1983 Ford Ranger XL

1983 FORD RANGER 2. 2L DIESEL. These trucks are rare and becoming more collectable. even more rare is to find one that's not a total rust bucket. I am the second owner of this truck. I bought it in 1997 from the original owner. He was a Cessna owner/pilot and maintained this vehicle just like his personal aircraft. I have continued with that very same maintenance schedule. all filters/oil (oil by-pass. oil full-flow. fuel. air) were changed every 3. 00 miles with WIX filters and Rotella 15w-40 oil.  Stanadyne Performance Formula added at every fill-up.   

The 2. 2L Perkins diesels were only offered by Ford for two years (83-84) it is a 4. 135 (S2) Perkins non-turbo diesel built by Mazda under a licensing agreement with Perkins. It is rated at approx. 60HP @4. 00RPM and 90FPTQ @2. 00RPM. No speed demon by any means but these Perkins S2's are more than capable of exceeding 500. 00 miles with regular scheduled maintenance. This diesel currently has 240. 00 documented miles on the odometer. 80% highway driving. nbsp;20% city driving.

Mileage is 32-35MPG city/35-38MPG highway. This truck has lived its entire life in western Oregen/Montana. it's never been subjected to road salt or chemical de-icer. we only use a gravel/sand mix on our winter roads. This truck is 99. 9% rust-free. the ONLY rust is where rock chips have penetrated the clear coat and started to cause some slight surface rust in the paint around the rock chips.

The truck still wears its original factory paint. never been re-sprayed. Frame is solid. floor pans are solid. cab mounts are solid. core support is solid. fuel cells are solid. bed floor is solid. it's an all around solid truck. The doors shut like a bank vault. This is a 2WD 4SP manual (only option available in 83-84). The truck still has its original 35yr old FoMoCo muffler just to give you an idea of how well maintained and clean this truck is.

The only known flaws are as follows. small rock chip in windshield (passenger side). nbsp;stitching in bench seat has come loose (drivers side). dashboard is sun faded in certain spots (mostly on the very edges). nbsp;gauge for front fuel tank no longer works (fuel tank selector switch/valve still works). water separator handle is stuck closed (the separator was cleaned out and is 'gunk' free).

The new(er) additions are as follows. new tires. Coopers with less than 2K miles on them. new front shocks (KYB). new brake pads/rotors turned. oil/filters serviced (5-23-17). tranny/diff gear oil were drained/filled last summer. new glow plug control module 2yrs ago ($400!). valves were adjusted 2K miles ago. nbsp;new anti-rattle window trim. new headlights and wiper blades.

The diesel has a 400W block heater. it's ALWAYS plugged in below 32 degrees as to not put undo stress on the engine. batteries. starter. etc. I have maintained this truck with the utmost of care and attention and I believe it shows.

I can provide more specific photos of any area of the truck you would like to see more closely. just ask. Buyer is responsible for shipping. I will facilitate the best I can but it's up to you to make shipping arrangements. I will only accept cashiers check/money order. no paypal. no wire transfer. Must contact me within 24hrs after purchase or vehicle will be relisted.

Anyone familiar with these Perkins diesels knows that they are bulletproof little engines that will run forever.  They are "square" engines 3. 50" by 3. 50" bore. steel lined cylinder walls. timing gears (no chain). solid lifters. solid push rods. iron head (20 head studs). oversized connecting rods and crankshaft journals. mechanical injection pump.

These diesels are better suited for industrial/agriculture use but Ford/Mazda teamed up in the early 80's and placed them in Rangers. for only two years. The 2. 2 Perkins diesel was underpowered for this particular application. while it has lots of torque the horsepower was limited. top speed is only 65-70mph. It is somewhat of an oddball but I guess that's what makes them collectible. You're sure to strike up a conversation every time you pull up to the diesel pumps at the fueling station.

The "AutoCheck" shows this vehicle has a loan/lien against the title. I can assure you that's simply not true. nor was the vehicle ever registered in the state of Arizona. So take anything "AutoCheck" says with a large grain of salt. This vehicle has only been registered in the states of Oregon and Montana. the title is clean and clear and I guarantee that to be factual.

Also published at eBay.com

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