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Pseudo Ranger Owner In SoCal!


rang-a-stang

Active Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Sep 7, 2021
Messages
132
Reaction score
55
Points
28
Location
Boise ID/Camarillo CA
Vehicle Year
1986
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
3"
Tire Size
31x10.50R15
Hello from Sunny SoCal! My 17yo son just bought his first truck with his own $$$$! We towed this dude down from Lebanon OR in early Aug. It ran great but needed some light TLC to get it ready for CA smog. We are almost there!
65346

It is an 86 XL, 4WD, 5 speed, 2.9L, not a spot of rust on it, original paint, clear title, tires are 2016 but still in great shape/no dry rot. 2" of spacer lift front and back, 191k miles but I am fairly confident both the engine and tans have been rebuilt.

Plans: ordered a set of tough country Axle arm pivot drop brackets so we can get the alignment spot on and then get it through smog. It will be my son's daily driver so the list of mods is small. More about fixing the stuff that does not work (Ammeter, radio, and A/C), than anything.

Background: This is the third Ranger in my household. I bought a 93 standard cab, short box, 3.0, 5 speed, 2wd, XL in the late 90's and loved it. I also had an 89XLT, extended cab, with a 90 5.0HO, AOD, 4WD in the early 2000's (my handle, used everywhere is rang-a-stang because that truck was a RANGer And muSTANG). That truck was totally smog legal, A/C was cold, Cruise control worked, etc. I put about 50k miles on that truck before I sold it. My pictures of it are on my other computer so I'll post them later.
My son remembered that Ranger and has always wanted his own square body Ranger... which is impressive because of all the vehicles he has access to drive (2011 Pathfinder, 2000 Jeep Cherokee XJ, 1979 Cherokee Chief), he would rather shovel rocks and load pavers for $15/hour to save up and buy his own square body Ranger. My son has good taste.

Anyway, glad to be here! Looking forward to meeting you guys! I am a pseudo ranger owner because my name is on the title but my son bought it and he does 90% of the work on it.
 


09fx4guy

Active Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2010
Messages
409
Reaction score
176
Points
43
Location
USA
Vehicle Year
2009
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre Key w/ #1 Bars
Tire Size
265/70R16
That looks like a fantastic truck, and a great starting point for a project. Welcome!
 

rang-a-stang

Active Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Sep 7, 2021
Messages
132
Reaction score
55
Points
28
Location
Boise ID/Camarillo CA
Vehicle Year
1986
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
3"
Tire Size
31x10.50R15
Thanks, Gentlemen! We're pretty excited about it.

@RonD we have spent toooooo much time there already! :headbang: Good lookin' out!

Here's my other dude. I can't find any good pics of my old '93. I miss this guy. A really fun truck, built the way Ford shoulda done it back in the day. Totally reliable, really fun to drive, decent MPG, peppy, towed well, sounded AMAZING.
65410

65413

65411

Here we are all loaded up for my last trip to Pismo in it. (that's my dad leaning against the bed)
65414


My son saying good buy to it when we sold it.
65412
 

rang-a-stang

Active Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Sep 7, 2021
Messages
132
Reaction score
55
Points
28
Location
Boise ID/Camarillo CA
Vehicle Year
1986
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
3"
Tire Size
31x10.50R15
So after a while, some changes:
a) we moved to Boise from California (like 90% of the rest of the population of Boise)
b) son nailed a curb about 8 months ago and broke the leveling pucks. So we replaced them with 2" lift coils, added lift brackets, and got it back on the road.
c) My son bought a SWEEET canopy for it.
d) been some body damage from offroading AND a teenage driver
e) Had a new exhuast built for it. New Cats were needed to get through CA smog, then we had a 2.5" cat back made that dumps in front of the rear passenger wheel. It sound super throaty but no drone, not loud, just sporty .
f) Found an original FoMoCo brush guard and Bosch lights on Craigslist for $145. I just installed it this weekend. I have not wired the lights up yet but soon.
g) son joined the USMC and is currently in bootcamp/San Deigo. I hope to have an Explorer 8.8 in the back of it before he graduates in Early May. That axle will finally be geared correctly (driving on 31"s with the stock 3:45's SUCKs).
h) Son has saved up to solid axle swap the front after bootcamp and 33" tires.
This pic was taken this weekend. It's dirty in this pic but the pic shows the current status of the truck.
IMG_2776.JPG
 

Bill4

Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2021
Messages
47
Reaction score
30
Points
18
Age
30
Location
Lansing michigan
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
Solid Axle Swap 4x4
Total Lift
5
Tire Size
35x12.50r15
My credo
Use what you got.. not what you want
Very cool. The 8.8 swap will be a good surprise. My brother is on deployment with the national guard hoping to have his ranger's 4x4 working before he gets back just waiting for the weather to improve.
 

Josh B

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Aug 15, 2019
Messages
4,005
Reaction score
1,986
Points
113
Location
Oklahoma
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Awesome man, good luck with it.
 

Lefty

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2022
Messages
1,678
Reaction score
1,839
Points
113
Location
Saint Paul, MN
Vehicle Year
2003
Make / Model
Ranger Edge
Transmission
Automatic

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