This small, often forgotten Ford truck does a wicked burnout with V8 power.
This week’s “Tire Smokin’ Tuesday” video comes to us from the YouTube channel of Cody Richardson and it features a Ford Courier pickup from the fourth generation finishing off some old tires. Had the Courier sold in the US packed power like this one, it may have been a little better known before being killed off to make room for the Ranger back in 1983.
The Courier
If you are unfamiliar with the Ford Courier, we are not surprised, but here is a quick rundown.
The Courier was a rebadged version of the Mazda B-Series pickup sold in many global markets as far back as the 1960s. While this small Ford truck was available in the United States in the 1970s and early 1980s, it was – and still is – far more popular in foreign markets such as Australia and New Zealand. When the Ranger was introduced in the North America for the 1983 model year, that marked the end of the US-issue Courier, but the truck continued on well into the 2000s in those non-US markets.
Engine options for the Ford Courier varied by market, but it was generally powered by a range of gasoline and diesel four-cylinder engines, as well as some V6 engines later in its existence. The most powerful mill offered in the Courier was the 4.0-liter Cologne V6 with 207 horsepower and 238 lb-ft of torque, but the odds are good that the compact Ford pickup in the video above packs far more power.
Burnout in the Snow
There are no real details accompanying the video above, but we know that this is a fourth generation Ford Courier pickup, we know that it is located in New Zealand and we know that it is powered by some sort of V8 engine. That V8 power is sent to the rear wheels by means of a manual transmission, and with little weight over the drive wheels, this little Ford pickup is a wicked burnout machine.
At first, the Courier has a hard time getting the rear tires to smoke in the wintry mix of rain and snow, but after a few tries, the Mazda-built Ford truck puts on an incredible burnout display.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
