Americans didn’t quite take to the ute like Australians did. They tried, and both Ford and GM gave it a good shot. (Chrysler, not so much.) The problem was the timing, in my humble opinion. You see, the original concept of the ute from it’s Australian origins was to have a vehicle that could serve as both a car and a truck. That’s all. it wasn’t supposed to be a musclecar with a bed, or a rolling freakshow, or anything like that. It was to be as easy to drive as a car (back when there was a hell of a difference between driving a car and driving a truck) yet when you needed to haul something, it was right there…not too big, but not so small that you couldn’t use it. But for both the Ranchero and El Camino/Sprint/Caballero, that got mixed up with the Musclecar Era. Since there was a hot version of one, there had to be a hot version of the other, and that lasted to the end of both lines.
I’ve got nothing against an El Camino SS or a Caballero Diablo or a Ranchero GT. In fact, I’ve got a strong fixation on a restomodded late 1970s Ranchero GT as an alternative to a pickup truck in my head. But there is something about this 1968 Ranchero that draws me in, and it’s the “less is more” approach. There are nods to the time it was built…the small hoodscoop and the GT-style wheels are pleasant touches. But the understated gold paint, the black interior, and the 302/4-speed combination (according to Marti, one of 141 like it) are ideal. Is it too pretty to haul anything in? I’d want to say no, but truthfully, yes. The Ford is just too spot-on to screw up the bed. 
That doesn’t mean that there is any less desire for a Ranchero like this. Your moron neighbor who is friendly with the housing admin folks can take his opinion and shove it like a suppository. This isn’t a mullet-mobile. This is a more useful truck than that overloaded monster he’s making payments on, has more style than anything parked in his driveway, and is a better crossover than those grey Play-Doh lumps in everyone else’s driveway.
That in my opinion a great era for Rancheros, the small-block/4spd would be the coolest. Put one together yourself and forget the rarity aspect for a third the cost. For years my only driver was an El Camino SS, a fun car and hauled more than what new short-box pickups will ever see.
Here’s your car McT, get one just before the big bumpers: https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/d/1972-ford-ranchero/6453829350.html
I thought the fact that a person could order a muscle truck was cool . mine came with a 351 4v close ratio toploader and a n case 9 with 3.90 gears , as for the truck part it was used to haul a mini sprint back when it was new.