Not Exactly What I Was Looking For (better)

[Brown_Eminence]

Hey. Hello. Longtime lurker just now joining, now that my 7 year search for the right truck has ended successfully. I've been wanting to replace the rusty little 4wd '89 Ranger I reluctantly let go in 2013, after the engine blew a few hours away from home. I almost pulled the trigger on several Rangers for sale since then, but it seems like something always came up- (the need for another family car and so on,) and buying something 'frivolous,' (like a fun to drive little pickup) always got relegated to the back burner. Over the years I've purchased vehicles with enough seating to haul young family members around; nieces, nephews, foster kids... I've got a 2003 Mountaineer that has outlived its usefulness, a 2008 Taurus X that isn't drivem anymore, a 2017 Pacifica for long trips, and an Acura TL for when I want to get somewhere fast. I started looking again in earnest for a small truck as winter was ending, spring was on the way, and coronavirus locked everything down. A decent truck near enough could not be found for quite awhile.

Sooo... I just acquired this 1989 Ranger XLT 4x4 (manual transmission) with power windows, locks, (working) A/C, and only 76,588 actual miles. It has a couple minor scratches, but no (zero) rust on the body or frame. The interior is immaculate. When I purchased it, the body was covered in mud and the drive train needed a new clutch; a repair I didn't think I could do without assistance, but a trip to visit family, and a helpful brother-in-law got this beauty back on the road in just a few days. It was advertised on Craigslist as "4-cylinder," but thankfully, the 2.9l V6 engine runs perfectly, and the truck is a total blast to drive. My "new" Ranger also came with an pricey Bluetooth CD player already installed, almost new tires, and nice-looking rims that probably could have been sold separately for the price I paid for the whole truck.

I was looking for a mechanically sound squarebody Ranger, (hopefully 4wd,) with less than 200k miles and a frame that wasn't rusted out beyond saving. I had a maximum $800 to spend. I live in the rust belt, so I expected I'd have to fix rocker panels, fenders, and maybe replace the truck bed eventually, once I found the 'beater' truck of my dreams, so I guess you could say I really didn't find what I was searching for...

Thank God I didn't. THIS Ranger is awesome! Instead of spending my days out in the garage with sandpaper and primer, I'm washing, waxing and polishing this mint condition, 31-year-old, 4x4 truck!

Of course, I already want to buy all kinds of parts to make it make it run better, go faster, etc... (even though I love it just as it is) Tell me what you'd do with this XLT. I need ideas. I want to keep it as original looking as possible, but I'm open to suggestions. Are there any compatible parts I should rob from the Mountaineer (Ford Explorer) before I junk it?

Been reading and soaking up good advice from this forum for years. I'm looking forward to hearing anything you can tell me about this new (to me) '89 Ranger.

I uploaded several pics of it already, but not sure how to attach them to this thread.

show us a picture,!

 

[Cologne Ranger]

show us a picture,!

show us a picture,!

Happy to...

 

[sgtsandman]