bikinchris Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 (edited) The new Ranger is actually bigger than an F100 used to be. How about we reintroduce an actual small pickup? Maybe use the Transit Connect chassis and put a built in bed on the back? How about revive an old idea and use the bed design concept from the old VW van based pickup? They had bed sides you could flip down like a tailgate. You could either open the tailgate or open the side gate or open both sides and the back and you had a flat bed. Edited January 25, 2018 by bikinchris 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 With the rumored introduction of Transit Custom (bigger than Transit Connect, yet smaller than Full Size Transit) that could be the chassis to build out a small truck from... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldwizard Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 Is any company selling a real "small" pickup in the US ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 Is any company selling a real "small" pickup in the US ? Nope. I think my favorite truly small pickup was my brother’s blue Datsun 720 manual. This was around 1981 or 82. I also liked my 1990 Ranger reg cab short bed 2.3L manual. I traded it for a 95 supercab 4.0 manual which was more capable but not as fun. Also not as cheap as the 1990 which I got for $7995 - a steal even back then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donaldo Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 (edited) Is any company selling a real "small" pickup in the US ? Jeep has prototype mules of a JT Scrambler running around now that should be in showrooms in 1 year or less. It does look to be about the size of a Chevy Colorado. There are a few aftermarket companies like AEV that sell pickup conversions of current model JK Wranglers. Edited January 26, 2018 by Donaldo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 Nope. I think my favorite truly small pickup was my brother’s blue Datsun 720 manual. This was around 1981 or 82. I also liked my 1990 Ranger reg cab short bed 2.3L manual. I traded it for a 95 supercab 4.0 manual which was more capable but not as fun. Also not as cheap as the 1990 which I got for $7995 - a steal even back then. . I had a '90 Ranger like that...it was a great little truck that unfortunately, I had to trade in for an Aerostar for the (now Ex) wife....bummed me out big time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T hawker Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 (edited) So perhaps Ford is listening. News articles identifying a unibody subcompact truck possibly being built in Mexico for the 2022 model year are circulating. This vehicle may be based on the Focus platform, some have also mentioned Fusion. At first I thought, bringing back the Ranchero? I'm all for that, but a Focus sized car? Until I did a little research, I am a fan of the original Ranger. Love the size and capabilities so I compared the 2018 Focus to the 1991 Ranger, regular cab, short wheelbase 2wd. This is what I came up with: Measurement 1991 Ranger 2018 Focus Length 176.5" 172.8" Wheelbase 108 104.3 Height 63.7 58 Head Room 39.2 38.3 Leg Room 42.4 43.1 Hip Room 52.7 53.9 Shoulder Room 54.6 55.6 So basically all of the measurements are real close except for the height, the Focus is about 6 inches lower. The Focus is available with AWD, 2.3L I4 EB putting out 350 hp. Don't believe a "Ranchero" needs that kind of power so perhaps detune the engine to 349 hp. What would I want in a new "Ranchero"? A quiet comfortable ride, not a stiff ride. Two doors vs four doors and an automatic transmission without auto start/stop. I know I have said in the past that I don't think a 4 cylinder is in my future but if Ford built a Ranchero I would buy it. Edited September 16, 2018 by T hawker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assimilator Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Safe to say it's not a Ranchero but an economy sized truck, it also has a companion Crossover. I suspect it might be Ford's entry-level EcoSport successor with a Truck variant. We've seen this type of truck before in Ford's global portfolio, typically based on B-Segment products like Fiesta. I don't think they are approaching it in the same way as a cheap 3rd-world hack, but I think this points us in the right direction as to how it may be positioned. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T hawker Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Hope the looks are closer to these: https://www.motor1.com/news/260750/ford-focus-pickup-renders/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 If the F150 is any indication I think you’ll be surprised how quiet and smooth the new Ranger will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jniffen Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 This was a cool version of an unofficial Ranchero http://www.fordpinto.com/classifieds/?sa=viewmore;id=3533 Too bad the Flex is out, it would have made a grand 2 door truck with AWD and a powerful EB V6. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbone Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Hope the looks are closer to these: https://www.motor1.com/news/260750/ford-focus-pickup-renders/ I think those renders are workable. The Courier single cab shown here, not so much. