Who spawned who?
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Elder User
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From: Seattle
Who spawned who?
I was reading a bit about the Ranger and found out that they didn't even exist until 1983 - something that I didn't know. Makes me proud owning the first Ranger 4x4 - my Gold Ranger 4x4 with the 3" lift and the best transmission I've driven in a 4wd.
It's arguable of course, since the Ranger was a line of the F-series back when, but as a light truck it didn't exist until 1983.
So when you look at the B2000 and Courier trucks, who spawned whom? Was the Courier a knockoff of the B2000 or was the B2000 modeled after the Courier? And did the Ranger come from either truck?
It's arguable of course, since the Ranger was a line of the F-series back when, but as a light truck it didn't exist until 1983.
So when you look at the B2000 and Courier trucks, who spawned whom? Was the Courier a knockoff of the B2000 or was the B2000 modeled after the Courier? And did the Ranger come from either truck?
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From: Connecticut
The pre-'83 Courier that sold in the US and Canada was built by Mazda but apparantly had some Ford trim and badging. Actually, if I'm not mistaken, the Courier was actually just a North American-ized version of Mazda's B-Series truck that already existed at that time. If I am correct about that, then I think the bottom line is that the B-Series came first.
I'll agree that the Ranger small pickup truck concept was obviously based on Ford's experience with the Courier, but let's not forget that by 1983 Ford had been building pickup trucks for 50+ years, and so I think it's safe to say that the Ranger is (and always has been) a 100% Ford product - designed and built by Big Blue from the ground up.
The B-Series, on the other hand, remained a direct descendant of the Courier even after the Ranger's debut (in '83), and Mazda built all of them until the line was split in 1994. From that date forward, the "North American" B-Series has been nothing more than a re-badged Ranger with some styling tweaks. On the other hand, the "International" version of the B-Series has continued to be a Mazda product, even to this day.
I'll agree that the Ranger small pickup truck concept was obviously based on Ford's experience with the Courier, but let's not forget that by 1983 Ford had been building pickup trucks for 50+ years, and so I think it's safe to say that the Ranger is (and always has been) a 100% Ford product - designed and built by Big Blue from the ground up.
The B-Series, on the other hand, remained a direct descendant of the Courier even after the Ranger's debut (in '83), and Mazda built all of them until the line was split in 1994. From that date forward, the "North American" B-Series has been nothing more than a re-badged Ranger with some styling tweaks. On the other hand, the "International" version of the B-Series has continued to be a Mazda product, even to this day.
Last edited by Rockledge; Nov 22, 2006 at 07:56 AM.
Post Fiend
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The b seres spawned the courier and indeed the courier was a mazda, my father inlaw had an 80 courier and it had the 2.3 lima pinto engine in it. The ranger was all ford with some misc mazda parts like the trannies. I will say that the courier bodies didn't hold up near as good as the ranger, It was like 12 years before you started seeing any rust appear on the old rangers here in the salt state of ohio, the courier took 4 years. That was due to the times, 80's bodies in general started lasting longer than did the 70's. The exception was the later 70's f seres and big bronco's, they took the salt well for 70's bodies, there's still alot of decent ones around yet today.
Post Fiend
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Ahh good to live in the south.
I think it would be safe to say that despite the B-series coming first, we could definetly say the Ranger was a true Ford product. I guess the B-series just convinced them they needed a smaller truck to fill the line.
So the B-series gave Ford the idea to produce the Ranger and spawned the Courier?
I think it would be safe to say that despite the B-series coming first, we could definetly say the Ranger was a true Ford product. I guess the B-series just convinced them they needed a smaller truck to fill the line.
So the B-series gave Ford the idea to produce the Ranger and spawned the Courier?
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From: Southeast MI
You guys are making me envision a crazy black Ranger with Spawn graphics all over it! Keep it up.
