Putting a First Gen Sport Trac CAB on a 90's Ranger SC 4x4?

[HadASplash/XLTSC]

Background:
We had 2 Rangers, both '93 3.0l 5spd. 4x4's, first a Splash & then a Supercab.
Neither was 'family friendly' as a daily vehicle with 75 mile daily commute, 2 young kids & a 90 lb. GSD.
Sold each of them, unfortunately.
I had always hoped Ford would have been smart enough to build a 'true' 4dr. Ranger for USDM in the 90's/00's.

"Big Idea":
So, my thought would be to find a first gen. Explorer Sport Trac cab and transplant it onto an early 90's Ranger SC chassis (& possibly dash/wiring/seats, etc,) using the front nose from the Ranger, shortening the box & cutting to fit the contour of the cab.(easier to do & more interesting if using a set of 2" flared front & rear fenders (if money was no object)....( & possibly extending the wheelbase a few inches for visual 'balance'...by using the Chevy 1/2 ton spring swap, moving the spring perches, extending the frame, etc.) Can't see having the plastic 4' box of a sport trac, and don't like the looks of the vehicle overall anyway. Still want to row my own gears & avoid the electric t-case.

Thinking this could be a father/son project for a backup family vehicle/ snowplow.....

Just what I've been playing around with in my head since selling the SC in 2009.

I know the upper bodyline crease of the fenders do not match the SportTrac doors, but if you pull off the lower bodycladding on the doors, does the lower fender crease line up/or at least be close?

I know i need to get into a u-pull-it yard & check out my ideas.....

Thoughts?
Just thinking out loud for now.

 

[Ranger850]

Just wondering how far you have got on this IDEA of yours. I had a sec. gen. ST. it was an 08. loved the truck, hated the transmission.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Sport Trac rides on an Explorer based frame which is wider than a ranger frame fwiw.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Honestly, id buy an exploder and cut the back roof section off....make a nice something to put behind the seats for a bulkhead, and keep on truckin

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Honestly, id buy an exploder and cut the back roof section off....make a nice something to put behind the seats for a bulkhead, and keep on truckin

'Tis been done, it wasn't overly pretty but I did witness such a creation at u-pull-it a few years ago. They went wild and knocked the back seats out too.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

'Tis been done, it wasn't overly pretty but I did witness such a creation at u-pull-it a few years ago. They went wild and knocked the back seats out too.

I mean, that looks like a 3 yr old got ahold of dads sawzall after a night of soda and animal crackers.


I think if done right, it would look better then trying to graft a sport trac cab to a ranger.

 

[Ranger850]

Sport Trac bed wraps around the cab, so if done right it wouldn't look too crazy

 

[adsm08]

Sport Trac rides on an Explorer based frame which is wider than a ranger frame fwiw.

Ranger frame slopes too. Explorer frames, and I think this includes the ST, are flat.

 

[Ranger850]

So shim it somehow
I just re-read it. He said sc cab on ranger. I was thinking sc bed onto ranger.

 

[adsm08]

So shim it somehow
I just re-read it. He said sc cab on ranger. I was thinking sc bed onto ranger.

You mean ST? You just said "He said super cab on a ranger".

"Shimming it" would look like having a two inch body lift on the front four cab mounts.

 

[Ranger850]

You mean ST? You just said "He said super cab on a ranger".

"Shimming it" would look like having a two inch body lift on the front four cab mounts.

yes lol ST not sc. Sorry it was late for me when I was typing last night.

 

[HadASplash/XLTSC]

Still kicking this idea around in my head. Still thinking of finding a manual tcase / 5 spd 4x4 from 93-01 vintage and swapping an 01 ST 4 door cab onto it. Figure the Chevy 1500 rear spring swap and/or a gearvendors OD unit would allow me to push the rear axle back from 6 to 12 or 18" from the stock 125.9" Extend rear framerails as needed & Use fiberglass offroad 2 or 4" flared fenders F/R & cut leading edge of rear bedsides to follow contour of the cab. Remove lower plastic cladding on the cab & cut the Ranger bed to fit the modified length of the new wheelbase/frame.

This will likely be after the Willys Pickup body swap onto a similar frame for my son's truck.
All in my head for now.