V8 RallyCross Ready: 1993 Ford Ranger
Trucks are popular (I believe the F150 is still the best selling vehicle in the USA) and they have an interesting history. They started off 100 years ago with the Ford Model T Runabout as a work truck and that was mostly the paradigm for 50 years until the El Camino & Ranchero introduced a “styled” pickup — something that was as much about image as it was about utilitarianism. A few years later and GM introduced something even more radical, the performance pickup in form of the Silverado 454SS and GMC Cyclone which were shortly followed by Ford’s SVT Lightning. People had been racing pickups over the years and in 1995 NASCAR introduced its SuperTruck racing series…but today we’ve got a pickup that is setup to race in SCCA RallyCross, which is basically an AutoCross on some dirt/mud/snow. Sounds fun! Find this 1993 Ford Ranger offered for $5000 via grassrootsmotorsports.com forums. Tip from ISAUN.
From the seller:
$5000. This ranger was built for SCCA rallycross specifically but can be used for all kinds of off road (or on road) fun. It’s got a 5.0 v8 from a 95 mustang GT and runs a carburetor. It’s got front I-beams that have been extended 3” on each side by a prerunner builder out in Cali and has fiberglass front fenders to cover the added width.
The bed has been flared to cover the 8.8 limited slip rear axle swapped in from an Explorer. It’s got a Sparco race seat and the transmission was fully rebuilt 2 years ago with receipts.
I’m only selling it to get a SXS. It’s incredibly fun off road. It has torque through the roof to spin the wheels at a touch of the throttle. Looking for $5k.
The progression of this truck’s build can be found here: Ranger Build.
See a better way off road? tips@dailyturismo.com
Lots of comments on the Grassroots website. I would love that as a toy to haul my RV trailer on the road. Too bad the northern border is closed until further notice
Don't forget that the SCCA had a Race Truck Challenge back in the late 80's for mini pickups.
And gone, at $4k!
Years ago, at a company I used to work for that was based in the UK, the two principles were avid motorsports fans. When I worked their briefly after getting hired, they had a "Rally Day" in Northern England. Key clients and employees got to go to the event and since I was the only American in the bunch visiting, I got to go.
The organizers split everyone into four teams and we all competed against each other in various things dealing with entry level karts to full size rally cars. Nothing World Rally mind you, but still cool…. think race-spec/gutted Peugeot's with 4-point cages. We had different course layouts in open fields as well as through the trees and they were all timed events. It was so much fun blasting around in a purpose-built car in the dirt, racing against the clock and others for bragging right, etc. Total blast.
On the morning of the second day, we got to take a ride as a passenger with a semi-pro driver from the supporting class of the WRC ranks. It was MIND BLOWING. Both of us had headphones/mics on our helmets so the driver would communicate with you… tell you current speed, gear, techniques applied to certain corners, etc. I tell ya, I roadraced motorcycles for over 10 years, but doing a 4-wheel drift at a 100mph on a dirt road with trees only about 4 to 6 away from you will leave you speechless.