The very first 4x4 Ford Ranger

SubVet

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tom
Joined
Feb 15, 2019
Threads
61
Messages
1,171
Reaction score
2,730
Location
Myrtle Beach
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger Lariat - 2020 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E
Occupation
Retired
Vehicle Showcase
1
Henry Ford created automobiles, but he wanted to go even further. He created an all-terrain vehicle by modding out the Model T. It didn’t really catch on…





CIAPics054.jpg
Sponsored

 

BDoc

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bryan
Joined
May 3, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
892
Reaction score
2,653
Location
WA
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger Lariat FX4 SCrew
Occupation
US Air Force, retired; now Civil Service (USAF)
Vehicle Showcase
1
:LOL:

Henry Ford - a man ahead of his time
 

chasvs

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2019
Threads
18
Messages
1,015
Reaction score
1,465
Location
Tampa
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger Lariat, 2017 MB GLE350, 2006 Porsche Cayman S
Vehicle Showcase
1
Henry Ford created automobiles, but he wanted to go even further. He created an all-terrain vehicle by modding out the Model T. It didn’t really catch on…



CIAPics054.jpg
What did you take that picture with back then?
 
OP
OP
SubVet

SubVet

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tom
Joined
Feb 15, 2019
Threads
61
Messages
1,171
Reaction score
2,730
Location
Myrtle Beach
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger Lariat - 2020 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E
Occupation
Retired
Vehicle Showcase
1


P. A. Schilke

Well-Known Member
First Name
Phil
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Threads
141
Messages
7,012
Reaction score
36,169
Location
GV Arizona
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger FX4 Lariat 4x4, 2020 Lincoln Nautilus, 2005 Alfa Motorhome
Occupation
Engineer Retired
Vehicle Showcase
1
Where is Phil with his first hand account of designing and procuring parts for this Ranger?

Obviously I'm kidding... Maybe...

@P. A. Schilke
Hi Folk,

Well Henry did this himself, but I took it to the next level with wider longer cleats and that is how the FX4 was started!

One of the fond memories of my 100 year Ford Career...:LOL:

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 

BDoc

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bryan
Joined
May 3, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
892
Reaction score
2,653
Location
WA
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger Lariat FX4 SCrew
Occupation
US Air Force, retired; now Civil Service (USAF)
Vehicle Showcase
1

BDoc

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bryan
Joined
May 3, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
892
Reaction score
2,653
Location
WA
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger Lariat FX4 SCrew
Occupation
US Air Force, retired; now Civil Service (USAF)
Vehicle Showcase
1

HenryMac

Well-Known Member
First Name
John
Joined
Sep 14, 2019
Threads
65
Messages
2,757
Reaction score
5,266
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
2019 SuperCab XL - FX4 - Magnetic - Rocksliders
Occupation
Mech. Engineer - Retired
Let's insert some truthiness into this thread....

1959 – For the first time in Ford history, a light-duty truck buyer could buy a factory-built 4×4 Ford truck. Previously, Ford trucks had been converted to four-wheel drive by outside manufacturers such as Marmon-Herrington, Napco, or American-Coleman. Although more buyers still chose the 6-1/2 foot bed for their F-100 trucks, the 8-foot bed was gaining in popularity and would eventually surpass its shorter sibling in sales. Likewise, the smooth-sided Styleside bed sales would soon top those of the “traditional” Flareside.

Blue Oval Trucks

1622557329127.png


But that's not a Ranger either.

The original Ranger:
Ford Motor Company used the Ranger nameplate on three different model lines. The Edsel division was the first to use the name, with the Edsel Ranger introduced in 1958 as its lowest-trim sedan; the model line lasted through the 1960 demise of the Edsel brand.​

For 1965, the Ranger name returned to use by Ford as a trim package for F-Series trucks.

So, in fact, the first 4x4 Ford Ranger was built in 1965.
 
Last edited:

RangerAJS

Well-Known Member
First Name
Andrew
Joined
Jan 15, 2021
Threads
8
Messages
173
Reaction score
446
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
2020 XLT FX4, black out package, 302a, technology.
Occupation
Problem Solver
Let's insert some truthiness into this thread....

1959 – For the first time in Ford history, a light-duty truck buyer could buy a factory-built 4×4 Ford truck. Previously, Ford trucks had been converted to four-wheel drive by outside manufacturers such as Marmon-Herrington, Napco, or American-Coleman. Although more buyers still chose the 6-1/2 foot bed for their F-100 trucks, the 8-foot bed was gaining in popularity and would eventually surpass its shorter sibling in sales. Likewise, the smooth-sided Styleside bed sales would soon top those of the “traditional” Flareside.

Blue Oval Trucks

1622557329127.png


But that's not a Ranger either.

The original Ranger:
Ford Motor Company used the Ranger nameplate on three different model lines. The Edsel division was the first to use the name, with the Edsel Ranger introduced in 1958 as its lowest-trim sedan; the model line lasted through the 1960 demise of the Edsel brand.​

For 1965, the Ranger name returned to use by Ford as a trim package for F-Series trucks.

So, in fact, the first 4x4 Ford Ranger was built in 1965.
Thy also made Bronco Rangers for first gen and second, as far as I can recall.

8452719C-0813-43A6-8B6A-C827573F5586.jpeg
 

HenryMac

Well-Known Member
First Name
John
Joined
Sep 14, 2019
Threads
65
Messages
2,757
Reaction score
5,266
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
2019 SuperCab XL - FX4 - Magnetic - Rocksliders
Occupation
Mech. Engineer - Retired
Thy also made Bronco Rangers for first gen and second, as far as I can recall.

8452719C-0813-43A6-8B6A-C827573F5586.jpeg
Bronco Ranger Wagon (1st Gen 1966-1977)

For 1972, in line with the F-Series trucks, the Ranger trim became the top-of-the-line Bronco, offering body stripes, model-specific wheel covers, cloth seats, woodgrain door panels, and carpeted interior.
In a 1975 interior revision, the Bronco Sport and Bronco Ranger adapted the two-spoke steering wheel from the F-Series.
2nd Gen 1978 & 1979
For the second-generation Bronco, the model line adopted the same trim nomenclature as the F-Series. The Bronco Custom served as the standard-trim model with the Bronco Ranger XLT as the top-level trim.​
3rd Gen 1980-1986 No more Bronco Rangers
Following the introduction of the Ford Ranger compact pickup, the Bronco adopted Bronco (base, replacing Custom), Bronco XL, and Bronco XLT.​
Sponsored

 
Last edited:
 



Top