1993 Ranger 3.0 v6 5 speed

[MountaineerGreen]

I found this gem on a local lot recently, sold my Suzuki to buy it.

It's a 1993 Ranger 2x4, stepside regular cab. 3.0 V6 5 speed manual transmission.

The best part is it only has 44k miles on it! The interior looks like new, the whole truck is very tight and drives great.

Please ignore my neighbors run down house

This will remain mostly stock, any modifications will be geared towards mileage. The chrome fender trim will be removed, vent shades have already been removed before I took pictures. The Splash stripes will come off and the side emblems will probably be replaced with newer style ones.

I plan to find a hitch in a junkyard in case I decide to tow my small trailer.

 

[Tbars4]

...great find and i'm glad to see another ranger on board...

 

[Turdle]

That is a nice one.
It's an eye catcher also

 

[Glen4X4]

Looks nice

 

[Dan Whitaker]

The chrome fender trim will be removed

I bought a 97 Cougar three weeks ago that had chrome trim on the wheel lips. I took it off last Sun and it looks 100% better. I couldn't believe all the dirt that was trapped behind it

 

[RangerX]

welcome u got any sound clips

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I took off the "Splash" stripes today, side doors and tailgate as well as the chrome fender trim. Ugh. Whoever put those on should be shot. They screwed them in on the very edge of the fiberglass, busted it in one spot.

I got oil and filter, fuel filer, air filter and Autolite platinum plugs, its tune up time tomorrow.

Fuel mileage is most likey going to be pretty good, I've gone 100+ miles since I filled it up, its barely below 3/4, we shall see how fast it falls off as the miles add up.

 

[Tbars4]

...do you know what gears you have in it yet???...and the decals looked like they were in great shape so those must have been a pain to get off...:scratch:

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I plan to check the axle tag tomorrow- I'd imagine they are relatively high, I was driving today in 4th @ 60 MPH, the motor wasn't even over revving. I don't have a tach though

 

[Tbars4]

.....no tach on a 5 speed??? huh, i thought all manual tranny's had them...:scratch:..do you plan on doing any mods to it yet??

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Oil changed, new air and fuel filters and spark plugs done. The plugs weren't bad, but with questionable previous ownership, I though I'd change em. All of it went well, no snags or surprises.

Rear axle is 3.45

The rear spring hangers and shackles were extremely rusty- the paint or powder coat was still stuck to the metal, but it was easily removed with a screwdriver. I flaked it all off and shot it with some spray paint to try to hold off the rust. I may get some POR-15 and do it right soon, just too tired to go get it today.

Pictures after the chrome fender trim and splash stuff removed-

 

[Tbars4]

...aw man...i think i just tossed my stock shackles with the new bushings in them...:scratch:..i couldn't give them away...

 

[Dan Whitaker]

It looks like a totally different truck

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Well, the shackles aren't that bad- just surface rust more or less. They are still structurally sound, I'd think they would be more work to change out than its worth. The strange thing is all the rest of the truck is 100% rust free. The leaf spring hangers and shackles appear to have been powder coated or painted from the factory- but its like the coating contained the rust or they painted steel with a high moisture content? :scratch:

 

[Tbars4]

... on the light rust...i have seen alot of rangers with bad shackles back east...and i think you may be correct on the paint problem as they seem to be the first things to rust thru...

 

[MountaineerGreen]

After some research today, and when funds become available, I have a few modifications I plan to do:

-get the windows tinted
-20% underdrive crank pulley
-electric fan

I have a new latch/lock handle ordered, the one on the bedcover is functional but the keys are missing. If someone were to push the handle down, I'd have to cut the handle off, a risky proposition on fiberglass.

 

[Tbars4]

...window tinting is great on single cabs...the sun heats them up way to quick and i think that truck would look sharp with dark tint...i just noticed you had the sliding rear window, a must have on the single cabs...i had to buy one for my ranger...

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I got gas today- 13.004 gallons at 278 miles, so almost 22 MPG. I did the tune up mid-tank, so I'd imagine it will be slightly better since the tune up. May be a marginal gain though.

I think a 20% underdrive pulley and e-fan will help.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I did some landscaping today- pulled my small trailer to get some mulch, plants, etc.

Sadly, my little trailer, a few landscape edging stones, some plants and some much is all it will really pull comfortably. The 3.0 is no power house, thats for sure.

I got a bed mat from a F150, carefully cut it down to fit inside the be perfectly- works great.

 

[Glen4X4]

That truck looks a hell of a lot better without that chrome trim and splash decals.