That much to start out with is more than some Ranger fans had, most especially the 4WD part.
My first Ranger(an 87 2WD) was given to me by someone I'd never even met, he just wanted it gone. Seems he'd gotten it somehow up north and driven it(with his wife and baby) to Nashville, in pursuit of a Physics degree at Vanderbilt.
I went by there to see if maybe there was anything hopeful about it ( I'd been told it wouldn't start, and had no brakes). The key was in it, after digging around under the hood awhile and cleaning the ground cable at the starter, it started. I got in and drove it home(leaving my ragged 80 Chevy LUV at the curb), using the gears to brake, and hope the lights changed.
The next two months it was up on jackstands while I chipped away at the salt damaged frame and body, repaired the rusted leaky gas tank with some kind of Fix-a-Flat for gas tanks, replaced the shocks, and a rusted off brake line he'd attempted to fix with a stretch of rubber hose and clamps. I came to believe he'd gotten into a tight spot from that, with his wife and baby onboard, and was why he'd "just wanted it gone".
I liked the fella, he was an intelligent young man, just not a mechanic. I went by there after a time, my LUV had given up the ghost, and I was hoping to get it legal before Thanksgiving, cause i was wanting to drive it to Oklahoma for that, and sure to his word, he handed me the signed title.
I drove that truck for the next 3 or 4 years over 6 states, in spite of its weak frame, but it had a fairly new motor, only 20K on the new engine it had, but as the body began to desentegrate under me had to start looking for another vehicle. Watching the paper daily(in 2006 that was still the main marketplace for used vehicles) I only looked in the columns under Ford light trucks (Ranger and F150 ) and guess what, bought my second Ranger.
I think you'll find it worth fixing sir, if you're so inclined, they are good trucks
Oh yeah, welcome to TRS!
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