Jim Oaks’ 1983 Ranger 4×4 (TRS-1)

This is the original TRS-1 Ford Ranger built by The Ranger Station creator Jim Oaks.

It started as a red stock 1983 Ford Ranger 4×4 with a 2.8L V-6, and a 5-speed manual transmission. The truck went through various transformations over it’s life. The more it was wheeled, the more things were changed / modified.

In 2014, the Ranger was stripped of it’s good parts, and sent to the scrap yard. Years of playing in the mud had taken it’s toll on the trucks body, and it hadn’t been driven in years.  TRS-1 didn’t see that much use after TRS-2 (1996 Ford Ranger 4×4) was built.

This truck wasn’t purchased to be an offroad truck, but after hitting some trails in Wellsville Ohio in 1991, Jim was hooked. As Jim modified the truck, he realized that there weren’t any websites for off-road Ford Ranger enthusiasts. The Ranger Station was created not only for him to share what he had learned with others, but to be a resource to allow others to share as well.

It’s crazy to think that none of this would have came to be, if he would not have bought this truck off of a used car lot.

The Ranger Station’s TRS-1 Ranger was featured in the December 2003 issue of Off-Road Adventures Magazine. The story is called ‘Practical Ranger’.

Specifications:

Engine/Drivetrain:

  • 1970 Ford 302cid V-8 Bored .030 Over
  • Edelbrock Performer Intake
  • Holley Avenger 4bbl Carburetor
  • Summit Racing Camshaft
  • Complete MSD Ignition
  • Intake Snorkel
  • Griffen Aluminum Radiator
  • 16-Inch Electrical Pusher Fan
  • Flex-A-Lite Engine Fan
  • 1970 C-4 Automatic Transmission
  • Dual Tranny Coolers
  • B&M Shift Kit
  • BW1350 Transfer Case
  • Explorer 8.8 Axle With 31-Spline Axles
  • Dana 35 Front Axle
  • Yukon 4.56 Gears
  • Trac-Lok Rear
  • Lock-Right Front Locker

Suspension/Tires:

  • Trailmaster 4-Inch Suspension Lift
  • 5/8-Inch Front Spacer Under Coil Seat
  • Skyjacker Extended Radius Arms
  • Desert Steel Shock Hoops
  • Superlift Superrunner Steering System
  • Skyjacker Steering Stabilizer
  • (2) Skyjacker Hydro Shocks Per Wheel
  • Dual Rear Shock Mount
  • TRS Heavy Duty Differential Cover
  • Desert Steel Traction Bars
  • Extended Rubber Brake Lines
  • 33x14x15 Inch Boggers in rear
  • 33×12.5×15 Inch Swampers in front
  • Mickey Thompson Baja wheels

Body:

  • 1983 Cab
  • 1988 Bed
  • 3-Inch Body Lift
  • Lund Cab Spoiler
  • Lund Visor
  • Lund Roll Pan
  • Custom Grill/Brush Bumper/Guard
  • Fenders Trimmed
  • Dupont Imron Paint
  • Duplicolor Brush On Bedliner In Bed
  • Duplicolor Brush On Bedliner On Cab Floor
  • Plasticote Spray On Bedliner On Rockerpanels and top of bedrails
  • Bucket Seats
  • Custom Center Console

Miscellaneous:

  • Warn XD9000i Winch
  • KC Lights
  • Unity Spotlights
  • Hi-Lift Jack
  • Front/Rear Tow Hooks
  • Powertank On Board Air
  • 33-Inch Spare Tire
  • Shovel
  • Fire Extinguisher
  • First Aid Kit

Photos:

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More Articles:

Follow Jim Oaks:

As a Ford Ranger enthusiast who enjoys modifying my Ford Rangers for off-road use, I quickly discovered that there wasn’t any websites dedicated to the subject. So in 1999, I created TheRangerStation.com. What started as my own personal desire to help other Ford Ranger owners, has grown into a wealth of online information from numerous contributors. 20-years later, my commitment to the Ford Ranger, and the Ford Ranger community, is as strong as ever.

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