Ford Ranger 4x4

[PT7]

I think I posted this photo a long time ago on the HRF, before we had this "vehicles" forum. As I've been enjoying everyone's favorites lately, thought I'd share this one again here since there are so many new Henry folk now. It was a really cool Ford Ranger 4X4, and I got it a dozen or so years ago. My wife and I called it my "mid-life crisis." Sure did raise some eyebrows the first time I parked at my office on our university campus. Everyone was certain it was a student's pickup....that is until they saw the grey beard and grey hair get out of the driver's seat!

My Dad went with me the day I was hunting for a pickup. He was more shocked than I was on how clean this Ford was sitting on the used car lot where he often did business maintaining his F-150. As we looked at the underbody, he said "they couldn't have gotten it that clean.....you could eat supper off this!" Yes, it was astonishing clean, inside, outside, underbody, bed. Much fun to drive. But during the time I drove it in northern IL, never had a winter snow tough or deep enough where I needed to use the 4-wheel drive. Go figure.

Sure wish I was standing by this puppy rather than taking the picture. Better yet, wish I still had it! It's a great memory.

Ford Ranger_022_4_0002.jpg (1.75 MiB) Viewed 3232 times

[Deadwood Dutch]

A really pretty truck!

[BrokenolMarine]

Nice. I bought a little '80 Ranger when I left the Corps in 90. Drove it ten years til the kids got so big we needed a van. Hated to trade it off. In 96 we added an old ford f150 ... an 85 campers specials 4x4, that I bought from my father in law. Had close to 300k miles on it then. I put another 150k on it before I sold it. It would go anywhere... and took a beating. It's still running around the county with farm use plates.



The Camper's Special had heavier suspension, dual gas tanks and a granny low gear that was wound out at about 7mph but would pull your house off the foundation. Our truck had the 300 Six Cylinder in it, but from talking with those in the know, this engine had more torque than the 302 V8 that was the other option in the truck in this model. (A friend who worked for a company driving Ford Vans which they used to deliver Commercial Batteries, said the senior drivers chose the VANS with the 300 six over the 302 v8s for just that reason... )

In the picture you can see that we didn't worry about pretty, but we worried about mechanical. The truck has good tires, in fact brand new in this picture, and we maintained the brakes and the like. At about 400K miles we put a new crate motor, new shocks, new exhaust and radiator, new hoses and belts... if it was worn, we replaced it. The wife and girls were hauling the horse trailer with the truck and I didn't want them stranded. We kept this truck until well after we got the brand new one. We were still banging thru the woods gathering fire wood, hauling rip rap, etc...

[JEBar]

we used to hunt with a fellow who used a Ranger 4X4 to haul his hunting dogs .... I saw him take it through some places that really put it to the test .... I'm not a Ford fan but that little truck impressed me

[Henry88]

PT, do people say, "Who called the Fire Department?" when you pull up?

Hey BMarine,

I've got that same motor (4.9L) in my truck (below) with the 5 sp manual.

The last 2wd truck i had was a Ranger. I traded that for a jeep, and really never looked back at 2wd.

[RanchRoper]

I bought an '82 F150 brand new one time, first truck I ever owned and it was great. Bench seat, no power anything on it other than brakes and steering. Single cab, my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed road trips in that truck. 302 V8 engine.

[BrokenolMarine]

My middle daughter called that 85 Ford "Bubba Truck" and it was a Redneck Country Gals dream car. Big Tires, Factory Lift, and Go anywhere four wheel drive. She couldn't wait to have Bubba Truck as her own. Being 4'11" tall made Bubba seem THAT much bigger to her.

By the time she was old enough to drive it was our Farm Truck and she couldn't drive it to school. With four kids, our rule was if you want to drive, you EARN the vehicle and help pay to maintain it, or you are riding the "Cheese" as the kids called the bus. But we let her dream anyway.

(This rule seemed to really pay off as I heard my son discussing a night's plan with friends...
"NO, I don't want to go out drag racing with you idiots... Do you have any idea what I just paid for a set of tires for my car and what burnouts do to tires? Y'all have fun. "

The middle daughter is the one who now lives in OK, owns the horse farm and her daily driver is a Bubba Ford of her own. She also hauls a LONG fifth wheel horse trailer with a Dually Dodge Diesel 4x4 Heavy Duty Pickup and you'd be amazed at the looks she gets when 4'11" hops out of the driver's seat.