PennSilverTaco's "Perfect 5-Lug Regular Cab" Build, Aspergers, and General BS MegaThread!

One of my coworkers has a 1996 Ford Ranger 2WD that she's had for a few years.

The truck is about as no-frills as they come. It has no power options, no A/C, and vinyl seats. It has the underpowered 2.3L 4-cylinder engine and automatic transmission. Unlike even the newest base model Tacomas, it does in fact have intermittent windshield wipers.

The truck has only about 90K original miles on it, and it is not in horrible condition, but it makes my Taco look like a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith in more ways than one...

Also, the heater does not work and the tailgate does not open!



I took this picture of my truck next to the bartender's Ranger for a size comparison, and I was amazed by how similar they seem in terms of size...

 

So, here's what I would do this truck if I had an unlimited budget...

For starters, fix the heater and tailgate!

Obviously, the anemic 4-banger has got to go...

Engine option #1: Since a 2nd Gen Ford Explorer is very similar to a Ranger, I'd take take the computer/electronics and automatic transmission from a V8 Explorer and swap them into this truck. I would then put a 302cid/5.0L in place of the 2.3L. Even in totally stock form, any 5.0L V8 would be potent in this tiny little truck...

Engine option #2: 4.6L modular engine and automatic transmission out of Crown Vic or F150...

Obviously, this old Ranger has an open rear. So long, one-wheel peel, and hell Ford 9-inch posi rear with 3.42 (or 3.73) gears!

Body: This truck actually does not need any bodywork and has relatively little (if any) rust. To keep that shop truck look, the exterior would be left alone...

Wheels: Haven't decided yet...

Interior: Replace vinyl bench seat with beige cloth bench seat from newer Ranger...

Stereo: Boss head unit just like the one I've got in my truck; Alpine, Pioneer, or Kicker speakers in factory locations...

Other: Full instrumentation with tachometer, backup camera, alarm system, performance suspension...

 

My uncle thinks all Toyota trucks are great vehicles, but will never buy a 2nd Gen because he thinks they are too big. He prefers the smaller 1st Gens. After the pre-1996 Toyota trucks and the 1995-2004 Tacos, the 1993-2011 Ranger is my uncle's second favorite truck (he has one now).

The green 1996 Ford Ranger parked directly in front of my 2010 RC 2WD in this photo belongs to a female coworker (one of our best bartenders, actually). She was fine with me using the picture on TW. When I took the picture, I was amazed by how similar the trucks are in terms of size. I know for a fact that the Ranger has a smaller cab than the 2nd Gen Taco, but the trucks really do not look all that different size-wise...


What do you guys (and girls) think? Similar or not...?

 

@MikeCB600F

The other day, you were talking about your son's issue with eating certain foods due to sensory/texture issues...

Here's a story for you...

In January 2009, I started attending a club of sorts for young adults with Aspergers. This organization was called The Coffeehouse Center of Bucks County.

We even had our own chef, and the members were encouraged to throw on an apron and help out in the kitchen. I actually enjoyed doing this...

The so-called chef was this short woman in her early 40s. She was friendly enough, but kind of odd. I would classify her as a decent chef, except the food she cooked wasn't exactly my kind of food (or the other members' kind of food). A lot of her food was very health-oriented, and a lot of it was also rather weird...

For example, she once made this bizarre grayish-colored spaghetti stuff that I dubbed "Spaghetti, Exxon-Valdez style." It tasted a hell of a lot better than it looked, but it still wasn't my kind of pasta.

It may or may not have been an Aspergers thing, but the other members and I wanted normal stuff. When I say normal stuff, I mean burgers, hot dogs, wings, fish, etc...

As I said above, a lot of her dishes were very health-oriented, and this got old after a while. I believe there needs to be a balance of health food, and treats that would be considered junkfood...

One time, I brought in a package of Pilsbury slice-and-bake sugar cookies. The chef kind of chewed me out as it wasn't healthy enough for her standards, but grudgingly let me make them...

The verdict: People on the spectrum are often very picky eaters... Hire a chef/cook who understands this!

I would like to point out that I haven't seen this woman since 2010, when another service provider took over the Coffeehouse and we changed locations...

