Non-Ford, Compact Trucks

[Uncle Gump]

New Compact Ford Pickup Will Start Under $20,000: Report

Just as the Ford Ranger was being reintroduced to the U.S. as a bigger, more expensive mid-size pickup, Ford also decided to kill off most of its smaller cars. So now it’s developing a new, smaller pickup to fill the void left behind by the old Ranger and all of those small cars.

jalopnik.com

 

[91stranger]

Whats the purpose of it would be a defining factor.... Is it for work? daily driving? stalking? I used to have a 91 Nissan d21 (hardbody but it was rusty so it was more like a soft body) and I loved that little truck. Got great gas mileage, went through my atv trails, only got stuck once and that was bc it was teeter totting on the frame lol. These trucks can go up or down really well so you can put a lift kit on it or lower it and still look good.

 

[91stranger]

Wow, just found this and it reminds me of jim's TRS-1 and 2.

 

[Ramcharger90]

If you were seeking to purchase a compact, pick-up truck aside from your Ford Ranger, which option would be the better choice: the Chevrolet S-10/GMC Sonoma or the Dodge Dakota?

D50 from the 80's so I can put a 318 with a Hugh's whiplash cam etc...

I had an S10 it lasted seriously only an hour and the transmission was in peices on interstate 81.....

But I would take a square body Dakota any day with A 5.2 or put a 5.9 in it wit a manual transmission and 4x4. There automatic transmissions were absolute garbage, I had a 94 Dakota V6 auto 4x4 it was a lot of fun but the transmission went out.

Foreign would be a Toyota Hilux from the European market. The little diesels were tanks.

 

[Ramcharger90]

View attachment 38288

Datsun.

I forgot about those. I like those rotary pickups that mazda made. But of course you gotta Roadkill it with a big block in the bed. My buddy has an olds 455 w30 motor lying around. It worth 10k so I could duplicate the mazdarottie

 

[Ranger_XL]

Thank you, I appreciate all of the candid and rather interesting replies; I was looking for a secondary truck (or two) for local/regional driving, local errands, and weekend driving. I have a 2003 F-250 Super Duty Super Cab XL (6.8 V10, ZF6, 4x4), which is my work truck and daily driver, and I have a 1996 Ranger Single Cab XL (2.3 I4, 5MOD, 4x4), but someone backed into the Ranger and drove away while I was getting groceries at a Giant. It drives perfectly well, albeit it will need a hood, grill, and header liner.

 

[Ranger_XL]

Since my last post, I have also seen a 2003 F-150 Single Cab XL (4.2 V6, 5-Speed, RWD) in good shape.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I forgot about those. I like those rotary pickups that mazda made. But of course you gotta Roadkill it with a big block in the bed. My buddy has an olds 455 w30 motor lying around. It worth 10k so I could duplicate the mazdarottie

 

[91stranger]

That paint job almost looks like it was lightly hand brushed... Actually it REALLY looks hand brushed when you look around the wheel wells.

 

[ericbphoto]

View attachment 38300

Somebody needs to do a Ranger like that.

 

[Ranger850]

Somebody needs to do a Ranger like that.

Have you not seen @rusty ol ranger's avatar???

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Somebody needs to do a Ranger like that.

Close enough.

 

[ericbphoto]

I know. Rusty's truck is an icon and I hope ya'll vote that picture into the calendar later this year. Yes, He sent it in and I love it.

But that's a different style.

 

[1990RangerinSK]

View attachment 38288

Datsun.

Datsun heck of a nice looking truck! Is it yours?

 

[Jim Oaks]

No, but my very first vehicle was a Datsun pickup. Years later when I decided to get another truck I looked for a Datsun 4x4, but the rust was hard on them, a Chevy S-10 because my dad had one, and finally ended buying a Ranger.