Memo to Ford: Idea

[O'Rattlecan]

I have an idea, and was wondering if this is me and my love for older vehicles, so give me feedback.

There is not an affordable pickup truck in the market that has classic styling. Everything looks new, sharp, and tough. Don't get me wrong, I like it. I also love the syling of vehicles from the 1950's and 1960's.

The ranger... it's a good vehicle. It's probably the smallest and last true compact truck in the market.

Now what I was thinking...

Nuke the ranger line. Design a classic 1950's style pickup, and call the new ranger the F-100. I think it would sell like hotcakes, and help save Ford from it's financial peril. I know that if this was in my price range, I'd buy it in a heartbeat to drive to work and back every day.

The size of the ranger and f-100 are almost exactly the same. The drivetrain, frame, and suspension could all be equally effective as the Ranger, but with a new F-100 badge. I think sales would skyrocket.

Am I dreaming?

Ryan

 

[john112deere]

Remind me to reply to this when I have more time...

I'm too busy studying to get worked up about the Ranger and redesigns now, but perhaps on Thursday I might be able to work up a good rant on the subject.

 

[Andyman8282]

I like the idea a lot, maybe offer two different sized engines like Ford did in the ranger (4 and 6 cyl.) and either an automatic or manual tranny for those individuals who concern themselves with gas mileage. It would defintiely appeal to those truck lovers who love the old-style looks, and the performance/fuel-mileage offered by today's modern motors.

 

[slmann]

I like the idea but don't see Ford doing anything with the Ranger anytime soon. You are right that they are probably the last true compact pick-up on the market, so why change anything. You see Rangers all over the place now so they must be selling pretty good.

I have had plenty of Rangers and they were all good trucks and I plan to have another some day.

 

[mrfixit]

I think it's a great idea. Most people hear "ranger" and think SMALL TRUCK... F100, however, puts it in line with the other, larger models...
Ford should hire you. straight out of poetry class.

 

[Brian_B]

Ryan and I were talking about this the other day. I do not know how the ranger is selling now, but it is an extremaly reliable little truck. I drove one for 16 years.

The F-100 ranger was a fancy edition of the full size truck in the late 70s. The courier (tiny truck) later became the ranger (83). The courier had a horrible repuatation from what I remember.

With that being said...I wish they would change it to the old style.

My 56 and the ranger are almost the same. The wheel base is within 2" or so. The track width is the same. They use the explorer 8.8 under our trucks a lot. They bolt ranger seats into our old trucks. A lot of ranger parts are running around under the old trucks.

Ford would just have to re-do the body and bang....tremendous sales.

 

[BKW]

2007 Ranger in sales

Number 7 or 8 in pickup sales (it was 3rd once), barely ahead of Titan, behind Tacoma. Rangers have really changed very little since 1983, which means Ford makes big money on everyone they sell. The dies and fixtures were paid off years ago.

 

[lenny1carl]

great idea R. i love the ranger as a DD but i found mine under "boxed" for doing work.



idea: submit it to Ford as a poem. the novelty of that may get them to take a closer look

 

[bobf100]

How about a different direction. The F150 truck is one of Ford's top sellers. Some time in the past I remember an article in one of the truck magazines about a company that made a fiberglass front end to fit an F150 to make it look like the 53 - 56 F100. The conversion looked OK but wasn't what I would call right on. Maybe if Ford Engineers designed it the end product wouldn't look too bad. I'm thinking an F150 platform stuffed with some SVO (Roush) goodies with body panels designed with some design features from the older models.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

see, bob, that would be a really great idea. The aim of that course just seems like it's not as financially beneficial to ford. Although a classically designed full size pickup would be cool, I think the f-100 could fit in the compact line, and even the name would fall in correctly.

Wonder how you pass the idea along to the company...

Ryan

 

[mrfixit]

Kind of a Ford-version of the HHR?

 

[O'Rattlecan]

less sport, more functionality. Sport models would be an option... SVT of some sort. Plop a small v8 in there. Otherwise, give it the v6 that the ranger sports.

I'm really wondering who thinks up new ideas for those crossover vehicles. Just... be creative. Don't make up a new classification of cars.

Ryan

 

[mrfixit]

think tanks think them up. they should be paying US for this.

One of the major complaints I have HAD about the HHR was that it really wasn't a "TRUCK". so I agree with you. less sport more function.

 

[Brian_B]

True. As far as the original 272 Y-block V8...it came factory with around 165 HP. Bill can change that. I am usually wrong in these matters.

The current ranger/explorer V6 is a 4.0 SOHC putting out 207 HP (my 2001 anyway). That is in my 4X4. The V8 AWD explorers might be a little more.

Either way..it is more HP than the old ones. However, torque is a different story. They were not made for speed as much as hauling. They are failry low geared (some are a lot worse than mine) and would pull stumps like an old ford tractor would.

