2003 Ford Ranger Edge – An OEM-Plus Street Truck
Not every modified Ford Ranger needs a lift kit, oversized tires, or four-wheel drive. Sometimes the goal is simply to take a good truck and make it better.
That’s exactly what mhoward has done with his 2003 Ford Ranger Edge 2WD Extended Cab Flareside. What started as a factory Ranger has evolved into a carefully modified street truck featuring upgraded interior appointments, modern conveniences, custom lighting, improved braking, and components borrowed from several other Ford vehicles.
It’s the kind of truck that makes you look twice. At first glance, it looks like a clean, well-kept Ranger Edge. Spend a little time looking at the details, however, and you’ll discover just how much work has gone into it.
Nine Years of Modifications
mhoward joined The Ranger Station on September 11, 2016, and introduced himself by directing members to his 2003 Edge, which he’d posted in the Street Rangers section under the title “Can’t Touch This.”
By May 2024, he’d owned the truck for nine years. When he started another introduction thread, he shared a much more extensive list of the modifications he’d made. He explained that he’d spent time watching, learning, and gathering information from The Ranger Station and other Ranger forums before making changes to his own truck.
He also made one thing perfectly clear when describing it:
“This truck is a pavement queen!”
That’s a fitting description. This isn’t an off-road build or an attempt to turn a 2WD Ranger into something it wasn’t designed to be. It’s a street truck built around comfort, appearance, convenience, and the enjoyment of improving the details.
A Clean Exterior With Plenty of Custom Details
The truck retains the distinctive appearance of the Ranger Edge, including its factory ride height and Flareside bed.
The blue paint provides a nice backdrop for the chrome exterior accents. Chrome door and tailgate handle covers, chrome bumpers, and a chrome high-mounted brake light cover add to the appearance without overwhelming the truck.
The front end features a black textured FX4 front valance, yellow fog light housings fitted with LED bulbs, and custom Spyder headlights. The lighting upgrades continue around the truck with full LED lighting and modified 1999 Ranger taillights.
The truck also wears American Racing AR172 Baja wheels measuring 15×8 inches, fitted with GT Radial Savero HT2 tires.
One of the more interesting exterior modifications involves the side mirrors. Rather than settling for a basic replacement mirror, mhoward modified 2006-and-newer Ranger power mirrors with heated Explorer glass, Lincoln MKX puddle lights, and integrated turn signals.
He also documented the mirror wiring, including a wiring diagram that he shared in the TRS media gallery.
It’s a good example of the approach taken throughout this build: finding factory components that offer additional features and figuring out how to make them work in the Ranger.
An Interior Full of Ford Upgrades
The interior is where this Ranger really starts to separate itself from an ordinary Edge.
Rather than simply installing an aftermarket console or a set of universal accessories, mhoward has incorporated parts from several Ford products.
The seats are six-way power leather seats from a Ford Explorer. The steering wheel is a leather-wrapped 2004 Ranger unit with its matching airbag, while the instrument cluster comes from a Ford Sport Trac and features custom colorization.
The overhead console is from an Explorer, and the truck also has lighted visors equipped with HomeLink, an automatic-dimming rearview mirror, automatic headlights, and a tilt steering column.
Even the little convenience features received attention. The truck has factory-style cruise control, despite not being prewired for it. mhoward handled the wiring and installation himself.
Other additions include a Mustang dome light, Lincoln Town Car chrome turn signal and tilt levers, a driver’s door keyless entry keypad, a flip key conversion, and a delayed accessory power modification that keeps selected accessories powered after the ignition is switched off.
The result is an interior that offers considerably more convenience than the original Ranger configuration.
A Mercury Mariner Console and Electronic Climate Control
Two of the most interesting interior modifications are the center console and electronic automatic temperature control system.
The center console came from a 2010 Mercury Mariner equipped with the ambient lighting package. It gives the Ranger a more modern appearance and incorporates the automatic floor shifter.
The shifter itself came from a 2008 Ford Escape. mhoward noted that the installation requires the P_RND21 shifter arrangement.
The electronic automatic temperature control (EATC) conversion is another substantial undertaking.
Instead of retaining the Ranger’s conventional manual climate controls, he installed an electronic automatic temperature control system using components from a very low-mileage 2001 Mercury Mountaineer.
