Behind the seat

[85_Ranger4x4]

My truck is a base model "Custom", windshield trim ends at points at the windshield, no plastic trim goes past the doors, headliner is solid steel. I am wondering what if anything is supposed to be behind the seat. For the last 18+ years I just figured it was supposed to have nothing back there but as I have been cleaning it up it looks like there used to be five screws across the cab below the back window. I know a regular full interior truck has trim across there with carpet below that.

Full steel headliner cabs are kinda scarce, I have seen others in JY's but never thought to look behind the seat and now that I am curious it will be years before I find another one in a yard.



Anyone else have a base truck to compare? And yes I know someone had a good time drilling holes in the middle, not me... might be something from the fleet that ordered her new.

 

[91stranger]

Someone did a terrible job keeping them in a straight line so I doubt its factory. I assume you are talking about the holes right below the window. It's hard saying what was there if anything. Are there similar holes above the windshield?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Someone did a terrible job keeping them in a straight line so I doubt its factory. I assume you are talking about the holes right below the window. It's hard saying what was there if anything. Are there similar holes above the windshield?

Yeah, they look pretty straight in person. Looks like they have been used. Usually unused "holes" were just dimpled, at least they were for bucket seats what looks like the console and rear speakers. There is trim across the top of the windshield. It just wraps around the windshield and comes to a point at the top front of the door.

The mess of holes below I actually wondered if they were bullet holes but they are coming in and there are no holes on the outside of the cab.

 

[91stranger]

Those are small holes if they were to be bullet holes. Someone would be pretty brave to shoot a .22 inside a metal cab. .22's don't have much kick so they either bounce around the pop can you shot at or the ricochet lol. What now drill? get the gun lol.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The cab isn't original to the rest of the truck. So I did wonder given the helter skelter "pattern" if someone took potshots at it with a .22 or something while it was at the JY. But no entry holes on the outside of the cab and really it does look like the work of sheetmetal screws.

Old picture of roof/windshield trim.

 

[adsm08]

I've never messed with a 1st gen regular cab, but all the 2nd gens I've run across at the JY have the same panel and carpet min does. They also have full trim work.

 

[Ranger850]

That's what my single cab 83 looked like. I don't remember if it had the holes, but I do remember the roof looked like that, hook and all, and behind the seat looked just like that.

 

[Lizzy]

The 1983 ranger I had looked just like. The holes are probably from some one mounting something with screws.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Just a straight '83 "Ranger" base model truck I found in the JY, rubber floor but did have the full trim and cloth headliner. Rear trim across the back had 4 holes, my truck has 5 so whatever purpose the holes in my truck served they were not for factory trim. My '86 XL parts truck had the same piece across the back (but with carpet IIRC)

 

[Lizzy]

wow, that was the cooler of the 1983 ford ranger i had. that brought back memories , but mine had no trim behind the seat.

 

[Lizzy]

color even!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Very very straight/solid 4cyl shortbox dual tanker. To bad she wasn’t caught before she got junked.

Kind of an unusual color, I wondered if it was a fleet order but the door was gone so I couldn’t check the paint code.

 

[Ranger850]

My 83 was that brown
My buddy had an 84 that was that yellow. His was also diesel powered, and was from some state fleet, he got it at an auction

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Both my 87 XLTs have speakers back there in the corners.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Both my 87 XLTs have speakers back there in the corners.

Yeah, part of a "premium audio" package. Mine didn't have them but I added them (with bigger speakers) They mount to the bottom of the cab, nothing to the rear bulkhead.