ranger convertiable??

[scheff]

guy could anyone telll me about this truck it looks awesome and i want to get my hands on it

 

[shorangerbird]

-big thing in the late '80s and early '90s. only factory convertible truck made i know of was the Dodge Dakota. all others were done by shops/individuals.....

 

[JohnnyO]

Yeah, not bad looking but it's not factory. A bud of mine is a pretty talented bodyman and built a ragtop S-10 some years ago that worked pretty good.

 

[scotman]

I think that was called a "sunchaser"....

I have seen several, but that was many years ago. It was a conversion done by a firm in Ohio if I recall correctly. The only one I knew of locally in south central Michigan was a Chrystal blue XLT that Ted Nugent had owned for a short time. All Sunchasers were built on supercab chassis. I have never seen any regular cab versions. I have a 3.0/ 5 speed STX 2wd shortbed that I installed a Superdome kit on shortly after I bought it. I had it for some time and then also sold and installed Superdome kits through my shop in the mid 90's. I have never regreted doing the conversion. It is a very practical way to get the feel of a convertable and still keep a dry and secure interior. I had looked at the Sunchaser and felt it was too expensive ($3,900 quoted,plus the Ranger) and the top fit was poor. The Ratical tops kits were nothing more than some bits and pieces and a template! The builder was on their own in terms of fabrication of the free standing windows that were needed to make the conversion actually work! I do not think that any trucks built with ratical kits back then are still around now. The structural integrity of the cab was destroyed to get the convertable effect. I have seen several of those in person, they just literally disintegrated if they didnt get a roll bar welded in when built. I Felt the Superdome was the best compromise available. It was always easier to describe it as a wrapover sunroof rather than a traditional convertable. The Sunchaser would be an interesting truck to have but I think it would have all kinds of wind leaks and rattles if it was used hard or not stored in a dry place during winter.

 

[scheff]

i dont think it was called the sunchaser when i googled it i was getting pictures of cars and boats i think it is a skyranger lol thats what it says on the side of the ranger in the picture but thats a lot of info you put and its nice to no that it is a custom job not factory but it would be really nice to have one just to say i have a ranger that almost no one else has lol thanks for the info guys

 

[veefer800canuck]

reminds me of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eoUutOsZoQ

 

[scheff]

lol nice van

 

[scotman]

It may have been sold as both a Skyranger and a Sunchaser. The one Nugent had wore no specific badges or decals. the other three I have seen had decal packages that included the sunchaser name on the lower part of the doors. Who could know for sure 20 years later. Cool concept though.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

Pretty much any of the boat top/upholstery shops around here can whip them tops right out, just have to chop the top right. Suck to roll it too without some kind of ROPS.

 

[scheff]

it is a nice looking truck if it was factory or not id still like to have one

 

[texas03042]

back in '86 I installed a ragtime mini kit on a my '74 Toyota hi-lux. the frame of the kit worked well but the fabric was cut wrong. I called ragtime who sent me to their local authorized installer (somewhere in the Oakland, ca area) he agreed that the top was wrong. the ragtime owner told me to s**t in my hat when I asked to get it fixed at a local convertible shop. (ragtime moved from san raefel, ca to tempe, az while we were disputing this-presumable one step ahead of the ca attorney general and consumer fraud complaints). I lived with the top until the early 90's, when I had it redone in Greenland, nh, at a cost of $500. chap did an incredible job and I kept the truck another 3 years. but rust did it in-severe rust. Toyota didn't undercoat.
I had a capri 2.8 v-6 and a mustang II trannie in the truck and kept it a total of 10 years. it was a blast to drive and turned heads everywhere.
i now live in florida, where it is convertible weather 10 months of the year.I am contemplating cutting the top off my 95 xlt and making my own top.
btw; Toyota offered a ragtop truck in the early 80's. i don't know if they were a factory unit or modified when they got to the states by a customizer. the dealers could not order convertibles and got whatever Toyota sent them. they sold out as soon as they rolled off the transporter. (i was just too late to get the last one to arrive at my, then, local dealer (in Houston, tx)

 

[scotman]

Ford Ranger with Superdome roof kit...

I thought i would post here again because TRS is a leading forum. I would be interested in hearing back from fellow owners of both fullsize and compact trucks that have the Superdome roof kits installed or that have parts or components for this unique accessory. I still have my 92 STX Ranger with this kit. and would welcome and reply to any other people who have one of these installed in their truck. Regardless of make or model! Maybe we all can create our own network of part supply and troubleshooting through our own favorite respective forums that will allow these to continue to be seen rather than just fade away. I can be reached through my page here or at speedsmithscott@.gmail.com. Rangers rule!