Here's an interesting Ranger on FB Marketplace

[Jim Oaks]

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I found this on Facebook Marketplace, and it looks like it could potentially be a pretty rare Ford Ranger.

Marketplace - 1988 Ford Ranger SuperCrew · Stx | Facebook

It's listed as a 1988 Ford Ranger STX. The 1988 Ford Ranger STX had the factory 'High Rider' 1.5-inch lift on them. The cab spoiler isn't a Lund, and it and the accessories leads me to wonder if it was built by Zimmer or one of the other conversion van companies that was also doing pickups during this time period.

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Zimmer Ford Ranger Conversion - The Ranger Station

Here's the other photos of it:

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What do you think?

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[85_Ranger4x4]

I'm just glad it doesn't have the fake duelly fenders with single tires like that Zimmer.

I agree, it looks like a company made rig.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I need another Ranger like I need another psychotic girlfriend whose name ends with an 'A', but I dig it! I wish someone would buy it and make it part of the TRS family.

 

[Curious Hound]

Send me the money and I'll do it.

Cool truck. Needs some love. But doesnt look too bad for it's age.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Send me the money and I'll do it.

Cool truck. Needs some love. But doesnt look too bad for it's age.

Who do I write this rubber check to?

 

[RobbieD]

It could be what's left of one of the "named" conversion trucks (i.e.- Zimmer, Choo-Choo, etc.), but back in the 1980s there were also a lot of independent "van shops" that turned out the same kinds of customized trucks.

I worked at one such shop for a few years in the '80s, and we did a fair amount of trucks like this. It was mixed retail and conversions on new dealer-stock units, as a local conversion was cheaper than a big-name conversion (more profit for the car dealer). Retail customizing or conversion was usually to the truck owner's specs, but we offered "packages" for the dealers which could also go to the retail side.

We could add any accessory that was available back then, fab some things (especially interior like consoles and wood trim pieces) and we had a contract painter to do graphics and clearcoat (and he was actually quite good at it).

And in most cases, the independents did better quality work than the big-names. Big-names became cookie-cutter operations that shipped across the country whereas each independent job was usually unique, local, and we mostly dealt directly with the trucks' owners. You wanted them to come back buy more stuff, and not to complain and get stuff fixed.

This truck looks to be more of an independent shop conversion, to me, but like I said it could have started as a big-name conversion with changes or repairs since then.

It looks to be in decent restorable shape, too, and it really kinda screams "80s".

 

[Curious Hound]

Who do I write this rubber check to?

"Olivia Benner" she's in charge of rubber toys. Make it squeaky.

 

[Jim Oaks]

LMAO!

At first, I that that was your ex-wife's name, which made that sentence really funny. Then I realized that you meant Livy your dog.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Was there supposed to be lights mounted on the bumps on the racerback?

 

[racsan]

looks cool. my 1st ranger was a ‘88.
wasn’t as cool as that one though.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Its weird ive seen a decent amount of zimmer trucks for sale lately. Even a 80's S10 one...i didnt know they converted S10's.

Either way 4k for that truck isnt bad if its as solid as it looks even without the possible rare factor.

 

[Blmpkn]

Idk why but this makes me want a truck mullet on the 96... So bad.

 

[sgtsandman]

Was there supposed to be lights mounted on the bumps on the racerback?

From what I can see in the pictures Jim provided, yes.