Interchangeable vehicles

[Mandy17]

I have a 1995 Ranger 3.0 manual. I put a lot of work into it, but it got rear ended. It was a total loss with a buy back salvage title.

My question is:
Other than another Ranger or Mazda, are there other compatible vehicles I can purchase and move my ranger's parts over to it when I need them?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Honestly, not really. 98-11 trucks used a different suspension and most of them were flex fuel 3.0l

The beds were the same 93-11, not that it really matters.

Rear axle changed somewhere after like 05.

Technically, only 95-97 trucks are identical. The 93/94 didn’t have the same dash and didn’t have OBD2.

The 3.0 was introduced around 1990. I don’t know what all changes went on other than OBD2 computer system in 95 and flex fuel option around 98

 

[Brain75]

If your skill level for swap is more beginner than yes I would agree stick to "identical like for like" swap. since you are asking here I would assume you are more towards the beginner end of the spectrum....

But, FWIW, the 3.0 was introduced in 1986 and ended in 2001 - so... depending on how much you like the 1st gen, 2nd gen, or even 4th gen body style over your 3rd, and donor availability you could find a 3.0 wired ranger in all those years and tackle into making a 2nd gen with 2nd gen features (and emissions) but a 3rd gen motor.

"Everything including..." covers a lot - trans? interior? how much are you looking to save... if you have a perfect interior then 3rd gen (3rd gen "1st facelift" 95-97) will be the only thing that is a match for those components.

 

[SenorNoob]

Rear ended? Salvage title? Only body damage? I think pictures are necessary here. From the sound of it, I'd be trying change a bed and rear bumper and drive it...

 

[superj]

Me too

 

[Brain75]

I forgot this, cause in Colorado it is an impossible nightmare, but some of the '48-56 guys have figured out how to fix a salvage title... Apparently somewhere like Vermont or New York have it pretty easy to convert a salvage title into a real title... the cab in those old trucks is one piece and the "VIN" goes with the cab (those are pre-VIN system, the have serial numbers), lots of guys flipping the cabs around to make a decent vehicle. And the best part, you don't have to drive there to do it, all through the mail (might be online now)... Or as some here have claimed states like SD you can just drive it who cares salvage title or not, they are road legal. So if it is fixable and a box and bumper sounds fixable you might investigate rehabbing the title. Search on https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum41/ but beware, after you get that Vermont title getting it back to your state might be painless it might be a royal pain in the butt (complaints for New Mexico I remember - apparently bringing in an out of state title is a total pain there)... Do your homework whatever route you go.

And since there are more than one of us here who have or will get in a 5 mph fender bender that the insurance declares a total loss please if you do rehab the title tell us how it goes, what success you have.

 

[don4331]

Aren't there 4 levels: Active, Salvage, Rebuilt and Total? There are here anyways.

Active - self explanatory
Salvage - damaged >80% of the value of the vehicle, Stolen (and recovered)
Rebuilt - Salvage vehicle that has been repaired and inspected
Totaled - damaged so bad that it isn't possible to rebuild. Note: Flood damage is always considered totaled; fire often is.

I've taken 3 Rangers from Salvage back to rebuilt:

​

So, the 64¢ questions:

Is there damage to the frame??

A pre-'98 is more difficult as you can't "split" the frame. A couple frame swap is possible, but a ton of work.​

​

How bad is the damage to the cab? (including pre-existing accident and/or rust)

Doors, boxes, bumpers can be replaced, but damage to the cab "shell" is more difficult to repair.​

Remember, its not your opinion, its the technician doing the inspection. So, be honest with yourself about the damage.

Then the next question is how much sentimental value does the truck have?
And lastly, do you have some place to work on the truck for a couple weeks?

Note: If you decide to sell it after, you have to declare its rebuilt status.

 

[Brain75]

I think the 4 levels you specified out are kind of a state to state thing.. Colorado used to have separate brandings to titles for other things I think but they have reduced it down to just 2 active and salvage (which is actually totalled by your 4 levels) - can not insure, drive, or repair it is "for parts only".

 

[arse_sidewards]

Any 3.0 Taurus post the switch to roller rockers is a suitable donor. You have to change the head gaskets, oil pan and all the accessories and drill and tap one bolt hole for a motor mount (you can bolt it up with the other two and use it as a guide). If you get a flex fuel donor engine you get a slight bump in compression.

