When Did the Ranger come out

[Rebel4x4]

The reason I am asking this because I am bit confused ok I know this dude you has a 1968 f100 Ranger Then I got my self a 1978 F100 Ranger Now do people count these as Rangers or f100

 

[scott5640]

im guessin the RANGER came out in 83

they prob had sub models for the fullsized before that

 

[Hopman]

The Ranger, as we now know it, make it's debute in 1983. It's gotten updates and redesgines, most notibly in '98, '93, and '98. The older F-100's were full-size trucks.

Where the confusion may lie is that Ford's been floating the Ranger replacement (boo!) around with the code name "F100."

 

[press 1 for english]

The reason I am asking this because I am bit confused ok I know this dude you has a 1968 f100 Ranger Then I got my self a 1978 F100 Ranger Now do people count these as Rangers or f100

The Ranger has always been a compact truck and the F100 is obviously a full sized truck regardless of trim levels.
A google search would tell you that the first year of the Ranger small pickup was 1983.

 

[Hopman]

Yes, but Ford did offer a "Ranger" trim package on some of their full-size P/U's in the 70's. Dodge did something smiliar with er "Prospector" series.

 

[triumphrider-1]

Yes. The F-100, F-150, F-250, maybe F-350, and Bronco all had the Explorer and Ranger as trim packages. It wasn't until '83 that it became its own model, as the others have stated.

 

[skippy]

http://www.therangerstation.com/resources/RangerHistory.htm

 

[mwood1985]

its the same deal as the modern EDGE ranger. it was a trim package of sorts then became a separate vehicle using the same name. IE the Edge crossover Suv vs the Tbar front suspension 2wd rangers with a 4x4 ride height from 2001 and up. i think the old full size rangers from the 70s had crome trim on the side an some nice trim pieces inside

 

[rusty ol ranger]

A f100 ranger woulda been along the lines of a F150 lariet today as far as niceness goes.

later,
Dustin

 

[bmonee5]

Yes born in 1983, and i am the owner of one of these classics. Its weird cause i used to own a 1987 F150 "Explorer" which i'm assuming was just the trim package for the truck? Cause it was a short bed full size with a 302 with the off road package and off road suspension and i also think it came stock with a small lift. Weird how all the early model trim packages on trucks later became their own line of vehicles.

 

['99 EB Explorer]

Hmmm....now I can explain my love for the ranger...it was born the same year is ME!!!!

lolz. '83 was a good year

 

[Louisville86]

Actually the original ranger was an '82 1/2 but called an '83. I think it was Feb. of '82 or near that when the first Rangers hit the streets.

Ford was gearing up with some good products then. Everyone remembers the '86 Taurus as groundbreaking, but the '83 Thunderbird/Cougar and the Tempo/Topaz were Ford's first real stab at "aero-style" cars, with rounded edges and doors that went up into the roof. I still think the '83 T-Bird is a good-looking car, miles ahead of the sad '80-'82 versions.

 

[LittleHorse]

I remember when dad left home one day with a Mercedes diesel and came home with a sparkly new '89 Taurus. I (6 years old at the time) thought it looked like some sort of spacecraft. The first thing I noticed when I rode in it was how smooth it felt, so unlike the vibrations from the diesel Merc.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Marmon-Harrington had long been offering four-wheel-drive conversions for Ford trucks. When a 1952 Ford Panel Delivery truck was so equipped, it was called a "Ranger."

The Ranger was the base trim option for Edsel in its first and second years as an automotive marque. (See attachment below)

In 1970, the gradual push toward comfort and luxury in light trucks gained added momentum at Ford with the arrival of Ranger XLT trim for certain F-Series models. XLT equipment bested Ranger gear with items like a woodgrained tailgate appliqué, full-length lower-body moldings, cloth-and-vinyl upholstery, carpeting, and other conveniences. This 1970 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT also sports an extra-cost vinyl roof covering.

The Ranger as we know it came about for the 1983 model year when it was used to name Ford's new compact pickup that would replace the Mazda built Courier.

 

[Rebel4x4]

Thanks Guys I was trying to figure that out everyone said it came out in the 80's so I guess it did