I doubt ford would build them for the exact same purpose they had back then. Times have changed drastically. Most of us do not live on a farm, haul hay (the beds were nicknamed "hay beds"), haul feed, and tow animal trailers all the time.

I think they would sell billions of them, but it would cost a lot of tooling to do.

 

[john112deere]

Ford's gonna blow it on the Ranger at the rate their going.

It's a great truck, but there are some people who aren't interested in buying it because it's not "new." Then there are guys like me, who look at the '07 Rangers, and look at older Rangers, and wonder what the hell happened.

The front end is uglier, the seats are worse, there are fewer gauges on the dash. The fender liners are gone, and the price is up. The 4-banger Supercab is gone (usually, anyways- every few years they seem to build a few of 'em...), and 4x4 4-bangers are long gone, and I'm not sold on this fancy new DOHC engine. For the ~$18 grand a truck like mine would cost me new, I could get the thing restored to better than new, and I'd rather a brand new '97 Ranger than an '07.

As far as "classic styling," if anyone could do it, Ford could (think Mustang: even my diehard Chevy friend has to admit they got that one just right). Proportions could be a problem, modern day buyers demand bigger cabs than old trucks have, and modern engines might not fit real well under classic shaped hoods.

I think losing the Ranger name would be a mistake, too. It's got a good reputation, and people who wouldn't buy it, mostly don't like it because it's a Ford, or because it's American. The F-100 name has been gone a long time, and there's a lot pf people who don't even remember it anymore.

 

[Brian_B]

A couple of years ago I was going to buy another ranger. I wanted a single cab, long bed, 4X4 with the biggest engine in a ranger (just like my 89). Nope!

Needless to say, even though I wanted a ranger, I didn't buy one. I switched to the explorer and I am very happy with it.

Way off topic: Right now the seats are folded flat and it is loaded to the roof all the way back with electronic gizmos. No way could I leave a ranger like that overnight.

 

[john112deere]

Curious why you went with an Explorer rather than an extended cab Ranger... (My mother had a '94 Explorer, and Nana has a '99. Nice for what they are, but really not my style.)

And a topper/cap/canopy/camper shell would let you leave a full load in the back of a Ranger overnight...or a really good tarping job. I moved everything in my dorm room 300 miles in the pouring rain last spring, with one small tarp tied down with one long rope. Nothing got wet (or even damp), and it was raining and blowing hard enough that when I rolled the window down to pay tolls, the center of the steering wheel was getting wet.

Moved the same load the same 300 miles (with a two day stop at Grandma's) in another downpour last fall. Bigger tarp, same rope. Few things were slightly damp from the sustained humidity, but nothing was wet, and nothing was damaged.

 

[Brian_B]

I had a fiberglass shell for my old ranger. It locked (huge priority with what I haul) and worked fine. Not the best for hauling delicate electronics though. Certainly not good for people hauling.

I do not like extended cabs, because of the short little bed. I simply want a long bed in a ranger or a full size. I used to own an 88 f-150 4X4 long bed. That is just me. I don't like short beds.....

You will notice I have a explorer (4 door) long wheel base with the "sport package". Best of both worlds.

I haul PLCs, robots, computers, all sorts of electronic test equipment, and anything else you can think of now that would be used in a classroom or lab. My life has changed drastically. I wear nice clothes to work and I am constantly hauling other well dressed people. Usually 4 adults. They take me to lunch and I drive. Can't beat a free meal.

I have had it for about 2 1/2 years now. I drove my 89 ranger for 16. It is my brother's daily now. I really like driving it. It is much more comfortable and rides a lot better. I have much more interior room too. I am fairly tall and was squished slightly in the ranger.

I could not get what I wanted in a new ranger. This is the same drivetrain. Just with more room inside. It is still a 4X4 (trac-lock, control trac, 4.10 gears). It came with 255/70/16s from the factory. It came with the tow package. It does well in snow or mud. I am no longer into off-roading like I used to be.

Oh...and I have a real ford truck if I need to haul anything bigger. Believe me, it will haul a lot of stuff in it retirement age. First order of business, is haul off all my old ranger parts to the salvage yard.

Check my explorer site and I think you might like driving it too (if you had a truck on the side).

http://home.centurytel.net/brian_b/index.htm

 

[BKW]

True. As far as the original 272 Y-block V8...it came factory with around 165 HP. Bill can change that. I am usually wrong in these matters.

You only missed by 6: 171 HP @ 3800 RPM (181 HP on F350's with dual rear wheels).

 

[BKW]

I think losing the Ranger name would be a mistake, too. It's got a good reputation, and people who wouldn't buy it, mostly don't like it because it's a Ford, or because it's American.

Yes, the Ranger has a better reputation today. The original Ranger was the cheapest 1958 EDSEL model.

What's American? Or more correctly North American. Where are Rangers built?