Ford 3.0L V6 Engine

Ford 3.0L Pushrod Motor: Evolution, Short Blocks, Cranks, Rods, Pistons & Heads. Rebuilding Made Easy - Learn All the Combinations!

www.enginebuildermag.com

Edit: misread the post and thought they needed an engine. Not deleting because it's good info. 2x on just fix the body damage.

 

[Mandy17]

Rear ended? Salvage title? Only body damage? I think pictures are necessary here. From the sound of it, I'd be trying change a bed and rear bumper and drive it...

I would, but the adjusters made the damages at $4760 with a buy back of $300, so its cheaper for me to just by another ranger and swap the parts into a new body.

 

[arse_sidewards]

You can swap a bed and a bumper for a hell of a lot less than $4k.

 

[Mandy17]

Aren't there 4 levels: Active, Salvage, Rebuilt and Total? There are here anyways.

Active - self explanatory
Salvage - damaged >80% of the value of the vehicle, Stolen (and recovered)
Rebuilt - Salvage vehicle that has been repaired and inspected
Totaled - damaged so bad that it isn't possible to rebuild. Note: Flood damage is always considered totaled; fire often is.

I've taken 3 Rangers from Salvage back to rebuilt:

​

So, the 64¢ questions:

Is there damage to the frame??

A pre-'98 is more difficult as you can't "split" the frame. A couple frame swap is possible, but a ton of work.​

​

How bad is the damage to the cab? (including pre-existing accident and/or rust)

Doors, boxes, bumpers can be replaced, but damage to the cab "shell" is more difficult to repair.​

Remember, its not your opinion, its the technician doing the inspection. So, be honest with yourself about the damage.

Then the next question is how much sentimental value does the truck have?
And lastly, do you have some place to work on the truck for a couple weeks?

Note: If you decide to sell it after, you have to declare its rebuilt status.

Yes, the adjusters made it a total loss. With the buy back I'm going to do, it would have a salvage title. If I want to make my truck road worthy, then I have to take my truck to have all the damages they listed fixed. Which they valued around $4760. It's cheaper to do a buy back and swap parts over to another truck with a good body. The damage was all to the back right tail gate and front right headlight. Why the damage is that high im not sure as the frame of my truck had no damage at all.

I know which years I can swap to, including the mazda. I just wasn't sure if there were other vehicles I could also think about besides a ranger.

I have plenty of space and tools to do any kind of work.

 

[Mandy17]

I forgot this, cause in Colorado it is an impossible nightmare, but some of the '48-56 guys have figured out how to fix a salvage title... Apparently somewhere like Vermont or New York have it pretty easy to convert a salvage title into a real title... the cab in those old trucks is one piece and the "VIN" goes with the cab (those are pre-VIN system, the have serial numbers), lots of guys flipping the cabs around to make a decent vehicle. And the best part, you don't have to drive there to do it, all through the mail (might be online now)... Or as some here have claimed states like SD you can just drive it who cares salvage title or not, they are road legal. So if it is fixable and a box and bumper sounds fixable you might investigate rehabbing the title. Search on https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum41/ but beware, after you get that Vermont title getting it back to your state might be painless it might be a royal pain in the butt (complaints for New Mexico I remember - apparently bringing in an out of state title is a total pain there)... Do your homework whatever route you go.

And since there are more than one of us here who have or will get in a 5 mph fender bender that the insurance declares a total loss please if you do rehab the title tell us how it goes, what success you have.

That's interesting, I'll check it out!

 

[arse_sidewards]

Yes, the adjusters made it a total loss. With the buy back I'm going to do, it would have a salvage title. If I want to make my truck road worthy, then I have to take my truck to have all the damages they listed fixed. Which they valued around $4760. It's cheaper to do a buy back and swap parts over to another truck with a good body. The damage was all to the back right tail gate and front right headlight. Why the damage is that high im not sure as the frame of my truck had no damage at all.

I know which years I can swap to, including the mazda. I just wasn't sure if there were other vehicles I could also think about besides a ranger.

I have plenty of space and tools to do any kind of work.

That's a whole lotta work for nothing.

Just buy a rusted out same year Ranger, register it with the same color as your current truck and put the plates on your current truck. Nobody is checking as long as the year/make/model/color match. If by some miracle the cops ever have reason to run your VIN it'll come back to you because you own both trucks and if you explain the situation without making an ass of yourself you'll probably just get an expired registration ticket.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Oh, and FYI they closed the Vermont loophole because the shithole states were harassing Vermont over it. On paper they said it was because of realID or something.