It's my late fathers' old Ford Ranger. Short bed regular cab low miles 1994 with AC but precious few other options.
I borrowed it for a couple of months this last winter but had to give it back to my step mom in February. She realized it needed some attention and that I could use it so it became my birthday present.
Couple of things that it needs pretty quick: shocks (rusted through), 4wd actuator (doesn't work at all), and a new rear brake cylinder (leaks). Otherwise it seems pretty solid, any suggestions for easy upgrades or gremlins to watch for? It's the 4.0 V6 with 5 speed.
Mostly it's going to be a commuter so I don't put miles on either the CSP Miata or the beast suburban.
that's a super rare combo.
I love Sachs SuperTouring shocks on that era of Ranger. Made several tired old pickups drive like new.
Only thing that sucks about those off the top of my head is the internally mounted clutch slave cylinder. And if/when the leaf spring mounts break off. Neither problem is insurmountable.
Congrats. My favorite shock for trucks are the Bilstein 5100s....even my 3/4 ton actually rides decently with them.
KyAllroad wrote: shocks (rusted through)
That's something I've never heard of before.
In reply to stuart in mn:
Common problem here on any car that came from east of Ontario....they love their salted roads out there. The further east you go, the Maritimes, road salt plus salt air just devastates cars that aren't rinsed off frequently. Cars from far east age like 3-4 times as fast as ones from here.
Tons of salt on the roads Minnesota as well, so I've seen and owned my share of cars with rusted out frames, bodies and suspension parts. 
Never seen a shock absorber rust through, though.
Nearly no rust on the frame, none on the body, but I can see through one of the shocks and the others are original 21 year old units as well. Florida truck.
My Suburban had even worse shock rot when I bought it a couple of years ago.
Obviously you missed the other thread, which would have told you that you STILL don't need a truck haha.
Pics?
gearheadE30 wrote:
Obviously you missed the other thread, which would have told you that you STILL don't need a truck haha.
Pics?
Can't fit that free bar and dresser you saw on craigslist in a station wagon 
I would love to see a build thread. Any goals aside from fixing the broken stuff? (trails, work truck, etc?)
My very first truck, and the first brand-new vehicle I ever owned, was a 1994 Ranger STX 4x4 with the 4.0L and 5-speed. The engine only had about 160hp, but with 3.73 gears and plenty of torque, it was pretty fun with the manual. It was a great truck, I only sold it because I needed something bigger to tow with when I went racing.
I'll see about getting some pics together. I'm not a fan of the pic hosting hotlink BS gyrations this site makes you jump through. It may get intuitive after more pics but for now it's a PITA.
Replaced the brake cylinder tonight. Of course at the parts store we go through all the questions and when we got to the final screen to look up the part it turns out there are two different size rear drums and thus two different cylinders to choose from.
Luckily I guessed right and bought the correct ones. ( 10" not the wimpy 9" units).
Replaced one brake cylinder Thursday night. Went to take the drum off the other side and managed to break the drum. Crap. Might as well do the job properly.
Friday it's back to the parts store for two new drums, new shoes, and new spring kit. Home in time for it to rain.
Today though it took about an hour to finish everything and now I have all new rear brakes. Should be good for another 21 years.
Did notice something interesting though. It appears a previous owner of the truck put 2" lift blocks between the spring and the axle.
BAMF
HalfDork
6/27/15 1:54 p.m.
My dad bought a 1994 4 cyl, long bed, super cab Ranger new. I learned to drive in it. I hope to get it when he buys another truck. It's been 20 years, which is 2 years longer than his previous truck.
Yours is a rare combo.
Nice truck.
Does it have a limited slip rear end?
Thank you! 
It does. Probably good off roading but downright squirely on wet slick roads.
Now to get the transfer case to engage....
Nice. On a Bronco II my son had for a bit, the transfer case in and out device was a small electric motor on the side of the case. The motor is the same one used for the wipers.
stuart in mn wrote:
KyAllroad wrote: shocks (rusted through)
That's something I've never heard of before.
No? When I bought my '02 Volvo, it had been sitting for a year. Shortly after I started driving it the R/F strut rusted through and actually broke the top of the body off. Had to drive it that way for several weeks while waiting for new Bilsteins to come in. Extreme variable alignment and bouncing like a pogo are very interesting to deal with in the winter.
Several weeks ago, the L/R shock also rusted through. Leaked all the oil through the side. Have a set of KYB AGXs in the trunk, waiting for wrenching-time. Any application of the brakes makes the L/R bounce like a basketball, going around turns with any bumps in them at all is an exercise in being very smooth...
