Are you familiar with the Ford Courier? Ford Motor Company’s knee-jerk reaction to the Toyota Pickup and the Datsun 520 was to strike a deal with Mazda to rebadge the B-1800/Proceed pickup and turn it into a captive import. Small, frugal on gas, and…well, was there anything else to rave about when it came to the Courier? They were a small utility truck. There was nothing sexy about them. They were being sold to people who needed a pickup but wanted to stay away from the fuel pump.
But the Courier’s small size did have one advantage that could be exploited: on a trail ride, it would make for a very nimble pickup truck. Sadly, the first-generation Courier was only sold as a rear-drive model, but gearheads don’t leave well enough alone. Meet the Sasquatch:
Instead of being stuck with a tiny little truck with a bed that was restricted to nothing worse than a fire road, you now had a light, little off-roader that could be a workhorse and a toy. The four-cylinder engine was still only good for just under 100 horsepower, but this is a truck that pre-conversion was a flyweight, and while the four-cylinder was small, it was torquey.
Congratulations: here’s proof of a Sasquatch sighting.
Craigslist Link: 1976 Ford Courier “Sasquatch” 4WD conversion by Northwest ATV
(Thanks to “andy30thz” for the tip!)
That IS a cool little truck–I might be tempted if it wasn’t on the wrong coast…
All you need is another one for your other foot and you’d be dialed.
Actually Ford bought more than 50% of Mazda giving them controlling interest at the time. While the truck was solid, the engine was flawed. Ate timing chains and head gaskets. 4W drum brakes were non self adjusting w/two cylinders per wheel and pedal would go to floor if not kept adjusted. Ford’s Probe was another Mazda import. Shades of things to come.
This engine looks like an ancestor to the F2T used in the Probe GT – I wonder if that would fit?