Seeping Matter

I’m on a Ranger quest.  Well, or a Bronco II.  Or maybe something else.

But Rangers and Bronco IIs are primarily what I am questing for.  Now that I’ve got the 350Z and I’ve sold my Grand Prix, life is mostly great except I’m concerned about winter.

Fact is, there are just too many people around here who are praying for snow all the time.  I’ve been trying to tempt them into grievous sin in order to keep the roads nice and dry but they aren’t giving in.  I don’t want to risk trying to drive the Z in the snow, with all that horsepower going just to the rear wheels.  So I’ve been looking for a little truck or SUV.

Here are the basic requirements:

• Must run
• Four wheel drive must work
• Must pass inspection, or be able to pass with minimal investment
• Must not be completely gutless
• Must not be a complete pile
• Ideally should be fuel injected, not carbureted
• No more than $1500

I found a candidate not too long ago.  It was a 1990 Bronco II with a little bit of extras done to it for only $1300.  It looked like just what I wanted.  Here’s the chronology of events:

• See the truck online for sale.
• Text the owner to say I’d like to look at his truck.
• He texts me back to say after work will be fine.  He lives in Salt Lake; I live in Spanish Fork and work in Lehi, so I want to go see it before I head the opposite direction home.
• As I’m preparing to leave I call to make sure he is around, nobody answers.  I tell him to call back within the hour because after that I’m heading home.
• An hour and 15 minutes later he calls to say, “Now is a good time.”
• When I get home I text back and say, “Sorry I missed you; maybe tomorrow.”
• The next day I try to see if he will be home that night for me to look at it.
• About midday he says, “Sorry, I just sold it.”

Dang.

The next one was a slight deviation from my quest:  a 1990 GMC S-15 Jimmy for $1000.  The ad online says, “It runs great, no problems.”  I stopped by to look.  It was admittedly in pretty straight condition — good exterior, clean interior, good upholstery.  Then I noticed the front right tire is worn down to the cords on the outside edge of the tire.  Bad suspension?  Bad alignment?  Who knows.  I open the hood and it is a carbureted V6.  Hmm.  Then I asked, “So, how does it run?”  “Oh it runs great.”  “No transmission problems?”  “No.  Well, it won’t stay in first gear.”

That doesn’t sound like “no problems” to me.

I took it for a test drive.  GUTLESS.  You have to start in second gear all the time, which makes matters worse.  Feels like it is about to fall apart all the time.  Moving on.

The next candidate is a black 1990 Ford Ranger extended cab.  Stopped by to take a look the other day.  Paint job is the old driveway special (several cans of spray paint) over what looks like some bondo work.  Interior is THRASHED.  This one is at a dealership.  The dealer says, “I just took it in on trade.  It runs, but it makes a weird noise when it runs.  I have no idea if the four wheel drive works or not.”

Still, that one has some potential.  But an engine that makes a weird noise makes me pretty nervous.

The next candidate is another black 1990 Ford Ranger, which is also red and white — it was wrecked and had some body panels replaced.  Sounds like it runs pretty good and that the four wheel drive works.  I’ve heard this before though.  Will have to take a look shortly.

A running, four wheel drive, non-pile Ranger or Bronco II for under $1500?  It sounds like a grail quest.  I’ll keep you updated.