He even painted the control faceplate to match the radio face so everything would look right together.
When another TRS member asked about the conversion, mhoward explained that he had put together a 30-page installation guide with photographs covering the parts and installation process.
That’s a pretty good indication of the amount of work involved.
The audio system also received attention, with an OEM Pioneer six-disc CD system, amplifier and subwoofer listed among the equipment, along with upgraded Kicker KSC6804 door speakers.
A Lincoln reverse parking assist system rounds out some of the interior and convenience upgrades.
Mechanical Improvements
Although much of the work focuses on appearance and comfort, mhoward didn’t overlook the truck’s mechanical systems.
The rear axle received a limited-slip differential, new axle bearings and seals, and an aluminum differential girdle cover.
One of the more substantial upgrades is the conversion from rear drum brakes to rear disc brakes using components from an SN95 Mustang.
The conversion uses PowerStop rotors and calipers, giving the Ranger a four-wheel disc brake setup.
A rear sway bar was also added, along with a 130-amp alternator and Gatorback serpentine belt.
The truck retains its 3.0L V6 and automatic transmission, keeping the original drivetrain configuration while improving other areas of the vehicle.
Additional equipment includes a Reese Class III receiver hitch and FX4 Level II stainless steel tow hooks.
Always Something Left to Do
When mhoward first introduced the truck to the TRS community in 2024, he mentioned that he still had a few modifications in mind.
One of those plans was repainting the truck Tuxedo Black. Unfortunately, a timing cover issue resulted in water getting into the engine oil, and the unexpected repair expense put the paint project on hold.
He wasn’t in a hurry, though. After nine years of enjoying the truck and steadily improving it, there was no reason to rush into the next project.
That’s part of what makes this Ranger interesting. It isn’t a collection of parts installed all at once. It’s the result of years of research, experimentation, and finding ways to incorporate features from other Ford vehicles.
The 2003 Ranger Edge is already a nice-looking truck in factory form. mhoward has taken that starting point and added an impressive collection of upgrades while retaining the character of the original Ranger.
It’s a pavement queen, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Truck Specs & Modifications
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Year/Model: 2003 Ford Ranger Edge Extended Cab Flareside
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Drivetrain: 2WD
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Engine: 3.0L V6
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Transmission: Automatic
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Wheels: American Racing AR172 Baja, 15×8
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Tires: GT Radial Savero HT2
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Suspension: Standard Edge configuration
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Interior: Explorer 6-way power leather seats; 2010 Mercury Mariner center console with ambient lighting; 2008 Escape floor shifter; Explorer overhead console; EATC climate control; Sport Trac white-face instrument cluster
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Steering & Convenience: Tilt steering column; cruise control; auto-dimming rearview mirror; lighted visors with HomeLink; keyless entry keypad; flip key; auto-lock; accessory power delay
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Lighting & Exterior: Full LED lighting; Spyder headlights; chrome bumpers and trim; FX4 front valance; modified 2006-up power mirrors with heated glass, turn signals and puddle lamps; yellow LED fog lights
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Audio: Pioneer stereo system; Kicker KSC6804 door speakers
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Brakes & Drivetrain: SN95 Mustang rear disc brake conversion with PowerStop rotors and calipers; limited-slip differential; aluminum differential cover; new axle bearings and seals
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Chassis & Towing: Rear sway bar; FX4 Level II stainless steel tow hooks; Reese Class 3 receiver hitch
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Charging System: 130-amp alternator; Gatorback serpentine belt
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Other: Lincoln Town Car chrome turn signal and tilt levers; Lincoln reverse parking assist
Photo Gallery
About The Author
Jim Oaks is the founder of TheRangerStation.com, the longest-running Ford Ranger resource online since 1999. With over 25 years of hands-on experience building and modifying Ford Rangers — including magazine-featured builds like Project Transformer — Jim has become one of the most trusted authorities in the Ford Ranger off-road and enthusiast space.
Since launching TheRangerStation.com, Jim has documented thousands of real-world Ranger builds, technical repairs, drivetrain swaps, suspension modifications, and off-road adventures contributed by owners worldwide. TheRangerStation.com has been referenced in print, video and online by enthusiasts, mechanics, and off-road builders looking for practical, and experience-based information.
