problem for this old Ford, so be cautious if you’re eyeing one on the market.

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Ford's logo history

8. Ford Courier (1972-2007): the little pickup that could

In the early 70s, people wanted small pickups.

Nissan

had the Datsun Truck;

Toyota

had the Hilux. But Ford didn’t have a player in the compact pickup segment—until the Courier.

The little truck Ford introduced in 1972 based on

Mazda’s

B-Series wasn’t the first Ford to be called the Courier—that honor goes to a sedan delivery vehicle marketed in the late ‘50s. But the Courier pickup had a longer lifespan, trucking along in different parts of the world from 1972 all the way to 2007, when the reign of Big Pickup finally put the Courier nameplate to rest.

7. Ford Bronco (1966-1996): the first Ford SUV

SUVs are the MVPs of today’s automotive industry—and they might all have the original

Ford Bronco

to thank for it.

Developed in 1966 as an answer to the first civilian

Jeep

, the first Bronco was built on a unique boxy chassis that helped to define SUV styling for generations to come.

In keeping with the military origins of its Jeep competitor, the Bronco emphasized sparse, economic practicality, but Ford offered drivers optional add-ons including a CB radio, a posthole digger, a snowplow, and a winch.

In its second generation, the Bronco moved to a chassis developed from the trusty F-Series pickup truck, and the rest is history. The fifth-generation Bronco was discontinued in 1996, not long after O.J. Simpson’s infamous police chase, but 2021 brought welcome news for Bronco fans: the Bronco is back, and it’s better than ever.

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Who owns Ford?

6. Ford Mustang (1965-present): the godfather of the pony car

Not mentioning the original

Mustang

on a list of the best old Ford cars would essentially constitute a criminal act. This dizzyingly popular car didn't just outsell its creator’s greatest expectations, surpassing 1 million vehicles in just two years—it created a whole new class of car.

The original 1965 Mustang was the first pony car: a compact, affordable performance-oriented coupe in answer to mid-century America’s obsession with high-powered muscle cars. And 57 years later, the Mustang is still going strong.

It passed 10 million units in 2018, and made Car and Driver’s Editor’s Choice list for the last six years running (and the 10 Best Cars list in 2019!).

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The best-selling sports cars in the U.S.

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5. Ford GT40 (1964-1969): the car born to beat Ferrari

The iconic GT40, a high-performance race car built to break Ferrari’s early-60s dominance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, might be the greatest Ford ever built. It dominated Le Mans every year from 1966 to 1969, and the Mk IV version was the only car in history designed and built entirely in the US to win overall at Le Mans.

What made the GT40 so great? Sleek aerodynamics, a lightened body, and a mid-engine design powered Ford’s supercar to victory—and its legacy is still alive in the form of the recently-resurrected GT, which starts at an estimated $500,000 for the 2022 model year.

4. Ford Ranchero (1957-1979): more than a car, more than a truck

We move from the racetrack to the field with the Ford Ranchero, a low-slung coupe utility somewhere between a station wagon and a pickup truck. The Ranchero looked a lot like the uber-sleek Thunderbird sedan, but behind that well-groomed cab was an open cargo bed worthy of the best Ford pickup.

Marketed heavily in the Southwest, the Ranchero was essentially the ideal ride for a modern-day cowboy—and it sold well enough to inspire a competitor in the iconic

Chevrolet

El Camino.

3. Ford Thunderbird (1955-1997): timeless luxury

The GT40 was Ford’s performance star; the ‘65 Mustang was the king of the ponies; the original Bronco held the reins of the early SUV market. But there’s no old Ford more perfectly iconic than the 1955 Thunderbird, the quintessential 1950s luxury convertible.

The

Thunderbird

, developed in response to the

Chevrolet Corvette

, was more than a car. It was an idea—a fashion accessory, a status symbol, a two-seated extension of the ideal American self. In fact, the car’s successful introduction gave birth to the concept of the personal luxury car, a mass-market vehicle devoted to comfort and style above speed and power.

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The top 10 cheapest luxury cars to insure

2. Ford F-Series (1949-present): generations of truck greatness

If automotive greatness was based on sales alone, the

Ford F-Series

would be the clear winner: these full-size trucks have been the country’s best-selling vehicle, not just truck, for the last 40 years.

What makes the F-Series

so popular

? Affordability, a powerful lineage of V8 engines, and constant evolution for greater performance have kept these trucks solidly in the sights of American truck enthusiasts since the 1940s.

Currently in its fourteenth generation, the F-Series now includes the fully-electric F-150 Lightning and the off-road-ready Tremor—but the second generation’s F-100 truck remains one of the best old Ford trucks of all time.

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1. Ford Model T (1908): the car that started it all

Of course, no other vehicle could top our list of the greatest old Ford cars. Until Henry Ford’s assembly line turned out the first Model T in 1908, cars were an unreliable, inaccessible luxury of the super-rich. But that all changed when Ford started turning out these affordable, practical flivvers. Within years, cars were a part of daily life for everyday people.

The Model T didn’t just give birth to a mass-market auto industry capable of putting every American on four wheels. It’s also

the reason we have car insurance

, and it’s still one of the top 10 best-selling cars of all time according to

MotorBiscuit

How to find af-Ford-able car insurance

Not all Fords are built equal—and every Ford needs a

car insurance

policy capable of meeting its unique needs. Whether you’re looking for dirt-cheap minimum coverage for a beat-up F-Series,

classic car insurance

for a mint-condition Thunderbird, or a

full-coverage policy

for a brand-new Mustang, you’ll find what you’re looking for with

Jerry

Download our

trustworthy insurance comparison app

, enter your information, and you’ll get near-instant access to competitive quotes from some of the nation’s top providers. You can evaluate your coverage needs, compare rates, and make the final decision in the app.

Once you’ve chosen your quote, Jerry’s team of experts will walk you through the quickest sign-up process known to man for a final savings that averages $800+ a year! No matter what Ford you drive, Jerry can help you save on the insurance.

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