One Kansas-based Ford dealer is stepping up to fill the void of the Ranger Raptor in the U.S. by offering a pretty solid alternative.
Raptor Substitute
For whatever reason, Ford is denying us Americans the Ranger Raptor. Which really makes no sense to us, but we're sure they have their reasons. But until that little oversight is finally rectified, you can buy a pretty solid substitute from Long McArthur Ford in Kansas - a dealer-built "Baja" Ford Ranger.
Photos: Long McArthur Ford
Building a Weapon
Long McArthur starts with a blank-canvas Ford Ranger XLT Super Crew equipped with the FX4 off-road package. From there, they fortify existing components while also adding on a bunch of stuff that helps make it a more formidable off-road weapon.
Photos: Long McArthur Ford
>>Join the conversation about this modified Baja Ford Ranger right here in the Ford Trucks Forum!
Lift Me Up
It all starts with the requisite suspension lift, in this case, a Procomp 2" level up front. Out back, they replace the factory shocks with Fox 2.0 Performance pieces, which is obviously a nice (yet pricey) upgrade.
Photos: Long McArthur Ford
>>Join the conversation about this modified Baja Ford Ranger right here in the Ford Trucks Forum!
Visual and Practical Upgrades
Fuel Tactic 18" wheels wrapped in Toyo 33" all-terrain tires are obviously a nice visual upgrade, but they also enhance the Baja Ranger's off-road capability. Even if most people who buy these trucks likely won't ever take them off-road.
Photos: Long McArthur Ford
>>Join the conversation about this modified Baja Ford Ranger right here in the Ford Trucks Forum!
Real Lookalike
From there, Long McArthur adds a set of aggressive, painted Bushwacker fender flares to give the Baja Ranger a wider stance. With that and a Raptor-like front grille, this truck sure looks a lot like the Ranger Raptor.
Photos: Long McArthur Ford
>>Join the conversation about this modified Baja Ford Ranger right here in the Ford Trucks Forum!
Toughen Up
To further add to this truck's tough appearance, an Addictive Desert Designs chase rack goes in the bed, and they even add Rhino's Pro spray-in bedliner for added protection.
Photos: Long McArthur Ford
>>Join the conversation about this modified Baja Ford Ranger right here in the Ford Trucks Forum!
OEM Appearance
It shouldn't come as a surprise that the graphics that adorn the Baja Ranger also closely resemble the Raptor's. The logos on the hood, bedsides, and tailgate panel all look pretty OEM as a result.
Photos: Long McArthur Ford
>>Join the conversation about this modified Baja Ford Ranger right here in the Ford Trucks Forum!
Turnkey Package
Overall, the Baja Ranger is a nice package that contains parts that many folks would install after buying a stock Ranger anyway. But in this case, you get all that in a turnkey package.
Photos: Long McArthur Ford
>>Join the conversation about this modified Baja Ford Ranger right here in the Ford Trucks Forum!
Nice Proposition
And since you're buying a dealer build, the Baja Ranger also comes with a 3-year, 36,000-mile warranty. Long McArthur will even ship one to your garage if you don't happen to live in Kansas.
Photos: Long McArthur Ford
>>Join the conversation about this modified Baja Ford Ranger right here in the Ford Trucks Forum!
Reasonably Priced
While most dealer builds like this tend to sell for huge money, the Baja Ranger's sticker price of $42,000 (with recent incentives) sounds pretty darn reasonable, too. You can check out the ones they currently have in stock by heading over here!
Photos: Long McArthur Ford
>>Join the conversation about this modified Baja Ford Ranger right here in the Ford Trucks Forum!
For help keeping your truck in great shape, check out the how-to section of Ford-Trucks.com.
