Barris Custom Shop Restyles Ford’s "Ranchero"

An illustrated custom concept of a radically restyled Ford Ranchero, created for Car Craft November 1957. Drawn by staff illustrator Dick Collier, the rendering visualized George Barris’ vision for a futuristic, quad-headlight Ranchero featuring a hand-formed grille shell, extended fenders, and dramatic fins. The article was part of Car Craft’s popular series where top customizers shared imaginative design ideas through Collier’s and others' artwork. Photo courtesy of Car Craft.

The rear view of George Barris’ conceptual Ranchero. Barris envisioned the back of the Ranchero with dramatic extended fins, tunneled 1957 Plymouth wagon taillights, and a custom rolled rear pan. The fin extensions were shaped to taper like a budding flower, ending with a 1955 Nash backup light mounted in the “bud.” A modified 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk bumper was adapted to fit the new contours, completing the futuristic tail treatment. Photo courtesy of Car Craft.

Using modern AI tools available in 2025, we recreated George Barris’ and Dick Collier’s 1957 Car Craft Ranchero concept as a realistic full-color photograph. The image brings their original pencil rendering to life, showcasing the envisioned lime-gold base, darker lower panel accents, quad headlights, and dramatically sculpted fins just as Barris described them in the magazine.

George Barris - Barris Kustoms - Kustomrama Styling Studio

Barris Custom Shop Restyles Ford’s “Ranchero” was a conceptual custom car design featured in the Car Craft November 1957. Drawn by staff illustrator Dick Collier, the article presented a futuristic redesign of the brand-new Ford Ranchero as envisioned by George Barris of Barris Kustoms, one of the most influential customizers of the era.

The feature was part of an ongoing Car Craft column in which well-known designers and custom builders were invited to reimagine popular cars of the day. Artists such as Dick Collier translated these ideas into full illustrations, offering readers a look at how top custom shops believed production cars should have looked—or could be restyled using available parts and techniques. These concept illustrations were not actual builds by Barris Kustoms but were grounded in real, practical custom-car craftsmanship.

Background

During the 1950s, Car Craft regularly published conceptual custom features combining the visions of leading customizers with the pen-and-ink artistry of Dick Collier and others. These pieces acted as design studies, inspirational guides, and “what-if” blueprints for readers who wanted to modify their own cars.

The November 1957 Ranchero restyling was created during the car’s first model year, when the Ranchero’s utility-car form was still new, and customizers were eager to explore its styling potential.

According to the article, the concept was based on the idea that a Ranchero owner could “haul in style,” bringing together practical usefulness with a sharp, show-car-level appearance typical of Barris Kustoms.

George Barris’ Concept for the Ranchero

The Barris concept pushed the Ranchero toward a dramatic, almost space-age appearance, featuring:

• Quad headlights
• Sweeping fins
• A dramatically altered grille
• Sectioned, reshaped, and extended panels
• Golden Hawk and Studebaker styling influences
• Paint schemes using multiple color separations

The design remained rooted in the real-world techniques and parts availability of 1957, making it a feasible—though ambitious—custom project.

Front-End Modifications

The biggest visual overhaul centered on the front:

• Quad Headlights: Barris proposed installing 1957 Imperial quad headlight units, integrated into heavily sculpted “eyebrow” housings.
• Custom Grille Shell: A hand-formed grille shell inspired by 1954 Studebaker contours and extended forward using a 1955 Chevrolet pickup grille mesh.
• Diagonal Chop Illusion: The transition between cab and bed was visually “cleaned up,” eliminating the stock Ranchero’s abrupt diagonal seam.
• Reshaped Hood and Fenders: The hood line was raised and extended, flowing into the new headlight housings.

This gave the Ranchero a strong, Thunderbird-inspired face with Barris’ signature dramatic flair.

Side & Body Modifications

The midsection incorporated:

• New rearward-sweeping character lines connecting the front fender to the rear fins.
• Reshaped lower rocker panels and a smoothed beltline.
• Color-segmented body panels typical of Barris styling in the late 1950s.
• A longer hood and extended front fenders to give the car a lower, sleeker stance.

Rear-End Modifications

The rear concept was equally dramatic:

• 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk rear bumpers adapted to the Ranchero’s fender ends.
• 1957 Plymouth station wagon taillights, deeply tunneled for a futuristic look.
• A tapered fender extension resembling a budding flower, ending in a 1955 Nash backup light inside the taillight “bud.”
• A custom roll pan and molded rear section replacing the stock tailgate lines.

The modifications gave the Ranchero a bold finned look rivaling contemporary Exner Mopars and GM dream cars.

Color & Finish

In the article, Barris suggested:

• A lime gold base color
• Darker panels on lower sections
• Pearl white roof accents
• Options for wild striping and scallops depending on owner taste

This multi-tone scheme reflected late-1950s West Coast custom-paint trends.

Parts and Price List

Car Craft included a detailed estimated cost for each modification—components such as the Studebaker pans, Imperial lights, and custom grille work—ultimately totaling $999.00 including materials and labor. This gave readers a practical understanding of how much a high-end Barris-style restyling project would cost in 1957.