Hahahahahah yes.....

[Ranger Kip]

Well boys... the day has come... I was driving down the road after I had gotten the truck back from the shop getting the joints replaced, went passed a house with a rare Izusu in the back yard, it ended up being very cool, carbon fiber doors and all, but that's when something in the back of his field caught my eye... a strange little truck... I was literally drawn to it, didn't say anything, just walked up to it and almost hugged the damned thing... I introduce my new truck "Flatbed".

Everything about this truck is beautiful, aside from some minor problems:

-headliner is torn up
-needs slave
-needs clutch
-gas gauge doesn't work
-door switches need replaced (ding ding ding ding ding ding)
-wood on flatbed needs replaced

The frame still has paint visible, and is solid as a rock, the seats are worn in, so they are nice and comfortable, everything mechanic (minus slave and clutch) are in tip top condition, and it only has 110,500 miles on it. It even has 80% tread on its on/offroad tires, and they got some meat to them.

1997 Ford Ranger XLT 2wd, 2.3L with a 5speed (long gears), and aftermarket cd radio.

Handing the cash over on Monday, and bringing her home, all $850 of it, that's right... "$850"

___________________________________________________________

Aside from all of that, I am working for Federal Security now, I am a guard at Ward Manufacturing in Blossburg, PA, and I work nightshift (11pm to 7am), I actually like it a lot. I am planning on leaving for Job Corps after I get the IN DATE for myself to start welding school, and my girlfriend and I have officially been together for 6 months now. - end transmission

 

[Earl43P]

Nice score.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Nice find, and not bad price.

Are you sure it is a 98? it has a 95-97 front clip on it.

AJ

 

[-Nathan-]

^This. Not a 98... Looks decent but cut that dang anchor off the back.

 

[Ranger Kip]

your right on the grill... I wont know until I get the title though, so I will get back to that on monday

 

[Jraymer360]

didn't 98's have the 2.5 as well/?

 

[Ranger Kip]

Im thinking its a 97 then... it doesn't make sense to be a 98... guess I have just been too excited to care lol

 

[doorgunner]

Sharp flatbed! (If you load a differential onto it.....be sure to tie down the differential REALLY good---it's embarressing having to pick one up off the street at an intersection..... )

 

[straycat]

Looks pretty cool, Bro!!! Fix it up and keep her!!!

 

[Ranger Kip]

I was thinking about another diff, but its a 2wd 2.3l, it doesn't have all that much power, as it is, I will have to beef up the rear leaf springs to compensate for the fact the down travel is interrupted by the underside of the bed (given enough weight added to the rear).

 

[Captain Ledd]

How much is it limited? When you replace the wood you could just put a small metal plate over where the tires are and gain that little bit of extra room.

Or stock 4x4 rear lift blocks and a budget lift to the front to keep it kinda level. Maybe both.

Just ideas.

 

[MastuhWaffles]

Can't you just look up the VIN to tell what year it is?

 

[Ranger Kip]

I might do the lift blocks and the metal panel, seems like good ideas, and yes, you can use the vin to tell you the year. The metal frame of the bed is definitely being repainted, probably a glossy black after I add the headache rack.

 

[Ranger Kip]

Clean underside and good tires!

 

[Ranger Kip]

I must be really bad luck, no ranger for me.... I went over with my father, best friend (like a brother) and his girlfriend (like a sister) and we had the cash in hand and everything ready to go, I told my dad to get in it and drive it around, he drove it back up, tested the clutch a few times. When my dad got out he asked him not to ride the clutch like that (what little was left of it) and he said he wasn't (and he was not indeed). The guy even knocked off $50 so I could go buy a battery with that $50 to replace the crappy one the truck was coming with he found in the barn to start it.

So my dad says it feels like its low compression and the guy suddenly turns and goes red and says "your full of shit", this took us all by surprise and my dad just chuckled and said that's what he thought, and that the top half of the engine will need to be rebuilt. By this time the guy was deep red and said "your bullshit" (and he was nervous and trying to be serious), finally my dad told him "Well, its not a huge deal to redo it", the owner finally yelled "you cant bullshit a bullshitter" and told us to go away, my dad then asked him "can my son still buy the truck?" and he said "no, get".

So I am left extremely confused.... this guy shared a ton of stories of his time in the police force, and being a police chief with my buddy and I, was extremely nice when we visited unannounced the first time we showed up to look at his other vehicle sitting in his yard, and even put the truck on ramps so I could inspect the undercarriage and transmission!

WTF?

So I am sitting here, confused, and with $650 that was ready to spend on a vehicle.... well, time to get looking again... anyone selling a cheap ranger that runs?