Key Details
- Seller : Bluto
- Location : Auburn, CA 95602
- Seller Type : Private
Build Sheet
- VIN: 1FABP22B5BK197937
- 3.3-liter (200ci) inline 6-cylinder engine
- Single-barrel carburetor
- 3-speed automatic transmission
- Factory Fox-body unibody chassis
- MacPherson strut front suspension
- Solid rear axle
- Power front disc / rear drum brakes
- Rack-and-pinion steering
- National Coach Works Durango conversion
- Integrated fiberglass cargo bed & drop-down tailgate
- Maroon exterior paint
- Manually operated sunroof
- Steel wheels with loose wire hubcaps included
- Brown vinyl bucket seat interior with center console
- Factory instrument cluster with woodgrain dash accents
Wrench Report
RestoMods Head Mechanic. 20 year classic car mechanic & builder.
This is a very unique coach-built ute that in the right hands can get a very neat second chance at life. Ford ended the Ranchero in '79, so there's nothing else like this out there with a Ford badge, a pickup bed and '80s styling. You get a professionally shaped fiberglass bed, a functioning interior with a sunroof, and rear wheel drive!
Description
This 1981 Ford Fairmont Futura Durango is one of an estimated 212 Fairmont-based two-door unibody pickups converted by National Coach Works of Gardena, California under a joint program with Ford Motor Company. Decoding the VIN (1FABP22B5BK197937) verifies its assembly at the Mahwah plant as a 1981 Ford Fairmont Futura coupe equipped with a 3.3-liter (200ci) inline 6-cylinder engine and three-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle primarily features a professionally converted fiberglass pickup bed in place of the factory trunk and back seat area, complete with a functioning tailgate with wrap-around taillights. It is a two-owner California car from new, with the seller being the current owner since the mid-1980s. The odometer shows approximately 82,500 miles, but the seller states the vehicle has also spent about 25 years in indoor storage throughout the car's lifetime. The Durango is currently held on a California planned non-operation (PNO) registration status, and is now being offered at no reserve with a clean California title and a clean CarFax report.
The exterior features the Durango conversion layout, which replaces the rear roof section behind the B-pillar, trunk, and rear seating with a fiberglass pickup bed and a drop-down tailgate. The body is finished in maroon from a prior repaint. Exterior details include quad rectangular headlights, factory chrome bumpers with rubber impact strips, and "Durango" badging affixed to both B-pillars. The headlights, turn signals, and taillights are functional. Missing body trim is noted on both the driver and passenger side doors and fenders.
The car stands on steel wheels, with unattached wire-style wheel hubcaps included in the sale. The rear cargo bed is constructed of fiberglass and integrated directly into the cab structure.
The interior is trimmed in maroon vinyl, featuring a center console, matching maroon carpeting, dashboard and door panels, and a maroon steering wheel. The dashboard bezel features a woodgrain veneer accent. Wear is evident throughout the cabin, including cracks and tears on the dashboard, rips in the vinyl seat upholstery, surface blemishes on the floor-mounted automatic shift lever, wear on the steering wheel rim, and worn carpet floor mats. The factory radio is missing, leaving an open slot in the center dash area.
The driver operates the car via the factory steering wheel facing the stock instrument cluster, which houses the primary operational gauges.
Part of the National Coach Products conversion also included the addition of a manually operated removable sunroof which is still intact on this vehicle. Noted in the photo is a crack in the windshield, and the headliner is starting to sag in several places.
Under the hood is a factory-spec 3.3-liter (200ci) inline 6-cylinder engine fed by a single-barrel carburetor. Power is routed to the rear wheels via an automatic transmission managed by the center console shifter. The engine and all its components are presented in their factory specifications.
The vehicle utilizes the factory Fox-body chassis layout with unibody construction, front MacPherson struts, and a solid rear axle. Steering is handled by a rack-and-pinion setup, while stopping power is provided by power-assisted front disc and rear drum brakes.
