Rangers.

[FastDoc]

These seem like popular trucks amongst us Chinariders. It seems at least 4 of us have one of these humble solid little vehicles.

[Weldangrind]

That's funny, I was just thinking the same thing when I saw Reveeen post about his Ranger. Several of us seem to think alike; China bikes, Rangers, CT-70's...

That might not be a good thing. 8O

[waynev]

Is 2011 the last year of them?, i've heard their done.

[katoranger]

I have had 3 of them. 1986 2.3L 4x4 5spd. 1986 2.9L auto 4x4, and my current 1988 2.3L 2wd 5spd.

I liked the 86 with the 2.9 the best even though the body was shot and the trans slipped. Former city maintenance truck. Well worth the $400.

The 86 2.3L truck never ran well. I got it for free. Again body was done.

The 88 has no rust, low miles, nice interior, AC and start everyday.

It has never failed to get someplace in the 18 months I have owned it. Paid $750 with new tires and working AC. Spent less than $200 in maintenance. Including a new $75 battery.

Cheap transportation. About equal to 3 car payments.

Downside. Its slow. Cramped with 2 car seats in there. Only gets 22mpg.

[frostbite]

I've had 5 Rangers - '83, '91, '97, '99, and an '03 Sport Trac (same thing IMHO). I liked them all.

The '83 was a fancy XL (SRW and _contoured_ bench seat!) my first vehicle and it was probably washed/waxed more than all the others put together. Dad and I shoe-horned a 3.8L V6 into it. Actually, we did two of them. The first v6 didn't end well :oops:.

The '97 was my first 'new' vehicle. A black flareside short-box with a 5 speed manual and 60 series tires. Nicest handling truck I've every owned but man what a rough ride.

[katoranger]

Yes, my 88 is the XLT with the contoured seat. The other two were base models.

The ride is rough in the 88 two. Unless I put some weight in the back. It smooths out with about 300lbs on it.

[FastDoc]

Mine's a 1992 4X4 4.0 automatic extracab SLT model, a top of the line one with all options best I can tell. I bought it at a used car lot for $2,500. It had 93,000 miles. I serviced it compleatly, new shocks, tires, steering box, a killer sound system from CL, and some sundry repairs. I think I have maybe $3,500 into it. I drive it less than 3,000 miles a year and I expect it will last me the rest of my life.

It's name is Tonto and it's plate says SLOWDOC.

It gets about 16MPG, but it's only used in bad weather and to tow the boat or ATV or bikes. It's not a DD.

[katoranger]

So its gets an annual oil change then. I have only put about 12K on my ranger in the past 18 months. Drive the van or car more since they can fit everyone.

[FastDoc]

Originally Posted by katoranger

So its gets an annual oil change then. I have only put about 12K on my ranger in the past 18 months. Drive the van or car more since they can fit everyone.

Yup once a year. It's due this weekend. I like the Rangers because they are inexpensive, easy to repair for the most part, solid simple and very heavily constructed.

I bought mine under urgent circumstances. It was soon after my wife left and she took the new Dakota. The winter hit and I was concerned for snow that my 1989 Ford Probe GT would not get me to work through. I sold my GT ( ) and bought the truck in a hurry. I'm glad that I didn't get burned, and it's been a good truck.

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by frostbite

I've had 5 Rangers - '83, '91, '97, '99, and an '03 Sport Trac (same thing IMHO). I liked them all.

The '83 was a fancy XL (SRW and _contoured_ bench seat!) my first vehicle and it was probably washed/waxed more than all the others put together. Dad and I shoe-horned a 3.8L V6 into it. Actually, we did two of them. The first v6 didn't end well :oops:.

The '97 was my first 'new' vehicle. A black flareside short-box with a 5 speed manual and 60 series tires. Nicest handling truck I've every owned but man what a rough ride.

Frostbite, what was the donor vehicle for the 3.8? Son of Weldangrind and I have access to a free 3.8 in a Taurus Wagon, and I think it will fit, despite the distributor location differences, etc.

[katoranger]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

Yup once a year. It's due this weekend. I like the Rangers because they are inexpensive, easy to repair for the most part, solid simple and very heavily constructed.

I bought mine under urgent circumstances. It was soon after my wife left and she took the new Dakota. The winter hit and I was concerned for snow that my 1989 Ford Probe GT would not get me to work through. I sold my GT ( ) and bought the truck in a hurry. I'm glad that I didn't get burned, and it's been a good truck.

The guy I bought mine from had it on craigslist for months. Nobody would even look at it. Too old. I was happy to find an older one in good shape for what I consider near free. I looked at newer ones in far worse condition for twice the money. Parts are cheap and easy to get and I can keep driving it for many years. Maybe keep it another 10 and I can give it to my oldest for her first vehicle.

[Weldangrind]

Including Reveeen, that's five so far.

Son of Weldangrind bought a one-owner '91 extended cab 2WD XLT. It's a really sweet truck with no accidents and no rust. The original owner loved his truck, and we have a stack of receipts for new parts that he recently installed. It came with the stock 14" alloy rims, a pair of identical 15" rims and tires in an attempt to get better highway mileage and a pair of body colour steel rims with good snow tires.

The truck has a few items that will be removed, like a plastic box liner, a visor and aluminum running boards. Anybody interested?

[frostbite]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

Frostbite, what was the donor vehicle for the 3.8? Son of Weldangrind and I have access to a free 3.8 in a Taurus Wagon, and I think it will fit, despite the distributor location differences, etc.

The first 3.8 was from an LTD II. The second from the remains of a Mustang ('86?).

The biggest problem we faced was the heater box housing (needed to be cut back about 35-50%) and the oil filter (conflicted with the steering box). We tried using one of those remote mount oil filter brackets but there wasn't enough room between the steering box and the block to mount the spin-on filter adapter:



At the end of the day I used a single piece of hose and some brass fittings to bypass the filter altogether and run the oil inlet directly to the outlet. Nasty piece of work but I ran that truck for ~4 more years.

There was also the flange joining the firewall to the floor that need a light 'massage'. The truck was originally a 4 speed manual and I didn't want to even try building something to mate the stock tranny to the engine so I simply re-used the auto transmission that came with the 3.8L.

[FastDoc]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

Including Reveeen, that's five so far.

Son of Weldangrind bought a one-owner '91 extended cab 2WD XLT. It's a really sweet truck with no accidents and no rust. The original owner loved his truck, and we have a stack of receipts for new parts that he recently installed. It came with the stock 14" alloy rims, a pair of identical 15" rims and tires in an attempt to get better highway mileage and a pair of body colour steel rims with good snow tires.

The truck has a few items that will be removed, like a plastic box liner, a visor and aluminum running boards. Anybody interested?

I kinda liked the running boards. I might be interested. do they interfere with ground clearance?

[katoranger]

Lets see. rwd 3.8Ls. Mustang, capri, thunderbird, ltd, cougar.

If it was my truck I would be going for a turboed 2.3L. Not sure if I will keep this truck long enough to make a change. Plan to upgrade to an F150 or F250 supercrew in a few years.