A good debate and I like what I'm dreaming up anyway. Big grin. I've always been curious about this, too. I've actually seen an F-series "Ranger" pickup in a parking lot a year or so ago. Looked like fun for a stock late 70's truck. I like how this leads to arguing what is 1st gen, too. Then each succession. Where are they now? Someone's going to have to fill in for Ford's abandoning us in what we ask for too in next gen.
A good debate and I like what I'm dreaming up anyway. Big grin. I've always been curious about this, too. I've actually seen an F-series "Ranger" pickup in a parking lot a year or so ago. Looked like fun for a stock late 70's truck. I like how this leads to arguing what is 1st gen, too. Then each succession. Where are they now? Someone's going to have to fill in for Ford's abandoning us in what we ask for too in next gen.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Well it's my opinion that the "Ranger" in it's true for (a small truck) started as a sort of knockoff of the B-series. Ford saw it was working and decided they should debut a small truck as well (was the S-10 already out at this time?).
I wouldn't call the F-150 Ranger a Ranger anymore than I'd call the F-150 Explorer an Explorer. It's nothing more than a subvariation, as much as FX4, Z71, or Limited.
WRONG: Ok did a little research. It came out in mid-82 as an 83 model.
I wouldn't call the F-150 Ranger a Ranger anymore than I'd call the F-150 Explorer an Explorer. It's nothing more than a subvariation, as much as FX4, Z71, or Limited.
WRONG: Ok did a little research. It came out in mid-82 as an 83 model.
Joining Chevrolet in the fight against the small pickups from Japan, Ford introduced its all-American Ranger in 1983. The Ranger replaced the Courier, which was basically a Mazda pickup with some Ford styling tweaks. Introduced in mid-1982 as an early 1983 model, the Ranger was at first only available as a two-wheel-drive truck. By the Fall of 1982, a four-wheel-drive (4X4) version was offered. The style of the Ranger was inspired by its bigger brother, Ford's F-Series pickup, and similarities could be seen in the grille design and bodyside character lines. A choice of two wheelbases provided two bed sizes; a 108-inch wheelbase truck had a 6-foot bed whereas a 114-inch wheelbase truck sported a 7-foot bed. Ford boasted that the Ranger had more interior room than the best-selling imports and that 4x8-foot construction material could be carried in the bed (with the tailgate down).
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And don't forget that the Ranger was offered with an Explorer package as well, are we confused yet? Sure, why couldn't the Courier have inspired the Ranger (not that there is any real comparison between the two)? After all, a line is launched to target projected consumer markets, I'm sure they saw the Ranger as a way to make the small pickup sales of the courier appeal to people demanding more quality and payload. But lets give the Ranger it's dues, while the courier was fuel efficient, and relatively reliable, the box was for hauling nothing more than a few dead branches (very little payload), and the interior was minimalist to put it politely, these "trucks" were no more truck than a Radio Flyer wagon. The Ranger was a true compact "pickup truck", built to be used, and driven, not just to get 30 MPG +. I love couriers, but in all honesty, they are as similar to a Ranger as a vintage VW bettle is to a new Jetta TDI!
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From: Seattle
Hey I resent that remark! 
We used our Courier on the Farm to haul piping, tools, people, and various other miscellanous items you couldn't fit on a 3 wheeler. The Couriers and B2000's were great trucks for light farm duty, the cab was minimalist but that was a plus - no worries jumping in with thick clods of mud on your rubber boots or tossing a deer in the back.
We used our Courier on the Farm to haul piping, tools, people, and various other miscellanous items you couldn't fit on a 3 wheeler. The Couriers and B2000's were great trucks for light farm duty, the cab was minimalist but that was a plus - no worries jumping in with thick clods of mud on your rubber boots or tossing a deer in the back.
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From: Southeast MI
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...lr%3D%26sa%3DN
Apparently they had courier wagon in 55, too
Apparently they had courier wagon in 55, too
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Southeast MI
Huh. Wierd, 'k. Yeah it won't. Well Google must've bypassed some deep link blocks somehow. Anyway I used www.google.com and image tab for Ford Courier search. Boy it'd be easier to hyper-tweak your browser (from here!) than posting an image here.