Trying to Get TRS-2 Back

[Jim Oaks]

For those that haven't seen this posted on facebook, my last Ford Ranger (TRS-2) is for sale on facebook Marketplace, and I have been in touch with the seller to try and buy it back.

The Ranger is in Shelburn Indiana (southern Indiana) , which is almost 900 miles from where I am in Texas.

The transmission is out of the Ranger, and it has a broken right / front axle.

The only person I can think of in southern Indiana to ask to go look at it for me is Will, but I haven't been able to make contact with him yet. The Ranger would need towed someplace and fixed.

Fastpakr and I discussed the possibility of me buying the Ranger back, hauling it somewhere and storing it for a while, and then finding a group of people that would be willing to get together for a weekend, and wrench on it.

Since I built the Ranger in 2004, I think I (we) need to:

• Inspect the frame for cracks, since I don't know what it's been subjected to since I owned it.
• Inspect all of the suspension components for cracks or damage.
• Inspect the gears and differentials. Clean and refill with new gear oil.
• Inspect and replace any bad radius arm or TTB pivot bushings.
• Replace the broken front axle, and all of the u-joints.
• New shocks.
• New brakes.
• Oil & filter change. Inspect fluids for possible signs of engine damage
• Flush radiator.
• Install new transmission with an additional transmission cooler.

But first, it's going to have to be looked over and purchased if it looks salvageable.

I know from photos that the tires are dry rotted, and will need replaced.

Once it's in good sound mechanical condition, emphasis will be put in to giving it a fresh new 'TRS' look.

 

[adsm08]

Well I'm out. I'd be all in, but like with most of these things I am a few hundred miles in the wrong direction.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Well I'm out. I'd be all in, but like with most of these things I am a few hundred miles in the wrong direction.

Same.

Is the trans completely out or missing a gear or stuck in gear? (aka can it be driven at all?)

 

[adsm08]

Same.

Is the trans completely out or missing a gear or stuck in gear? (aka can it be driven at all?)

Can't be any more out than the C4 from the Mustang is right now.

 

[bobbywalter]

welllll...


you know i am in.


fairly sure i have at least 7-10 days left here in pa.....

i may have to drive the rig back to ohio....which will suck. i dont like driving that 116000 pound monster...


if i do have to move the rig....from there i have to finish my assessment i started last week at my rental in ohio.... that will determine when i go.


if i dont have to move the rig and we are not going directly to a project in ohio, i will go look at it.....and if deemed.... procure and take the truck to my house in detroit or ohio.



then..........who knows..

 

[adsm08]

if i dont have to move the rig and we are not going directly to a project in ohio, i will go look at it.....and if deemed.... procure and take the truck to my house in detroit or ohio.



then..........who knows..

Oh boy...


Where in PA are you?

 

[bobbywalter]

sitting on top of the mountain...windy blowing ass cold shit 8ish mi out of dushore.


its when working nights gets to suk.


getting ready to go relieve my operator as i type...rain snow mix in periods.

 

[bobbywalter]

its clearing...i see moon now...

 

[Jim Oaks]

I haven't heard from Will.

Bobby, if there's anyway you could go over that way to look at it, or haul it off, let me know.

Yes, the transmission is out of it. It comes with another transmission that's not in. Hopefully it's the right trans that works, but theirs no way to even know if the motor runs.

I found out the Warn XD9000i winch that I took off of TRS-1 and put on it is missing.

 

[bobbywalter]

...hopefully will is in town..be nice to visit with him.


looks like we could possibly have more time off then we want next month...


but first break i see i will call.

 

[Bird76Mojo]

Well, I'm glad to see this may finally be happening...




GB

 

[Uncle Gump]

This old truck is a logistical nightmare...

However... If it were me and this was the truck I had to have... I would burn a couple vacation days and be road tripping to Indiana. See whats there... and if it fit my plan... strike a deal... rent a trailer... take it home. It makes a great story and I'm certain it could be brought back to it's former glory.

But let me play devils advocate. I personally feel the future of your .com and enterprise probably lives within the all new ranger for many years to come. You figured out the old ones... it's probably time to figure out the newest version. People will buy them... and people will modify them. To evolve your business... the new ranger just makes sense... at least to me.

With that being said... It's probably 4 - 5 hours from me and I wouldn't be comfortable making the call on if it was worthy to procure. But in the event that it does get purchased I would be willing to make a trip (depending on where it ends up)... meet some of you guys and build a few new friendships... and help get TRS2 back on its feet.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I bought that truck in North Carolina when I was still living in Ohio. I drove down with my F-250 and trailer, loaded it up, and drove back to Ohio.

Today I have a 2016 Expedition that's not currently wired to pull a trailer, and i sold my car trailer years ago.

I agree that I should be driving a new Ranger. It's just not in my budget. I'm going to be stuck with this Expedition for a while. I've even tried to work out a deal with Ford to get one and promote it through ownership. My Rangers have always gained a lot of attention. This old Ranger is a perfect example.

Ford has a lot of plans for promoting the Ranger. They've even covered my expenses to go look at it (I'm still working on the write up from Monday). I think they'd earn their money back giving me one of them to promote.

This whole topic is very frustrating from so many angles.

 

[Craig0320]

I think they'd earn their money back giving me one of them to promote.

This whole topic is very frustrating from so many angles.

I completely agree you have twenty years of promoting already documented. They should give you at least a base model. I really do hope you get your old truck back. I wish I was closer to give you a hand.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Totally understandable. Kinda weird... but I put myself in your shoes and took a different look at it.

TRS2 is broken... it's probably bent, cracked, rusted, rigged and lacked some general care since it was sold. You get 4 to 6 guys there for a couple throw down weekends in a fairly well equipped shop... there needs to be a pile of parts and some budget left for stuff needed on the fly. I think that to do it right... an overhauled engine and at a minimum overhauled transmission should be in the pile. The new owner needs reasonably deep pockets to make it happen. At the end of it... You're still living in yesterday.

From a purely business perspective... it (you) need to be focused towards tomorrow... and a couple years out. You get in now... it's cutting edge (at least here) and work to keep it ahead of the curve. The only way to do that... The new ranger.

Then I took your shoes off.

Here is what I know... I'm in business... pizza of all damn things. In the last 6 months I've put close to 70k in my business to keep it cutting edge and on the curve. Did I make sacrifices to do that? Yes. Is it a gamble? Yes. But if I didn't do it... I would be living in yesterday. I haven't had the pay off just yet. But the business is positioned for a much brighter future.