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keep coming back to old rangers


vagabond80

Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Ham Radio Operator
Joined
Jan 13, 2021
Messages
78
Reaction score
28
Points
18
Location
montana
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
stock 4wd
Tire Size
31x10.5R15
Howdy
I'm Martin, I've had a few of these 1st gens now over the years.

Ranger 1: My dad had (actually still has) an 85ish extra cab XLT with a 2.7 iirc, manual transmission. That and a Mazda MPV were the first vehicles I was aware of in my childhood.
I still remember riding home from baseball or soccer as a kid when it dumped coolant on the highway a couple miles from our house, flat-towed it back, and it sat in the driveway for maybe 15 years thereafter.
Thinking back, it kind of surprises me how relatively "new" the truck actually was(especially breaking down like that), even then it looked and felt "old". The MPV also had way too many problems for its age...
A few years ago I figured I'd try to fix it while I was in town. Freeze plugs had given out back then it seemed, had to replace the fuel tank, starter I think, some other things. Thought we had it fixed at a friends garage, tried driving it back to my dad's place.
The engine didn't much like that. Cant remember off-hand what the problem is now, but it was something I wasn't going to be fixing at the time. It's back to its spot in the driveway.

Ranger 2: One of my first real jobs, for a "high school graduation bonus" I was gifted an 89 ranger, also extra cab, XL or XLT but auto and I think 2.3(its been a while), that had been sitting in their warehouse for as long as I'd worked there.
I recall that summer, still on the first fresh fill-up of gas, my buddy and I discovered that the fuel gauge didn't read properly. In the middle of the night. On the highway, an hour or two out of town. Good times.
Sold that to a friend when I left the state. It was a decent little truck.

Ranger 3: Just picked up a '90 2.9 4x4 XLT RC/SB, running and driving, for $500 which is about unheard-of for a 4wd in Montana
It is ugly. And the floor was coated in sunflower seeds and whatsit. Vacuumed up ok, I'll probably still be pulling the carpet at some point. It does have a nice little bull bar on it, good to have up here.
...Unfortunately, after checking it out in advance and finding no real issues other than age, rust, tires, and valve cover gasket leaks, *while driving it up the trailer to haul back to my house*, it let the smoke out.
Coolant level looked okay, haven't checked compression yet; still fires up and drives, but I'm assuming I've got a head removal coming up. More on that later.

I'm kind of surprised I didn't already have an account here, I'm pretty sure I'd been all over this site back on the first 2 rangers.
Anyway, great stuff here, good to finally have an account.

Martin
KI7RWJ
 


ericbphoto

Overlander in development
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Feb 7, 2016
Messages
15,200
Reaction score
16,339
Points
113
Age
59
Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.

Rick W

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
TRS Event Participant
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
2,268
Reaction score
3,687
Points
113
Age
68
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle Year
1997 1987
Make / Model
Ranger XLT x2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 & 2.9
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
97 stock, 3” on 87
Total Drop
N/A
Tire Size
235/75-15
My credo
Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely
I know, it’s like eatin’ peanuts, can’t stop!
 

ford4wd08

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2018
Messages
1,249
Reaction score
510
Points
113
Location
Alcoa, TN
Engine Type
2.8 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Welcome. Ranger based vehicles are like the perfect compromise on everything. Size, fuel mileage, capability. I have a '16 F150 Crew Cab with the 2.7 Ecoboost and I would much rather drive my B2 lol. Truck has great power and room, but believe it or not the B2 is more comfortable to me.
 

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