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T hawker Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 (edited) If the F150 is any indication I think you’ll be surprised how quiet and smooth the new Ranger will be. That's why I bought the 2014 F150 SCrew. It was quiet and smooth, but thought it was ridiculous to buy a 6000 lb vehicle to get those two features. Learning to drive in 1978/79 I was use to smooth quiet vehicles, LTD's and T-Birds. I did not need anywhere near the hauling or towing capacity the F150 supplied. I only used the bed once for a dump run, those items that were longer then the bed allowed, I would use the trailer. The lift over height was so high I would need to get into the bed to retrieve cargo, a major pain in the … Most of the time the cargo was placed in the back seat. So for me, just a regular home owner needing to occasionally haul a larger item an original Ranger or Ranchero is perfect. Not too large, low lift over height, decent mpg's and it will easily fit in the garage. Some of you may remember Ford sending some Fairmont Futura's to National Coach Works in Los Angeles. Most believe less then 200 were converted into "Ranchero's" Edited September 17, 2018 by T hawker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 Learning to drive in 1978/79 I was use to smooth quiet vehicles, LTD's and T-Birds. Those are neither smooth nor quiet by today's standards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 That's why I bought the 2014 F150 SCrew. It was quiet and smooth, but thought it was ridiculous to buy a 6000 lb vehicle to get those two features. Learning to drive in 1978/79 I was use to smooth quiet vehicles, LTD's and T-Birds. I did not need anywhere near the hauling or towing capacity the F150 supplied. I only used the bed once for a dump run, those items that were longer then the bed allowed, I would use the trailer. The lift over height was so high I would need to get into the bed to retrieve cargo, a major pain in the … Most of the time the cargo was placed in the back seat. So for me, just a regular home owner needing to occasionally haul a larger item an original Ranger or Ranchero is perfect. Not too large, low lift over height, decent mpg's and it will easily fit in the garage. Sounds like you really want a Ridgeline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSchicago Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 My favorite small truck was the 1974 Mazda Rotary pickup. My Brother and I had one for work. Would spin 8500 RPM and had 4.87 gears & 4 speed. Would easily do 125 on the highway, and with the rusted exhuast sounded like an angry swarm of bees. LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T hawker Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 Those are neither smooth nor quiet by today's standards. Sorry, I can't agree with your statement. Most "modern" cars ride like rocks, I want to be completely isolated from the road. I don't want anything transmitted through the steering wheel, seats...nothing. If I'm going to pay a small fortune for a vehicle why would I want to feel or hear tar strips, lane delineators, a blade of grass? I've purchased a lot of cars and I've test driven dozens more. Even the luxury brands have horrible ride quality today. Last year I test drove the Continental, MKZ and MKX back to back. The best one in my opinion was the MKX AWD with the drive line in "comfort" mode, was not impressed. Today's standards are transmit as much road "feel" to the driver as possible...wtf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 So you prefer the nausea-inducing float and rubberband-handling of the cars of 40 years ago. Got it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T hawker Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 So you prefer the nausea-inducing float and rubberband-handling of the cars of 40 years ago. Got it. I call it comfy cozy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YT90SC Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 You're remembering them as far better than they were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T hawker Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 You're remembering them as far better than they were. It's possible. I also remember the Mercury Grand Marquis commercials with the guy cutting the diamond in the back seat going down I believe a cobble stone road. Try that in one of today's sedans The last really nice riding car I remember is my parents 1990 Town Car, it just needed another 100 hp. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY93SHO Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 I call it comfy cozy I believe the MST3K crew referred to it as: "that baby handles like a river barge" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T hawker Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 We have a new "Courier" forum to discuss the possible North American unibody 2022 Courier. This may be the P758 platform that has been discussed on this board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assimilator Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 (edited) Those old cars were also MUCH slower, putting today's power and responsiveness on a soft suspension doesn't work. It would be nice if Lincoln found its way back to an Air Suspension system (especially Navigator), but the adaptive dampeners have made a massive difference. If you think the 2018 MKX rides like a rock in Comfort mode, then I can't help you there. It's a perfect blend to me of comfort and responsiveness. Edited October 11, 2018 by Assimilator 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T hawker Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 I am probably on the far end of the spectum for softer rides. Would like to push mfg's to nicer, quieter rides though. I never did have a problem putting those big cars through a corner, yes tires would holler a bit, well quite a bit, you just needed to pay attention and know how to drive. Perhaps this is due to learning how to drive in a 1973 LTD Country Squire wagon. I would be driving the MKX today if my dealership was cooperative. They refused to order a 2018 while three 2017's were sitting on their lot. I went across the street and bought the 2017 Acadia, I already liked them, have the SLT2 so have all the bells and whistles. My mother has had one for a year at that time so was very familiar with the ride qualities and because of that I had the dealership swap the 20" standard SLT2 wheels with the 18" wheels from the SLT1. Goes from 55 series to 65 series tires which puts the ride just a notch under the MKX, but then for $15 to $20K savings worked out just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.