Ingenious Truck Enthusiast Turns $750 Used Ford Ranger into a Practical Motorhome
This week’s “Throwback Thursday” video features what might just be one of the most unusual Ford Ranger pickups we have seen. We have looked at all sorts of modified Rangers in the past, including drag-race trucks, mud trucks and lowriders, but never before have we seen a Ranger which has been converted into a miniature motorhome.
This 1984 Ford Ranger RV belongs to a man named Jamie, who bought it for the incredibly low price of just $750. In the video below, Jamie walks us through the specifics of this compact motorhome which is actually surprisingly roomy inside.
The video starts off with Jamie explaining how and why he came to own this Ford Ranger motorhome. He also chats about the simple fuel issue that prevented it from running when he first purchased it. We learn that this Ranger RV is powered by a 2.9L V6, which is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. And while this small Ford is rear-drive, it has dual rear wheels for added stability. Oh, it also has twin fuel tanks for those extra-long camping trips.
The most interesting part of this Ranger is, of course, the Roll-A-Long camper conversion body which replaces the normal cargo box. The wider fiberglass body extends out to the edge of the dual rear wheels and out over the stock cab, with a filler for the five-gallon water tank joining the twin fuel filler doors. From the outside, it looks like this Ranger RV has to be awfully tight inside, but with the top popped up — it is surprisingly roomy.
Jamie offers us a look at the interior with the top down and then up, highlighting the ample storage space of his Ford Ranger RV, along with the dual range cooking top, the small sink, a built-in icebox and the twin couches that slide together to create a bed. There is even a tiny room that he claims is intended to be the bathroom — but there doesn’t appear to be a toilet of any kind.
We are impressed at how well the company made the camper portion so roomy, turning this tiny pickup into a great camping vehicle for two.
"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.
