Should I save this fx4?

[North Idaho 5.oh]

Picked up my Unicorn truck. (I know I buy a lot of trucks)
Been looking for a while and I finally found one in my back yard. It’s the 02 fx4 off-road with the 2 chrome shifters and all the other fx4 level 2 goodies. Only paid $700 for it
The body is “OK” for what it is since it was used for a work truck and it has the tan interior. Needs both driver doors and probably the passenger doors as well.
It only has 166k miles on it… the catch is…. It’s got a salvage title and the timing chains are slapping pretty good…. Should I bring it back to useable or part it out? I’m on the fence about it but would break my heart to pull it apart

 

[Jim Oaks]

I think this was the greatest Ford Ranger built between 1983-2011. If I had the money to be a collector, this is one I'd have. If I were to buy a 1998-2011 Ford Ranger 4x4, this is the one I'd want.

For me, this is the first year that I felt Ford really took the Ranger serious.

I also have a liking for these Rangers because the Ford engineers had been emailing me asking what we were doing to make our Rangers better for off-road, which resulted in the FX4 package, and I got to wheel one in Wellsville, Ohio before they ever came out.

But that's just me. It depends how much work it needs and you're willing to do.

It's not going to have any collector value and will probably only be worth what you put into it.

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

I think this was the greatest Ford Ranger built between 1983-2011. If I had the money to be a collector, this is one I'd have. If I were to buy a 1998-2011 Ford Ranger 4x4, this is the one I'd want.

For me, this is the first year that I felt Ford really took the Ranger serious.

I also have a liking for these Rangers because the Ford engineers had been emailing me asking what we were doing to make our Rangers better for off-road, which resulted in the FX4 package, and I got to wheel one in Wellsville, Ohio before they ever came out.

But that's just me. It depends how much work it needs and you're willing to do.

It's not going to have any collector value and will probably only be worth what you put into it.

Not super worried about the value going up honestly…. I used to have the fx4 level 2 but had to sell it to unfortunately… I’ve missed it ever since. Call me sentimental but I really do miss driving one of these.
I’ll be doing all the work, so obviously my labor is a wash and parts are gonna be salvage yard , so I don’t think it’ll be horrible as far as investing time and money.
The only “hard” part is going to be pulling the engine and replacing the timing components. Other than that it’s mainly body work and paint … but it’s also a lot to take on lol so that’s where I’m on the fence lol

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

One last thing I forgot to mention….. it’s got a salvage title….

 

[Uncle Gump]

I think I'd save it.

Not a restoration though.

Get it solid mechanically... probably a bed liner paint job... 33x10.50's on those Alcoas... then just drive it.

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

I think I'd save it.

Not a restoration though.

Get it solid mechanically... probably a bed liner paint job... 33x10.50's on those Alcoas... then just drive it.

Definitely not a restoration, but I think I might try to do what I can to “save” it for a little while. Mechanically it doesn’t need a whole lot. Looking a little deeper into it I also found the cat that’s connected to the down pipe on the passenger side is broken off… so I have to find a down pipe/Y pipe as well.
The truck has a salvage title due to the driver side doors being smashed a little. No other body damage or frame damage.

 

[2011Supercab]

One last thing I forgot to mention….. it’s got a salvage title….

For a 22 year old truck that you would be keeping, and the price you paid for it, who cares about the salvage title.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

For a 22 year old truck that you would be keeping, and the price you paid for it, who cares about the salvage title.

I wish they could change that. A old truck getting a ding the door is a little different than a new one getting wrecked hard enough to get a salvage title, they don't have quite the same weight.

 

[superj]

i would fix it and drive it for the price you paid. and its got the cool chrome shifters.

 

[RobbieD]

Fix it, drive it, and enjoy it. AND, you'll be sitting on a goldmine of cool parts that can see a second life later on.

 

[superj]

if my son had some spare cash, i would tell him to try and get this truck from you. he just moved to a new place and the army is screwing him around on his pay though so he has no spare cash right now.

he needs a truck instead of his focus st now that he and his wife are not near family and he knows how great our ranger has been since he drove it a bunch

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

I wish they could change that. A old truck getting a ding the door is a little different than a new one getting wrecked hard enough to get a salvage title, they don't have quite the same weight.

Definitely irritating to say the least.

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

if my son had some spare cash, i would tell him to try and get this truck from you. he just moved to a new place and the army is screwing him around on his pay though so he has no spare cash right now.

he needs a truck instead of his focus st now that he and his wife are not near family and he knows how great our ranger has been since he drove it a bunch

Man if I lived closer to you guys I would absolutely help your son get into a ford ranger! I’m all about our veterans, and active service members! Tell your son I said thank you for his service and you as well. Sorry to hear they are screwing him around

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

Fix it, drive it, and enjoy it. AND, you'll be sitting on a goldmine of cool parts that can see a second life later on.

Ya, I’m pretty sure this old truck is gonna see a second life… I think I have most of the parts as far as the body goes, minus the bed.
The only thing that bugs me is if I needed a tranny or case. I didn’t get to test drive it due to the brakes being spongy.

 

[gw33gp]

As the owner of a 02 FX4 with over 300K miles on it, I say save it. The biggest cost should be the timing chain guides. It might be easier to buy a good used engine.

I am guessing the salvage title is due to a front-end impact. When they replaced the grill, they used the wrong one. There is nothing wrong with that, it is just not a 02 FX4 grill.