What would you do if you were to do it all over again?

[Lefty]

Here's a question for everyone here to consider. What would you do if you were to buy another old Ranger?

First of all what make/model would you buy? Regular or extended cab? A fleetside? A flare side? Edge? Splash? Sport? A long bed? Stick? Automatic? Which engine? 2WD or 4?

Secondly, assuming you made a number of minor repairs and everything worked, what would you do to upgrade it or modify it? Bigger wheels and tires? Suspension upgrades? Winch? Bull bar? Tonneau? Roll bar? Hitch? Backup camera? Additional fog lights? Would you jack it up? Lower it? Add traction bars? Bigger anti sway bars? E fan? Twin pipes? What would give you the most bang for the buck? What would make you smile?

 

[Curious Hound]

What’s my theoretical budget?

1st, 2nd or 3rd gen
4.0l or 2.9l but so would consider the 3.0l again
4x4

that’s as far as I can answer without knowing budget and do I still keep the one I have now?

 

[Lefty]

What’s my theoretical budget?

1st, 2nd or 3rd gen
4.0l or 2.9l but so would consider the 3.0l again
4x4

that’s as far as I can answer without knowing budget and do I still keep the one I have now?

Keep the Ranger you got. Any generation okay too. It's a theoretical question. Go ahead and spend all the theoretical money you want. Maybe even hire a mechanic to install all those cool aftermarket parts!

 

[Blmpkn]

I wouldn't mind having another older ranger, as long as the flavor is right.

2.3, manual, 2wd, reg cab

Or..

The same thing but 4x4.

2wd would get lowered, the 4x4 would get lifted a touch.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

First Gen for sure.

After 20 years I am undecided on cab. More room would be nice but I gotta have what bed I got for my camper. I could really go either way but logically a Supercab would probably be a better fit for me.

V8 swap heck yes. Probably injected from the start. Might entertain the thought of a good rebuilt slushbox so my wife could drive it and a better overdrive.

Twib stick NP205 heck yes.

Axle upgrades heck yes.

Might do leveling springs on the front next time.

Explorer rear springs with belltech shackles with block delete and greaseable bolts works great.

Won't own a Ranger without a body lift.

Front and rear sway bars yes.

In the process of building a winch/grille guard so that is a yes.

Have had a grille guard and as a light bracket it works great. Thankfully I have never bumped into anything.

Custom rear bumper with spare mount is nice.

Pretty content with my radios, GPS and a/ everything else I have added.

 

[Lefty]

I wouldn't mind having another older ranger, as long as the flavor is right.

2.3, manual, 2wd, reg cab

Or..

The same thing but 4x4.

2wd would get lowered, the 4x4 would get lifted a touch.

Me too. Only I would want fog lights, tonneau cover, twin pipes, 30" tires, and a winch.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

86-88 Reg cab Long box
4wd
5speed
2.9L
3 inch lift
31 BFG A/Ts riding on the alcoa style 2nd gen rims
Red interior
Red Exterior
4.10 gears (stolen from a 4 banger truck, rear trac-lok)
Chrome push bar
Black headlight covers

No rust.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Oh man… you gave me an entirely theoretical budget so I’ll just take all of them, lol.

Seriously though, my first Ranger was the result of needing a reliable truck within my maximum budget. It put me where I’m at. I trailed off in Bronco II’s for a bit, bought four (technically 5 if you count the one I paid a junkyard for exclusive rights to strip everything I wanted which was, everything). Sold one and scrapped one of the other 4 and wish I wouldn’t have done either. Bought my green Ranger specifically to do a 5.0 swap. Ended up kinda unexpectedly with my 92 and hadn’t decided on a direction for it. I have grown to love them all. I will say that I do appreciate the extra cab room in the extended cabs though.

But with no budget, I’d be building all sorts of RBVs, everything that I always thought would be cool to have.

 

[racsan]

4.0 supercab 4x4, 93-97 era. manual transmission.

 

[Lefty]

Oh man… you gave me an entirely theoretical budget so I’ll just take all of them, lol.

Seriously though, my first Ranger was the result of needing a reliable truck within my maximum budget. It put me where I’m at. I trailed off in Bronco II’s for a bit, bought four (technically 5 if you count the one I paid a junkyard for exclusive rights to strip everything I wanted which was, everything). Sold one and scrapped one of the other 4 and wish I wouldn’t have done either. Bought my green Ranger specifically to do a 5.0 swap. Ended up kinda unexpectedly with my 92 and hadn’t decided on a direction for it. I have grown to love them all. I will say that I do appreciate the extra cab room in the extended cabs though.

But with no budget, I’d be building all sorts of RBVs, everything that I always thought would be cool to have.

Aren't you also reworking/upgrading the suspension on the green Ranger?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Aren't you also reworking/upgrading the suspension on the green Ranger?

Oh of course, it’s getting the whole lowered street monster package. But don’t forget, my choptop sits on 35’s with 5” suspension and 2” body lift and the doors are pinned so I can pull them off whenever I want. My F-150 went towards hardcore work rig. I’ve got all sorts of other ideas. Almost went and looked at a Ranger dump truck a few years back.

 

[JohnnyO]

Nothing much different than what I have now. I would have got the locker and skipped the factory bedliner, but otherwise nothing different, not even the color.
I was kind of in a jam because a head gasket blew in my Sport Trac and I needed something quick. Luckily the dealer had almost exactly what I wanted.
STX 4x4 SCab with tow package and not much else.

If money was no object I'd get pretty much the same thing with the FX4 package and aftermarket RTR conversion. Besides the RTR grille, trim, wheels and tires, they add the Ford Performance suspension and exhaust.

Ranger Build Now - RTR Vehicles

www.rtrvehicles.com

 

[Curious Hound]

Unlimited budget?

Everything I mentioned above. Plus...

Swap in the newest generation diesel they're putting in the Jeeps.

Matching automatic transmission.

Atlas transfer case

Roughly 6" lift.

I'll stick with TTB but upgrade to Dana44, coilovers, long radius arms

8.8" rear, trussed, 4 link, coilovers

5.13 gears

40" tires - BFG Mud terrains

Selectable locking differentials both ends

Warn 8274 winch

Viair on board compressor

Premiere Power Welder

Lots of lights - fog, ditch, forward and rear light bars, rock lights

Custom dash including nav display and good GMRS radio

And I'll do the work. Not paying someone else to screw up this build.

 

[pjtoledo]

rust proofing/undercoating

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

A rust free B2 with a 4.0/5speed standard, 4.10 gears and 31" tires.
I had one exactly like that but it was a rust bucket...