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Truckspotters


rusty ol ranger

2.9 Mafia-Don
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
13,584
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9,005
Location
Michigan
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
177 CID
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
A legend to the old man, a hero to the child...
My brother and i, for a short time, wpuld buy dead dirt bikes and 4 wheelers for cheap in the late 90s and early 2k. They had a little electronic piece that always went out and would cause a no spark issue. Well, we found out that you could get that ford ignition module for almost free at the junkyard so we would zip tie it under the seat and use it to provide spark. We had to gap the spark plug to double the factory setting but man would those things run after that. Way better then stock and never burned out that ford module like the factory one.


On the topic of hownto rate if vehicles were dependable or not, my dad always tols me to look at what uhaul and those places used, which were always fords back in the 80s and 90s. And than of course, he only bought rangers and those 2 f250s for the plumbing company. The f250s were mid and late 80s since they were just pulling the back hoe on ine trailer and the skid steer and mini excavator in the other. The rangers just drove back and forth across texas daily. I had lots of days were i started in corpus and would go to laredo, then go to mcallen or brownsville, and then back to corpus christi. Those rangers were some money making trucks. Dad would buy them 5k and i would do the maintenance on them
The last uhaul i drove was 20+ years ago in the early 00's.

They rented me their medium sized box truck (20ft IIRC) on a TBI era GMC Chassis

I figured it had a 350 in it untill i went to pull out of the housing complex that my sister was moving out of and traffic was coming so i stood on it and it (loaded) lit the duals up and about went sideways.

When i stopped to top it off i popped the hood and it was a 454. I have no idea what gears it had but it would hardly pull 65 of the freeway (3sp auto) but damn did it accelerate....

and made my 460 look economical by comparision. When i seen the fuel bill for the 50ish miles i drove i was kinda wishin i woulda taken the 80's Diesel E350 they were gonna give me first.
 

Rick W

Lil Big Rig
Supporting Member
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Age
69
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

85_Ranger4x4

Wallows in rivers
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Location
SW Iowa
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Manual
I wish we could get a backstory on just what that thing is.
 

Rick W

Lil Big Rig
Supporting Member
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Age
69
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 think my favorite part is the snorkel. That way nothing bad could happen when he’s crossing streams and such.
 

sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
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15,601
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
Yeah, 'cause water can't get in anywhere else. Like the electrical system connectors or certain components of the ignition system.
 

Curious Hound

Formerly EricBphoto
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Age
60
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.
Yeah, 'cause water can't get in anywhere else. Like the electrical system connectors or certain components of the ignition system.
That would never happen.
 

Brain75

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2024
Messages
1,236
Reaction score
975
Location
Colorado
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
215/70R14
This just reminds me too much of the "Oddballs" thread on FTE in the 48-56 forum, there is sooo many goofball hot messes in there.
 

Rick W

Lil Big Rig
Supporting Member
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Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
3,466
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6,224
Age
69
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
This just reminds me too much of the "Oddballs" thread on FTE in the 48-56 forum, there is sooo many goofball hot messes in there.
post the link!
 

Brain75

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2024
Messages
1,236
Reaction score
975
Location
Colorado
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
215/70R14
 

Brain75

Well-Known Member
Joined
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Messages
1,236
Reaction score
975
Location
Colorado
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
215/70R14
it starts out with what I would call "rare" factory / aftermarket conversions (like marmom-herrington, ambulance, goodhumor ice cream trucks) and then the further you go the more "farmgineered" examples you get.
 

Rick W

Lil Big Rig
Supporting Member
Truck of Month
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TRS 25th Anniversary
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
3,466
Reaction score
6,224
Age
69
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
For a lot of folks, if you hit the little lottery, it gives you a little financial security, but it really doesn’t change your life. But if you hit one of the big lottery, what would you do?

I wonder if there’s anybody else like me. If I hit the big lottery, I would buy older stuff, not newer stuff…
 

RobbieD

2.9l Mafia
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
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4,553
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4,489
Location
Georgia
Vehicle Year
1984,1990,1994
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
Toonces drives a Ranger . . . . just not very well.
But if you hit one of the big lottery, what would you do?
Go to Kathmandu.

It's really, really what I want to do.

If I ever get out of here . . .

. . . I'm going to Kathmandu.
 

Rick W

Lil Big Rig
Supporting Member
Truck of Month
TRS Event Participant
TRS 25th Anniversary
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
3,466
Reaction score
6,224
Age
69
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
Go to Kathmandu.

It's really, really what I want to do.

If I ever get out of here . . .

. . . I'm going to Kathmandu.
I’m not sure which Kathmandu you’re talking about, but I don’t think you need the big lottery to do it

IMG_3548.jpeg
IMG_3547.jpeg
 

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