Fark. To Ranger or to Exploder?

[Zorro]

Ok, help me out with this dilemma here.

I have a 94 Ranger, 4x4 4.0 extra cab. Automatic transmission is done (my second one ... A4LD FTL!), still driveable, but despicable, can blow up any time I go wheeling seriously. Other than that, crappy gearing (3.27) and as any canadian vehicle, surface rust on pretty much every single panel.

I checked out an Explorer today, 1991 4.0L manual, 4x4, 3.55 gears. Engine isn't working, dude says it's cooling related, he never really looked into fixing it ... could be something very simple for all I know.

My original plan was to buy it to do a transmission swap, and sell all the parts I don't need to recoup costs (although he's selling it for less than it would cost me to buy a transmission+bits'n'pieces at a scrapyard).

But the Exploder has new paint and looks suprisingly nice, hasn't been driven in 3 years ... both trucks have 120k miles.

So should I keep the Ranger, do the manual swap and get rid of the Exploder? Or fix up the Exploder and get rid of the Ranger? Pros and Cons to each?
Whichever vehicle I pick will be used as a trail/expedition truck, not a DD.