Detroit-area Junkyard Rangers - extremely pic-heavy

[kishy]

Thanks for sharing. really like seeing them. post #5 has that very old blue first ford pick up. i would have taken that whole thing home with me and rebuilt the cab and front onto a new frame... if nothing more than restoring a part of history. first one of those i have ever seen. cheers thanks

That is a later year Ford Courier. They are basically unrelated to the Ranger; it's a rebadged Mazda B-series pickup.

Oversimplified:
Mazda engineered the B-series. Ford borrowed it to make the Courier.
Ford engineered the Ranger. During the gen1 years, the B-series and Ranger were unrelated trucks.
Then when the round body Rangers came in the 90s, Mazda borrowed the Ranger to make the new B-series.

 

[kishy]

Went to a yard today; U-Pull & Save in Pontiac, MI. I noticed that they took in a red 1989 Ranger, regular cab long box. From the way the doors were hanging, it was apparent it was rusty. 2.9/M5OD RWD.

My interest was mainly in the passenger side mirror, which I need as the Dorman replacement mirrors for our trucks aren't convex. Unfortunately, the glass was not convex, and the pivot ball assembly inside was rusted apart like they all seem to be now, which makes them unable to hold their position.











I didn't leave empty handed, though, as I was able to get some gauge cluster parts for my Town Car from a car in this yard that I've previously taken the entire rear quarter section from.



(apologies for the off-topic discourse)

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

FORD MOTORSPORT PLATE!!!!! Please tell me you snagged it...

VINTAGE NOS FORD MOTORSPORTS LICENSE PLATE / TAG | eBay

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[kishy]

FORD MOTORSPORT PLATE!!!!! Please tell me you snagged it...

VINTAGE NOS FORD MOTORSPORTS LICENSE PLATE / TAG | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for VINTAGE NOS FORD MOTORSPORTS LICENSE PLATE / TAG at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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I did not. It isn't in good enough condition, in my opinion, for me to have taken it. Plus we have front plates here (Ontario, not Michigan), so vanity plates are rarely on my radar.

 

[DILLARD000]

Like those JY Trip photos, always interesting!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I did not. It isn't in good enough condition, in my opinion, for me to have taken it. Plus we have front plates here (Ontario, not Michigan), so vanity plates are rarely on my radar.

Same here with the front plate.

It woulda went on my garage wall though. Neat 1980's accessory.

 

[Blmpkn]

Bitchin wagon

 

[DILLARD000]

Bitchin wagon

Gotta love that "Family Truckster"!

 

[Blmpkn]

I'm quite partial to an old longroof

Once this is "done" and on racecar duty I'd really like to find another one... a survivor. Good sunny day driver.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

View attachment 89005

I'm quite partial to an old longroof

Once this is "done" and on racecar duty I'd really like to find another one... a survivor. Good sunny day driver.

Should get good mileage as long as whoever you snag the strap onto is going where you want to go.

 

[Josh B]

Take the whole family on vacation

 

[Uncle Gump]

I woulda had that plate...

 

[kishy]

The wagon is definitely my favourite way to get around. It's a 1985 US-market Country Squire. CFI 302 with AOD. Wears a 1982 LTD grille and a 1980-81 Marquis front bumper, on 80s cop car steelies with FoMoCo dog dish caps. SC car until about 2000 (hence the sun-baked finish), Ohio car till about 2015 (hence the rust you can't see but I can), mine since 2017. Rear springs sagged from age and fronts chopped a little, so unloaded it sits with a modest rake. A fantastic machine. Great for camping trips.



OK, OK. I'll try to scoop the plate if it's still there next weekend. Looks like I'm going back to Pontiac to try to help a friend strip an early Chevy Astro. I also have a pretty half-baked plan to try to grab that toolbox from the bed and hack it up in a way that makes it useful inside of a bed cap/topper...but my confidence level in pulling that off isn't so hot.

Today, I went to Taylor Auto Salvage (Taylor, MI). I was specifically after a Panther wagon for some things I've been on the lookout for, but found a couple 89-92 Rangers as well. This time, I lucked out with the convex passenger side mirror. The ball pivot mechanism was rusted apart so the mirror just flops, but I took apart the driver mirror and found a good pivot mechanism, so I'll be able to piece together a good mirror. Found a good set of the nice aluminum wheels, but I don't really have a good use for them myself and didn't want to fight with the tire machine to get the rubber off.

 

[Blmpkn]

Should get good mileage as long as whoever you snag the strap onto is going where you want to go.

The thing did get pretty decent mileage honestly, when I was driving it. Had to be doing 20mpg if not a bit over.

 

[JoshT]

Call me crazy or wierd, but out of everything you posted, I want that fuel door. I am still trying to understand that one variance on these first gen Rangers. Nearly every Ranger had a raised bump to hook with a finger and open the fuel door. At some point on the first gens they did not have it and it was flat like what is seen here. My 84 was of the flat variety, both the 86 and 85 I've had since were of the "hooked" variety. For some reason that is one of the things that has stood out to me as unique on the 84 and I'd like to carry over to the current 85 build. Problem is that I need two of those doors (dual tank Ranger) to pull it off and I haven't been able to find any.