1st gen rangers

96Indyram · Jan 26, 2015

1st gen rangers/ RBV

After reading comments on here about 1st gen RVB's getting hard to find due to getting crushed or turned into rock buggys or truggys.
I see them abandoned in field, driveways,backyards..etc. all over the place here. Alot of good parts left, straight sheetmetal, good interiors, etc... probably sitting due to bad engines or whatever.

So I have a question....IS there a market out there for factory 1st gen stuff?
Will there ever be a market for them like other old trucks? ( 69-79 ford trucks? or 62-66 or -67-72 chevy c10)
I see people restoring these trucks, searching all over for a good "rust free" cab...or one with less rust than the one they have.
I also watch them search and search for body parts or complete truck beds.
Will rangers ever get to that level?

Company's like LMC already have aftermarket stuff.

Would it be worth the time and money to purchase these dead trucks and part them out and save the good parts? Sell them on Ebay or C-list?

I have 5 acres and a large barn for storage, but I am not looking or wanting to start a ranger graveyard.

85_Ranger4x4 · Jan 26, 2015

A bodyshop found me used straight rust free beds from $300-600 from down south a few years ago.

I have found none on my own. :dunno:

A pair of rust free cab corners and spring towers would be nice too.

Haven't had the funds lately so I haven't been shopping as much either.

Mike Tonon · Jan 26, 2015

The first gen's have the most character, in my opinion. I sometimes think about finding a good condition 1986-87 supercab Ranger 2x4 with the 2.9L and TK5 trans., A/C, C/C, red interior and doing a complete rebuild on it (and installing one of those power rear windows from the 1986 'Big Foot' Rangers), restoring it to its factory look, but with some modern mods and improvements mixed in.

ZMan · Jan 26, 2015

Its hard to predict the future, all you could do is try, I'd say pick one or 2 up and post them up here in the classifieds and see what happens. If you find any with the factory rear tank (dual tank setup) I would totally be interested, I could use some extras, especially since I found a pinhole in mine yesterday.

Lariat · Jan 26, 2015

if you can find a good gen one B2 body that would be cool Lol. oops.

96Indyram · Jan 26, 2015

ZMan said:
Its hard to predict the future, all you could do is try, I'd say pick one or 2 up and post them up here in the classifieds and see what happens. If you find any with the factory rear tank (dual tank setup) I would totally be interested, I could use some extras, especially since I found a pinhole in mine yesterday.

I will see what I can find. Both of my rangers have dual tanks, and they seem to be pretty common here in Kansas.

Lariat said:
if you can find a good gen one B2 body that would be cool Lol. oops.

I have seen a few around. I know one that is forsale. Little BroncoII looks mint! like it just came off the show room. Guy is asking like $3,800 or something like that. Needless to say it has been forsale about a year now...just sitting there in his driveway. Looks like he towed it behind a big camper.

adsm08 · Jan 26, 2015

I wouldn't mind finding a complete short bed dual fuel system.

Lariat · Jan 26, 2015

adsm08 said:
I wouldn't mind finding a complete short bed dual fuel system.

theres one up by me in the picknpull. Doubt its any good.

jhammel85 · Jan 27, 2015

Sure would be nice but LMC support is already more than some people get with their favorite truck.

I think clean body parts are the most important thing in the market. At least, here in the mid east. My truck has lots of rust but not like most I've seen.

I have to agree that if you can, why not buy and resell them or try to do so in the classifieds here. In general, I think people miss what the first gen trucks are - honest small trucks. If enthusiasts arent after them or their parts, there's a buyer out there.

Mark_88 · Jan 27, 2015

Frames...if the frame is shot and the body is still good it is not much more than a part-out vehicle or even a a scrapper.

If the ones in your area have good frames AND good body panels/cabs then you might want to grab a few of them...if you have the room. I guess that would depend somewhat also as to how quiet you are about this...once the first seller unloads, er, sells his/hers it may get out that there is a sucker, er, customer looking for them...and the price will start to rise...

Not that any of my hyperactive imagination scenarios have ever come to light...except maybe the end of the world...revision 1,545...but I think you might have a little gold mine there...

96Indyram · Jan 27, 2015

Here is a example of what's around my area. Just surfing Craigslist might have to call this person. 88 bronco II
http://ksu.craigslist.org/cto/4835157814.html

redhurricane · Jan 27, 2015

Around the Denver area, I have watched 1st gen ranger and BII start to become scarce in the junkyards. the few that you see for sale on craiglist are starting to go up in price as well. Where I used to be able to find a running "project" vehicle just a few years ago for $300-500, now most of them are $1000+ and in fairly poor condition.

Will the 1st gen RBV ever get to the early Bronco level of popularity? Probably not. Sad, but I fear true.

Probably will be a key factor in how long I keep my 87 ranger. I don't really need much for it anymore, what I will need will likely always be available (PS pumps, brake parts, etc)

96Indyram · Jan 28, 2015

One thing I noticed looking at part catalogs today is that nobody has hoods for a Gen1
they do carry gen2 and up. And nobody carrys a ranger rear tank.
I haven't decided if I want to jump into this endeavor. kicking around the idea still.

I need to complile a list of items that no aftermarket carry's.
hoods, rear tanks, instrument clusters, etc...

Mark_88 · Jan 28, 2015

I'm pretty sure I saw them in the parts catalogue I looked at last year. They showed all Ranger body parts and I was thinking of doing the hood and front fenders from my 88. I found, instead, a complete front end for a 92 that was in eggsquizit shape...just needs a bit of work to massage it onto my first gen.

Mike Tonon · Jan 28, 2015

Mark_88 said:
...I guess that would depend somewhat also as to how quiet you are about this...once the first seller unloads, er, sells his/hers it may get out that there is a sucker, er, customer looking for them...and the price will start to rise...

Good point... Did I mention I HATE 1st gen Rangers! Yuck!

1st gen rangers

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