The Ford Ranchero is a pickup/coupe utility that was produced by Ford between 1957 and 1979. Unlike a standard pickup truck, the Ranchero was adapted from a two-door station wagon platform that integrated the cab and cargo bed into the body. In 1972, a radical change occurred in the Torino and Ranchero lines. The sleek, pointy look of the previous year’s model was replaced with a larger, heavier design. Most prominent was a wide semioval grille reminiscent of a jet intake and a new body-on-frame design. Three models were still available; the now-standard 500, the new Squire with simulated woodgrain “paneling” along the flanks, and the sporty GT.

The Ford Thunderbird is an American automotive icon first introduced in 1955. For the 1970 model year, the Thunderbird was stylistically updated with the addition of a large, bird’s beak-style projection out of its grille. Offered in coupe or sports-back models, all 1970-1971 Thunderbirds had prominent angular lines on the hood leading to a jutting tip, that also formed the center of the grill work, that was not a too thinly disguised bird beak. Semon “Bunkie” Knudsen, a former GM executive now President of Ford, is said to be responsible for this dramatic change. As with the 1967-69 models, the 1970-71 models had sequential turn signals incorporated into the full panel tail lights at the rear of the car.