Automotive technology you miss.

[Dirtman]

I think it's just from when they first starting "dipping" body panels to prevent rust they never quite mastered the proper primer to get the paint to stick to the coatings. When the paint fell off my 87 it literally looked like a galvanized boat trailer underneath.

 

[Ranger850]

My first car ('72 Maverick) had some pieces that were galvanized, I remember asking my dad, " Why didn't they paint that part?" as I pointed to that piece in front of the wind shield, it was primer gray and the rest of the car was Beige/tan/yella. He said "They did, but they galvanized it first" and made me figure the rest out.

 

[PacificGreen1998]

Normally when you see a dodge truck with that much rust you would think its all bad but all the ones I've seen had really good looking frames. Compare that to a ranger and when you see that much rust there is normally nothing left on the frame if it hasn't broke yet. That dodge aint nothing compared to some of the dodges I've seen in ohio. Theres one I see all the time i'll try to get a pic of it. PacificGreen…. Yes you are crazy but both of those have ups and downs. Your current has more room and could actually pull a trailer, the 2.3 will get way better gas mileage than the 3.0 but you will struggle with trailers depending on how big and how heavy. If it were a 5 speed 2.3 then it would be worth it IMO but since it is not I wouldn't bother. Low miles don't mean squat anymore. Low miles just means you are going to be replacing a bunch of wear items soon.

Thanks helps me a lot....think I might look for a unicorn 2.5 with a manual...my affordable dream ranger is +98 with a 3.0l and a 5 speed manual....sky ranger is out of my limits there being only 17 in existence last I checked.....there unique...

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Thanks helps me a lot....think I might look for a unicorn 2.5 with a manual...my affordable dream ranger is +98 with a 3.0l and a 5 speed manual....sky ranger is out of my limits there being only 17 in existence last I checked.....there unique...

Go drive a 1st gen 2.9/5sp/2wd then a 98+ with a 3.0.

See if you still have the same dream

 

[91stranger]

I don't think Rusty realizes how much of a pile most of the 1st gens are now a days.. All the ones I see are in junk yards... I couldn't tell you the last time I seen a ranger that was before 1993 driving around. That's the honest truth too. So good luck finding a running and riving 2.9 5 speed that doesn't have issues. Not trying to start anything but I think you're holding the 2.9 on a very high pedestal. I still say I'd race a 2.9 but I just never see one..... Cant win the race if you don't show up lol.

 

[Dirtman]

Head down south, there are tons of old rangers still on the road down there. Everytime I go to Georgia I come home pissed off that I didnt buy another ranger.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I don't think Rusty realizes how much of a pile most of the 1st gens are now a days.. All the ones I see are in junk yards... I couldn't tell you the last time I seen a ranger that was before 1993 driving around. That's the honest truth too. So good luck finding a running and riving 2.9 5 speed that doesn't have issues. Not trying to start anything but I think you're holding the 2.9 on a very high pedestal. I still say I'd race a 2.9 but I just never see one..... Cant win the race if you don't show up lol.

I see alot of 2nd gens and a 1st gen here and there.

Ill run that 3.0 any time ya want.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I see alot of 2nd gens and a 1st gen here and there.

Ill run that 3.0 any time ya want.

Same here, counting mine there are two first gens in town. More second gens, more yet third gens and quite a few fourth gen+.

The herd is getting thinner no doubt about it. Rust never sleeps and neither do deer or stupid people.

Technically mine was "totalled" in 2001 for hail, so you get that kind of thing too.

 

[racsan]

gen 1’s are nearly extinct here, gen 2’s arent far behind. gen 3’s are plentiful but most look really bad. ‘98 & newer are the most common, seems like the reg cab longbeds are the rarest. many years ago I wanted to splice frames between a supercab and a reg cab longbed, build my own “supercab longbed”. but that now just seems like too much work to gain 1ft of bed length, although it would be one of a kind. I have lately thought about modifying a stepside bed to make it a longbed box, that would be different.

 

[Snoranger]

gen 1’s are nearly extinct here, gen 2’s arent far behind. gen 3’s are plentiful but most look really bad. ‘98 & newer are the most common, seems like the reg cab longbeds are the rarest. many years ago I wanted to splice frames between a supercab and a reg cab longbed, build my own “supercab longbed”. but that now just seems like too much work to gain 1ft of bed length, although it would be one of a kind. I have lately thought about modifying a stepside bed to make it a longbed box, that would be different.

I keep looking at step side bedsides to replace my regular bedsides. Throw some wide rims and tires under it and it will look like a dually with singles.
I found a set for $60... very tempting.

 

[racsan]

I keep looking at step side bedsides to replace my regular bedsides. Throw some wide rims and tires under it and it will look like a dually with singles.
I found a set for $60... very tempting.

back when you could get that “dually” kit from jc whitney, I saw a ranger that had the fenders from the kit on the bed and really wide tires. did look neat.

 

[adsm08]

I keep looking at step side bedsides to replace my regular bedsides. Throw some wide rims and tires under it and it will look like a dually with singles.
I found a set for $60... very tempting.

There was a guy on here years ago that had stuffed a 7.3 into a 3rd or 4th gen and used flare side flares on a fleet-side bed for DRW.

 

[Snoranger]

There was a guy on here years ago that had stuffed a 7.3 into a 3rd or 4th gen and used flare side flares on a fleet-side bed for DRW.

That nice grey one with the matching full size dually in all the pics or the lifted black one that looked hacked together?

 

[1990RangerinSK]

I don't think Rusty realizes how much of a pile most of the 1st gens are now a days.. All the ones I see are in junk yards... I couldn't tell you the last time I seen a ranger that was before 1993 driving around. That's the honest truth too. So good luck finding a running and riving 2.9 5 speed that doesn't have issues. Not trying to start anything but I think you're holding the 2.9 on a very high pedestal. I still say I'd race a 2.9 but I just never see one..... Cant win the race if you don't show up lol.

Last time I saw a second gen (in person) was just over a year ago. I know where that truck is today, too. It runs, but it needs a fuel pump, the power steering leaks, there's a leak in the brake line at the left rear wheel, and it blew a seal in the transmission, and may have transmission damage as a result. A body could probably fill the transmission with fluid and drive it, but probably wouldn't get very far. It's parked on a friend's farm, about 30 miles from me. I traded it for his old 1995 Ford Taurus.

I saw a first gen a couple of weeks ago, on the road. Body looked not bad, sounded like it ran pretty decent.

There's at least one Gen3 in my town (a Mazda supercab). I see it quite frequently. I think there might be more.

There are also two Gen5's. I saw one back in the spring, (white crew cab), and I saw a black crew cab a week or so ago.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

I don't think Rusty realizes how much of a pile most of the 1st gens are now a days.. All the ones I see are in junk yards... I couldn't tell you the last time I seen a ranger that was before 1993 driving around. That's the honest truth too. So good luck finding a running and riving 2.9 5 speed that doesn't have issues. Not trying to start anything but I think you're holding the 2.9 on a very high pedestal. I still say I'd race a 2.9 but I just never see one..... Cant win the race if you don't show up lol.

Waiting on you old man.