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For $3,500, Don’t Be Lone
For $3,500, Don’t Be Lone-January 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:10:07

Last Summer’s Lone Ranger movie may have been box office bowel antics, but that doesn’t mean today’s Ford Ranger needs to be. It’s rocking a Turbo Pinto mill, but will the Ranger's price have you shouting hi-ho silver?

You weren’t horsing around when 63% of you gave yesterday’s a pass. That car was the result of a decade long effort on the part of its seller, and at seven grand, apparently the time was not right.

While Jetta Syncro may sound like the name of a video game hero, it’s actually that of today’s Nice

Do you think there’s a home for heartless Mustangs? I mean, other than the wreaking yard. It seems like the Mustang’s hottest motors are plucked from their bosoms like some sort of automotive Sophie’s Choice, and they are left with gapping holes both under their hoods and in their souls.

Maybe the 2.3-litre turbo Lima four in today’s didn’t come from a ‘Stang, as after all Ford did drop this little engine that could into the T-bird, Cougar, and Capri for good measure. Or maybe this is one of the multitude of Pinto fours that has been turbo’d after the fact.

Either way, the 2.302-cc SOHC mill takes to a turbo like a duck takes to orange sauce. And you know this one must be good because its ad is IN ALL CAPS, AND THAT MEANS IT’S IMPORTANT.

The shouting ad claims 20 psi for the Garrett turbo and a fuel system to keep up. There’s also an intercooler out of a Volvo and a big VAM (360cfm) which demands a Big VAM ECU out of a Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, so hopefully one has found its way here.

Behind the blown motor sits a 5-speed manual topped with a Hurst short shifter on a long rod. Disc brakes all the way around add stopping power and the rear end has been beefed up to an 8.8” pumpkin rocking 3:73 gearing.

On the outside, the truck looks remarkably mundane. While no year is given this body style of Ranger ran from ’93 through ’97 and was the most effete appearing of range. There are a set of Mustang (of course) Bullet wheels to spice things up, and overall it looks perfectly serviceable despite the claim of rust at the corners.

Inside things are significantly more leathery, with a pair of thrones from something else (T-bird?) in place of the mouse fur-encased Ranger units. The rest is as plastic as you wanna’ be, albeit seemingly intact and un-cracked.

The seller shouts about the motor having 35K on it, but goes silent about the miles on the rest of the rig. He does say that he’s not interested in the barter system or as he puts it, NO!!!!!!!!!! TRADES…………………..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He is willing to take cold, hard cash for the boosted truck, in the requested amount of $3,500. Let’s help out some prospective buyers and determine if that seems a good price or not. What do you think, is this turbo-four equipped Ranger a deal at $3,500? Or, is that just as shout as the ad?

You decide!

, or go if the ad disappears.

H/T to the Phalanx for the hookup!

Help me out with NPOCP. Click to send a me a fixed-price tip, and remember to include your commenter handle.

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