Does my '73 Ford Courier fit into this Forum? I know it later became the Mazda B2000.

 

I don't see why not. A friend of mine had a '79 Courier that was a little tank. Do you have any pictures of it?

 

I can't remember the last time I saw one of those on the road. Post up some pictures if you have them

 

I need a few more posts to put up pictures. I'll post a few as soon as I get there!

 

Why not......It could probably fit INSIDE a Ranger too........I had a 74 Courier, it was so small inside, if you had another person in the cab, your lunch boxes had to go in the bed.

 

If you got a picure, just mail it to one of us. I had one, not sure of the year but it was sure a different one. Had a strong 289/C-4 in it. Sure surprised a lot of people with it. Mid 70's, check out the paint job that was the hot thing then.
Dave

 

I made my truck my Avatar, so you can see it. Tiny truck with a tiny engine. The engine is just hanging on but about to die. just over 200K

 

I don't see any Forum listed that would include your Courier. Have you done a search for "Ford Courier"?

 

1972/79 (Edit: 1972/81) Ford Courier: Rebadged Mazda B Series pickup assembled in Hiroshima Japan.

1972/76's came w/a 1.8L 4 cylinder. 1977/81's came w/a 2.3L 4 cylinder which was also used in some passenger cars, 1983 and later Rangers. None came with an I-6 or a V8.

The later Mazda B2000's are rebadged Rangers. Ever hear of the Mazda Navajo? Rebadged 1991/93 2 door Explorer.

The 1989/97 Ford Probe was based off the Mazda RX7, both were made in the joint Ford/Mazda Flat Rock MI assembly plant.

Ford at one time owned 33% of Mazda (Toyo Kogyo), which by Japanese Corporate Standard's, gave Ford controlling interest.

Ford has sold most of Mazda back to Mazda, today only owns about 3%.

1952/60, Ford offered the Courier panel truck, which was based off the Ford 2 door Ranch (station) Wagon's.

 

Thanks for the insight. I found all the Toyo Kogyo badges in the engine bay. I researched it to find the Mazda connection. The truck is on its last leg, so I plan to rebuild it. My neighbor has a early '80s Toyota 4x4 with a broken frame. I'm going to try to use the engine and 4x4 system on my Courier! I decent with a torch and a MIG so anything is possible!

Smalltrucker.....that topper is priceless!

 

Yep, that was the first thing to go! I bought it just the way you see it.
Dave

 

Do the Couriers have frames or are they uni-body?

 

Frames.

The Courier was Ford's answer to the Datsun (Nissan) and Toyota mini trucks flooding our shores. The best seller, by far...was the Datsun.

Chevrolet & Dodge also offered their own versions of rebadged Japanese mini trucks. I think the Chevy version was called the Luv.

btw: I have a Courier parts catalog, in case anyone needs anything.

 

Couriers were tiny, but stout.
The later models with the Ford 2.3 had respectable power and mpgs with the 5spd, and a little larger in the cab (not much)

Going from a courier to a Ranger felt like going from a Ranger to a F-150.

 

1976-1977 (and possibly later) here in the midwest someone was taking the Courier and making a little panel/van out of it. They added a fiberglass topper and cut out the back of the cab and front of the topper and fiberglassed it together. Everything was carpeted and some had little (very little) benches and tables. Quite a few Ford dealers (and others) sold them. You know what eventually happens when you patch fiberglass to metal in any kind of structural manner so I can't imagne too many survive. They were done pretty well though and I will admit I was tempted but decided to stick with my Pinto wagon. Don't know why it sticks in my head but could have sworn the Courier was avalable up though 1980, same as the Pinto?