Photo Gallery
Videos
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SellerBluto
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Highest BidderDevonfernandez98
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Total Bids42 Bids
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Total Views9,936 Views
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Total Saves72 Saves
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SellerBluto
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Winning BidderDevonfernandez98
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Total Bids42 Bids
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Date EndedAugust 11, 2026 13:11 PDT
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SellerBluto
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Highest BidderDevonfernandez98
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Total Bids42 Bids
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Date EndedAugust 11, 2026 13:11 PDT
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SellerBluto
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Highest BidderDevonfernandez98
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Total Bids42 Bids
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Date EndedAugust 11, 2026 13:11 PDT
Comments & Bid History
Commenting on this auction is now closed.
I would like to thank everyone for their interest and bids on my very unique car. You could be one of only 212 to own a Ford Durango! Don’t hesitate with any last-minute questions I’ll be here till the end of the auction.
The sunroof was installed at the factory by Ford. Bill Stephenson informed me of this personally. "I can tell you for sure that the very first batch of production Durangos came with sunroofs. I'm sorry that I can't remember for sure how many of those were purchased by National Coach. I think it was 40, but it's been a long time and I may disremember that.
I do remember though that their first production run of Durangos all had sunroofs because my father specifically told them he did not design the conversion using a Durango with a sunroof and a month or so later Hal Koch from National Coach called and told my father they'd got a good deal on a fleet of Durangos that all had sunroofs and were almost ready to go into production.
That "deal" caused a bit on panic when my father reminded them he didn't know if they'd work. It had to do with how far back on the car roof the sunroof was positioned. The fiberglass bed needed to tuck under the metal roof about 1-1/2" so there was worry over rather the sunroof would get in the way of that.
I helped build the prototype but I did not work with National Coach. My brother, Jim Stephenson Jr. did work there helping them to get ready for production though. I'll see if I can get him to chime in here.
Kindest Regards,
Bill Stephenson
Hello, welcome to my auction! Feel free to ask me any questions. I’ve owned this very unique car for more than 40 years, looking forward to finding a new home.
All vehicle descriptions and listings are provided exclusively by the seller and are assumed accurate by the platform without independent verification. Buyers maintain the sole responsibility to satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of any description, and independent research and physical inspections must be completed prior to bidding.
The Wrench Report is generated solely for informational purposes and is based on a subjective analysis of information provided by the seller. The contents of the Wrench Report constitute a good-faith opinion only; they do not constitute mechanical advice, professional valuation, or an assurance or guarantee of the vehicle's quality, safety, or condition.
Vehicles may possess latent mechanical, cosmetic, or bodywork defects not visually apparent in photography. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all lots are sold "As-Is, Where-Is" without warranties of any kind, express or implied. The sale is conducted between the buyer and seller. Please review our full Terms and Conditions for comprehensive liability terms.
Key Details
- Seller : Bluto
- Location : Auburn, CA 95602
- Seller Type : Private
Build Sheet
- VIN: 1FABP22B5BK197937
- 3.3-liter (200ci) inline 6-cylinder engine
- Single-barrel carburetor
- 3-speed automatic transmission
- Factory Fox-body unibody chassis
- MacPherson strut front suspension
- Solid rear axle
- Power front disc / rear drum brakes
- Rack-and-pinion steering
- National Coach Works Durango conversion
- Integrated fiberglass cargo bed & drop-down tailgate
- Maroon exterior paint
- Manually operated sunroof
- Steel wheels with loose wire hubcaps included
- Brown vinyl bucket seat interior with center console
- Factory instrument cluster with woodgrain dash accents
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As the owner of another Durango and a Fairmont Futura I seriously considered bidding on this but I have too many projects.
That said, I desperately need the missing bedside trim for my Durango which is unobtanium, so if the buyer of this one ever decides they don't need the bed trim I would be a willing buyer at a premium price :)