'91 Ranger XLT to a GM Guy

[SFox]

Howdy! First of all, thanks to this Ranger, I'm halfway to my ultimate goal: Owning every distinct minitruck brand ever marketed in the US!

So I picked up, for $600, a 1991 Ranger XLT, 2.3L/A4LD. Needed a timing belt, pretty easy, 5 hours and done.

A4LD shifts like my 700R4 - somewhat like the end of the ride after you fall off the grand canyon. Reverse is the worst, and every gear change is "Jarring".

There is a dinner-bowl sized dent in the right front fender, so that will be patched with a pull/new fender as soon as possible.

Windshield's broken.

The truck is clean as a whistle, though, and sounds very nice. That being said! As a GM guy, not used to Ford products- where are the typical places to look for rust? What wiring issues should I poke around for? What major issues should I get ready to do? The truck has 97,000 miles on it, so I just gave it an oil change, and getting ready for a diff'n'ATF fluid change. Any more recommended service?

Thank you all!

 

[Mark_88]

Welcome to TRS~!

Like the end of the ride falling into the GC...lol

I think you would have better success with the M5OD 5 speed than replacing the auto. Not too familiar with the 91 wiring but it is old so anything can happen...and probably battery cables to starter would be a prime concern, depending on where you live (weather wise, not social status)...

Rust...firewall (including windshield area), drain tray under the windshield, door pillars, and rear shackles are the main areas...and the wheel openings on the bed...all are easy to fix except the firewall, and that requires tearing out the dash sometimes...but even the dash comes out of a 91 (89-92 are Gen 2 and similar) fairly easily.

Anyway...sounds like it is clean so hopefully no worries for a few years...post pics if you've got them...everyone here loves pics...

 

[baddis]

don't forget the radiator support rusts bad also

 

[SFox]

So because my other truck (A Red, 1989 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 longbed) is named the Kaiser (It does somewhat what it needs to, in a strange sort of way, much like the 20's German leadership), my buddies have nicknamed this truck "Napolean". Anyway, here I present him.

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So far no rust. Just got passed through MO Tech. Runs better now that a little seafoam and milage has accumulated, it had sat from 2001-January of this year.