Would Like help deciding on my first truck

[sir____man]

So I want a truck. I've been wanting a truck for years and at first wanted a 1997 ford ranger to build into a prerunner. Now I'm looking for a truck that I could build to handle the trails of the rocky mountains in Colorado because that is where I'll be moving to this upcoming spring. I've would really like a ranger preferably a pre-2000, but I would also settle for an f-150 also pre-2000. I've found a 1988 2.9 v6 ranger[/B] and a 1989 F-150 5.0 v8. Both 4x4(I consider this a must for my location) and in decent shape. I would like to build what I'm calling in my head a "trail truck", to me that's some where in between a prerunner and a crawler. Are these good model years for what I want to do with it? Which of the two would be better suited and why? Lastly where would be a good place to start the build for my truck?

P.S. I also want this to be a daily driver.

 

[Kirby N.]

Be patient, man. Starting with the right truck is uber important. I like the 5.0 f150s. I had a 94 with a 351. It was an awesome truck. I loved all the room. It had a goose neck and I could tow whatever. However, driving it sucked. It was hard to park and didn't get the best mileage. So there was some trade offs.

On the ranger, 1989-1997 is good period. I would avoid the 2.9l v6 and the auto transmission and the electronic transfer case. Can all that stuff be swapped when it poops out? Yes. I have done that. But it is so much easier and cheaper and smarter to start with a 4.0, 5 speed, manual transfer case.

Both trucks would be good for a prerunner/ crawler. The 150 will be bigger and haul more. The ranger will be smaller, better mileage, easier to park in a parking lot, easier to get into right trails.

I decided to sell my 150 and build a 1991 ranger. You might decide different though.


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