1st gen advice

[Michaelolson88]

Wondering if yall could give me some insight or point me in the right direction for some research. I currently have a 99 4.0 xlt that has gone from everyday commuter car to just truck stuff on the weekends car (camping, hauling crap, etc..) I’m thinking about selling and buying a 1st gen Ranger. I just love the look of the 1st gen with a small lift but I don’t know much about the 1st gen. What years are the best in the first gen? I want a 4x4 and everything else to be as simple as possible. Don’t care about AC or cruise control or any other frills. Just want it to be reliable. However I have no problems working on it I just want to make sure parts are available. What are some good resources for me to get more aquatinted with em? Thanks for all the help!

 

[scotts90ranger]

Myself I prefer the look of the second gen ('89-92) but that's up to preferences... if it were me for reliability I would stick to a fuel injected version be it 2.3L/2.9L/3.0L or 4.0L which were first offered in '85 for the 2.3L, '86 for the 2.9L, '91 for the 3.0L and 4.0L, for 4x4 reliability I would go for something mid '90 or newer to get a dana 35 up front... but that can be added to older ones fairly easily...

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Be aware that some first gen parts are no longer available. Pretty sure front drive axleshafts are not.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

86-88's with the 2.9.

The 4 cylinders are reliable...but they seriously lack for power.

Just make sure the cooling system is in good shape and it stays that way.

If you live in the rust belt id be much more concerned about rot then drivetrain reliabilty.

The frames do ok but floorpans, core supports, etc like to rot on them

 

[Shran]

I don't know how things are on the west coast but here I am lucky to see ANY first gen for sale... let alone enough that I can be picky on what I buy.

The newest of those trucks is now 37 years old so I would recommend looking for one in the body style you want (single cab, super cab, short box, long box) that has as little rust as possible and just plan on doing a lot of work to it. I have had to do engine or transmission rebuilds/replacements on just about everything I've had - 37 years probably means a lot of miles and a lot of wear. If you can find one with that work already done - great - make sure you get receipts for that stuff if possible... some people's idea of "rebuilt" means painting over grease and a couple new gaskets.

I like 2nd gens a bit more I think, especially the later ones, 91 and 92. Any of them with a 4.0 are a heck of a lot of truck for what they are. 2.3, 2.9, 3.0 are good engines as well.

 

[Brain75]

I too like 2nd gens better than 1st (hate the sealed glass headlights, and just not a fan of the "look" of the first as much as the second). Seattle is pretty rainy so I would say little to no chance of finding something that isn't a lost cause from rust close by. That said there are 1st and 2nd here locally (eastern CO is a rain-shadow desert) I would consider, problem is almost none of em are running/working, everyone has parked it when it quit running and then after 20 years decided to finally sell it. The lucky ones of those will be sold like that - "parked", the unlucky would be the sold, engine pulled, thrown away, replacement bought, put in the bed, sat for 10 more years and now finally the 2nd/3rd/15th guy is giving up on the "project" and wants it gone.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I don't know how things are on the west coast but here I am lucky to see ANY first gen for sale... let alone enough that I can be picky on what I buy.

The newest of those trucks is now 37 years old so I would recommend looking for one in the body style you want (single cab, super cab, short box, long box) that has as little rust as possible and just plan on doing a lot of work to it. I have had to do engine or transmission rebuilds/replacements on just about everything I've had - 37 years probably means a lot of miles and a lot of wear. If you can find one with that work already done - great - make sure you get receipts for that stuff if possible... some people's idea of "rebuilt" means painting over grease and a couple new gaskets.

I like 2nd gens a bit more I think, especially the later ones, 91 and 92. Any of them with a 4.0 are a heck of a lot of truck for what they are. 2.3, 2.9, 3.0 are good engines as well.

Personally my biggest draw to the 1st gens over the 2nd is the interior/dash.

The 2nd gen dashes seem like an afterthought....the 1st gen interiors looked like someone actually cared during the design phase

 

[Shran]

2nd gens are my favorite I think because so much is interchangeable with the Explorer (and a lot of things will swap between 89 and 1994.) It's easy to build a really awesome truck using just junkyard bolt on parts from those years. First gen front clip FTW though.

2nd gen and later interior plastic seems to be better made for whatever reason, I can't tell you how many nasty sun baked crumbly '88 interior pieces I have seen... 89+, not really the case. Maybe it's my imagination but I swear it's true.

Personally my biggest draw to the 1st gens over the 2nd is the interior/dash.

The 2nd gen dashes seem like an afterthought....the 1st gen interiors looked like someone actually cared during the design phase

That's kinda funny, I feel the other way about it. I don't really care for the 1st gen dash. It looks like it belongs in the 80's. 2nd gen still looks sort of modern.

