GM might have the only domestic midsize trucks on the market right now, but it doesn’t presently offer anything like the 1991 Ford SkyRanger convertible pickup you see here. It seems as if the Blue Oval itself barely offered it. This oddity’s ebay seller says it’s “one of less than twenty examples commissioned by the Ford Motor Company and built by ASC Corporation,” then sold through Ford dealerships. It’s claimed that only 17 of these special trucks were built in 1991.
ASC started with an XLT extended-cab 4X4 Ranger, then performed its roof-ectomy. Once manually folded down into the area where jump seats would’ve been, the top can be concealed by a tonneau cover. Nothing can hide the big hoop behind the passenger compartment, though. There’s a wing at the end of the truck bed, too.
Power comes from a 4.0-liter V6 with only 7,279 miles on the clock. That’s mated to a five-speed manual transmission. Other features include an “ice cold” AC recently converted to R134a refrigerant, “custom wheels, driving lights, and every power option.”
The seller has pictures documenting the conversion process that led to this SkyRanger and an original sales brochure, but does admit that he hasn’t driven the truck in the past four years. However, it was squirreled away inside of heated covered storage.
As of right now, no one has placed the starting bid of $28,999.999. The Buy It Now price is $33,999.99. Whether you go that last route or decide to place a bid on this SkyRanger, just know that you have fewer than seven hours to do so.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
