I was woundering if Ford ever thougth of making a Harley-Davidson version of the Ranger? Have any of you guys ever heard of anyhting like that?

 

No...never been a Harley version. There's been the Ranger GT, but that's been about it for performance packages. Plenty of info available on it.

 

ive never seen a Harley Davidson Ranger truck that wasnt put together by a harley fan one never came stock that way anyway although a few people have made their own.

 

as much as i love the thought of a ranger GT. the 88,89 GT they offered back in the day was a joke. ground effects and an interior package... that doesn't spell performance package to me.

 

No kidding. What we need is something similar to the Dakota R/T or the Colorado SS. Take our trucks, and put a dang V8 in them! We need SOMETHING to compete with the other two...the 4.0L just ain't cuttin' it when it comes down to it.

 

Zach, dont you mean the Trailblazer SS?? If there were a Colorado SS that had a V8 or even a turbo on the I5 I'd have to say I'd own one. Nothing outright wrong with the Ranger, just would like new wheels since I've been on these current wheels for 3 1/2 years now.

 

Nope, the Colorado SS was a limited production model made by the GM Performance Division.
Chevy Colorado + 6.2L V8 + 6 speed manual. I'd love one myself, though it looks like a total bear to work on.
I'm at school and photobucket doesn't work, but I'm going to try and type this link in manually and hope it pops up. If it doesn't, I'll fix it when I get home about 2:30.

 

If it was a HD version it certainly wouldn't be a performance package.

 

Yep I thought I mistyped the link.



I wish they'd go into production on some sort of limited scale.

 

They could fit the 302 Boss in the Ranger, or bring back the old 289.

 

Either one would make a lot of people happy.

I am actually quite suprised that throughout the whole small truck period, Ford never rose up and made a sport version of any sort. The Ranger GT was hardly anything to be proud of (no offense to you GT owners), just a body kit with the biggest engine available, nothing anyone with a 2.9L Ranger and a grand for a body kit and paint couldn't make themselves.

Chevrolet had the Syclone, Dodge has had V8 Dakotas for a while, why couldn't Ford come out at least for a few years and make a spin off of some sort, anything with a little more power. Give us a blown V6, a turbo 4, or a V8, ANYTHING.

Let's call the ball here and put it straight up. We're lacking on available power. The 4.0L, the BIGGEST engine the Ranger has available, is beaten in horsepower by the stock 3.7L V6 in the Dakota and the optional 3.5L I-5 in the Colorado. The Dakota also has an available V8 and six speed manual. Both the Dakota and Colorado have available crew cabs, definetly something that is also missing in the American Ranger lineup.

Let's just hope the redesign gives us more engine options or at least another good sized boost in horsepower and options. We're lacking. And Ford has a huge market in small trucks, many of which will need replacing before long. They need to step back and look at everyone out there who drives a Ranger. We may love them, but a lot of the drivers will be more than happy to switch to the Dakota/Colorado/Canyon for some of the many advantages they offer.

 

i say they need to strip the ranger down back to the basics, and start with making it functional over form. give us ppl that like manual every thing, manual everything. (tranny,t-case,HUBS, etc) i mean by all means for those like things "at a touch of a button" make it and package it, but dont make it the only way. and on both platforms of the ranger and F150 plz give us off roaders a Real off-road drive train. i cant figure out why they would go with a cvc axle... i know they ride better, but are weak off road... did they not learn this with the 86-89 BII with the cvc drive shafts?? or from how quick and easy it is to tear one out of a fwd car a mildy built up engine with torque? a v8 would be great.. but would do little good if placed infront of a weak drive line.

 

Perhaps that's one of the biggest limitations. The current transmissions would have to be replaced to run a V8. But surely the benefits and profits would outweigh the initial design costs.

 

SVT did make a one-off Ranger called the Lightning bolt that took a ranger body and stuffed all the drivetrain from a Lightning F150 into it and even narrowed the lightning rear end. Talk about a handfull, little light ranger with 380hp....what a monster.http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...g_bolt_ranger/

 

I must have missed the memo on the Colorado SS some how. I am perpetually reading car magazines: Hot Rod, Motor Trend, Car Craft, Car and Driver. I dont know how I let that one slip by!! I'd definately be a proud new owner of one when it his the dealer. I couldnt see them offer a full on Luxo version only like the Silverado SS. The Trailblazer SS has a striper model, and that'd be how I'd order a Colorado: Manual windows/locks, cloth seats, not a crew cab, 2 wheel drive, manual, 4.10 rear gears. That'd be my truck to last me the next 5-10 years.

That Lightning Bolt looks real promising to, but the Colorado is the only one of the two with a chance at production since the Lighting F-150 was done after 04.