 

[RobbieD]

I guess admit that I have a warped view of the world, but . . . I look at the first and second generations as two different trucks.

First gen, 1983 to 1988, is the last of the "old".
Flat nosed as a brick; glass headlights (which IMHO perform better than the later plastic lights); a bumper that looks like an afterthought; archaic interior (as in "truck") with a lot more exposed metal and steam-driven controls; 3-hole radios (which God himself invented; in the '83-'84s); carburetor motors (with some). If you learned to drive, or drove, '50s, 60s and 70s iron, the first gen is like an old friend that you haven't seen in ages.

Second gen, 1989 to 1992, is the first of the "new".
Rounded "aero" nose, plastic headlights with plug-in bulbs (yes, much more convenient); the bumper is part of the of body lines; much more plush and comfortable interior (as in "car") and no exposed interior metal (in upper trims); DIN radios, better speakers and better controls; fuel injection and even better engine management (granted, it's still OBD1). Availability of the 4.0L six (and, the 2.3L was an excellent motor by these years). The second generation is much more refined, and more comfortable to boot.

My best and most trusted sensory unit, my "buttmeter", thinks that driving the first gen is more like driving the classic '60s iron, and driving the second gen is more like driving a funky, retro version of the same crap that you buy new these days, but without all the tech nannies, the high-tech BS that a transporter doesn't need, and the built-in enslavement to the dealership.

Honestly, at this point in the game, you can't go wrong with either generation.

You're getting excellent advice so far; the only thing that I can add, is to be patient, and get the truck that really "speaks" to you.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

That's kinda funny, I feel the other way about it. I don't really care for the 1st gen dash. It looks like it belongs in the 80's. 2nd gen still looks sort of modern.

I Think thats why i prefer the 1st gens. I havent truely loved an ford interior really since the 87-91 F series.

 

[SenorNoob]

I love my 1st gen to death, but I'll say this: Those little corner defrost vents on the second gen did wonders for keeping the side windows clear in rainy weather. I'm used to riding around and wiping the inside of the windows to be able to make turns in bad weather. Even going so far as to use the ice scraper on the inside when it's in single digits.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I love my 1st gen to death, but I'll say this: Those little corner defrost vents on the second gen did wonders for keeping the side windows clear in rainy weather. I'm used to riding around and wiping the inside of the windows to be able to make turns in bad weather. Even going so far as to use the ice scraper on the inside when it's in single digits.

Id just turn my dash vents toward the window lol

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

First gens as a toy are a riot. Basically a 60's/70's vehicle with some extra emissions stuff. A lot of stuff feels added on and basically stand alone. A/C, cruise and all that, really just needs power and maybe vacuum.

Biggest downside IMO aside from rust is the powertrains. 2.8, 2.9 are not super great. If you can get away from the emissions junk the 2.8 is probably IMO the best engine... and gets you a raging 110hp. Transmissions are hit or miss (more miss than hit) 4cyl don't really put out enough power to justify their reliability especially in 4wd trim.

I've never been crazy about the second gen dash, I like the first gen one and I feel like I have more room too.

Interchangablity... both gens are errector sets. I have a lot of Explorer bits in my driveline and even holding my driveline in. If you don't like something... just change it. Engine don't have enough power? Go 5.0. Or Ecoboost. Or LS. Or whatever. Same goes for axles and everything else.

Mine is a base model "Custom" with a steel interior, the only trim I have is around the windshield lol.

Id just turn my dash vents toward the window lol

It is a downside for sure, I have had to toggle back and forth to keep things clear. It works but is not ideal at all.

 

[gaz]

@Michaelolson88
Decide what you want or your goal driving is, first. Do you want a pickup truck, 4 seat pickup, small SUV, medium SUV or a miniature bowtie Suburban made by the Blue Oval?

My favorite RBV's are in the following order:
• 1st gen single cab, long bed Ranger (pickup)
• BroncoII (small SUV)
• Explorer 2 door (1st gen Exp. )

- I can accomplish any of my needs in a 2.9l Ranger and they are the cheapest to rebuild.
- if I'm building an off roader, it's BroncoII 1st, two door Explorer #2. With a couple modest improvements, the OHV 4.0l, with great aftermarket replacement parts support may yield the best performance overall.

 

[Shran]

In the right truck, a 2.9 is a great engine. By that I mean... a single cab... small-ish tires... manual transmission, and 3.73's or 4.10's in the axles. The '87 I sold last year was set up like that but with 3.45 gears and it had no shortage of power. Once you start putting big tires, lifts, etc on them they kind of turn into a turd no matter what you do. Super cab trucks with a 2.9/auto are not real fun to drive either. My dad's '92 is set up like that. It has all the fancy power options and stuff but in the end it's a gutless turd.