"Barn" find '95

[Shran]

My fiance and I took a trip up north of Bismarck this weekend to pick up her new Ranger. This truck has been in her family since new and was most recently driven by her grandpa, who can't drive it any longer and offered it to her if we go pick it up. I was under the impression that it had been sitting for a while (I assumed the worst and figured 15+ years, maybe have to dig it out of the dirt and fix just about everything...)

I was pleasantly surprised that it has only been parked for five years, only one tire was flat, and the little guy fired right up with a fresh battery! Drove it out of the shop it was parked in and onto the trailer for the 360 mile ride home.

The most unbelievable detail: it has ONLY 85k on it. Apart from a few stains on the carpet, this thing is NICE. New tires, AC works, 4.0, supposedly has a rebuilt trans as well. Wish it was a 5 speed but beggars can't be choosers I guess.

Will take some more pics once I get it unloaded and cleaned up - here it is in it's "found" state, complete with thick coat of leaves and dust

 

[USCGC130]

Shran, is there any build planned for this truck or is it just going to a nice clean daily driver?

 

[Shran]

Probably just going to drive it. I may try and find some cool wheels for it and build some sort of a rack for kayaks. Maybe paint the topper to match the truck - I hate toppers and I explained why but my lady friend wants to see if she feels the same way. She has been driving my ex stepside truck and really likes it but this one is MUCH nicer and it's kinda cool that we both have our grandpa's trucks.

 

[Locotomb]

I still have my grandpas truck too! Haha

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Score!

 

[09fx4guy]

Now that's a keeper. I am very sentimental when it comes to keeping vehicles that have been in the family. They usually only go when they are rusted way beyond feasible repair.

Do some maintenance and cleanup on it to keep it in tip top shape, and drive it forever. I also like the idea of new wheels.

 

[SmartMax1]

My fiance and I took a trip up north of Bismarck this weekend to pick up her new Ranger. This truck has been in her family since new and was most recently driven by her grandpa, who can't drive it any longer and offered it to her if we go pick it up. I was under the impression that it had been sitting for a while (I assumed the worst and figured 15+ years, maybe have to dig it out of the dirt and fix just about everything...)

I was pleasantly surprised that it has only been parked for five years, only one tire was flat, and the little guy fired right up with a fresh battery! Drove it out of the shop it was parked in and onto the trailer for the 360 mile ride home.

The most unbelievable detail: it has ONLY 85k on it. Apart from a few stains on the carpet, this thing is NICE. New tires, AC works, 4.0, supposedly has a rebuilt trans as well. Wish it was a 5 speed but beggars can't be choosers I guess.

Will take some more pics once I get it unloaded and cleaned up - here it is in it's "found" state, complete with thick coat of leaves and dust

View attachment 46072

Good find! My 94 is just starting out on a rebirth. 79,000 original miles. Great start up truck to work on. I love my 94. Yours looks quite like mine condition wise. Mine came with a really nice FG Stepside bed off a 2001? I think.

 

[Shran]

Now that we have a title and plates on this little guy, it's finally "driveable..."

Weird little issues popping up though.

Will not shift into Drive once in a while, seems like it's stuck in neutral unless you go to 2 or 1 first, then it's fine. I understand this may be a valve body gasket issue, will have to pull it and maybe fix that
Check engine light is on, code P0340...cam position sensor... it is present and plugged in and not making noise, strange, maybe wiring got damaged during transmission rebuild
Steering wheel is crooked on the highway and it shakes a little bit. May have some sort of steering/ball joint/wheel bearing thing going on
AC seems to be turned on no matter what the vent position is set to

Put over a hundred miles on it this last weekend, ran great, pretty much decided to regear it though. 2100rpm at 70mph is pretty nice but it. is. a. total. turd. around town with 3.27 gears. I happen to have a Ranger 8.8 with 3.73s and a matching front center section that really need to end up in here sooner than later.

 

[SmartMax1]

Working my 94 right into the winter before roading it. 21,000 at 70mph . How has this effected the city drivng fuel e economy?