 

@MikeCB600F

While the Coffeehouse Center was nonprofit back in its heyday, the aforementioned chef and an art teacher were both paid independent contractors.

The art teacher often had fun activities for us to do, but sometimes we would rather do other things. The converted barn in which the Coffeehouse was located had wireless internet, and most members had their own laptops. There was a flat-screen HDTV on the second floor, and one member had a PlayStation 3 that he brought in and hooked up to the aforementioned TV. There was also a pool table if I remember correctly.

This was 2009. We had video game consoles, laptop computers, iPods, and all sorts of other fancy shit. Why would we want to go downstairs and fingerpaint when we could bond while playing Grand Theft Auto IV and Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe?

I was basically told that the art woman's services weren't free, and they wanted to get their money's worth. Not my problem...

 

My truck currently has just under 80K on the clock. I've had the truck since new and have always used semi-synthetic, as recommended by the owner's manual. Recently, I discovered that my truck didn't start as easily as I thought it should have, due to sitting a couple days in the bitterly cold weather we've been having...

One TW member recommended I go full synthetic, saying this would ease wear-and-tear on the engine. I am taking a trip up to the Poconos this weekend for a friend's 29th birthday, and it's going to much colder up there than it is here in the Philly burbs. As such, I decided to get my oil changed almost 600 miles early, and go full synthetic.

My boss's Honda Element was a thousand miles past due for an oil change, but she was very busy today, so she let yours truly take it to the Valvoline place while on the clock. I talked my boss into paying extra for synthetic since it's been so cold and the Element has over 90K on the clock.

After getting the oil changed in the Element, I brought my Tacoma to Valvoline. Valvoline recommends an oil change every 3K miles, even though the interval on the full synthetic is like 7K miles.

I have three questions:

1. 2010 Tacoma owner's manual recommends an oil change every 5K miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. Valvoline recommends an oil change every 3K miles or 3 months, regardless of whether it's conventional, semi-synthetic, or full synthetic. I plan on getting the oil changed again at 85K. Could this harm my engine in any way?

2. Could switching from full synthetic back to semi-synthetic harm the engine in my truck, or cause problems down the road?

3. With regards to my boss's 2005 Element, my boss was not too happy that I talked her into spending more money for full synthetic, but she understood when I explained that full synthetic was better for the engine in this extreme cold. However, when she gets the oil changed again, when it will presumably be warmer, she wants to use whatever the owner's manual recommends and not full synthetic (since it is cheaper). Could switching from full synthetic back to the recommended oil cause harm to the Element's engine?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l1GvDWtccI

 

Bad Ass!

 

Here we go again with this snow!

 

I recently met an owner of a base 2015 DCSB 4x4, and while talking with him, I found out that his truck came from the factory with a backup camera.

I thought only SR5 and above, even the 2015s, came with backup cameras...

 

If it was me I would "send it". Not worth the money in upgrades in my humble opinion....but then again if something like this presents its self when my oldest turns 16 I would be all over it.

 

Thanks Charlie!

 

I dont think length and height are too awful different, however I believe the Taco is a good few inches wider which lends to it being perceived as a larger truck.

Here's a comparison between my 2" lowered RC and a stock 1st Gen. Even though mine is in the foreground, you can see hood height, bed height and overall width are quite noticeable.

 

If something happens to my Tacoma (insurance write-off, etc), your truck makes me want to buy an SR and trick it out! I'm partial to the 2.7L, so it wouldn't be much of a change.

Was installing intermittent wipers as easy in your as it was in mine?

 

She looks a tad different now with 285s and @SCSPerformance wheels and @Pelfreybilt sliders!

 

First of all, your truck looks a lot like mine!

Second of all, my dad almost bought me a Ranger instead of a Tacoma as my first vehicle. The only reason he didn't is because the Ranger he wanted was fully loaded and the dealer was quite stingy about lowering the price...

 

Aw, I kinda liked those first wheels better! New ones are still pretty sweet though...

I also noticed that you say your truck is an SR, but it has the color-matched front bumper...

 

Yep super easy, only thing is Toyota quit making the 4 cylinder 2.7 5 speed in 2017 it was the last year for it! The 18s only have a automatic 6 speed 4 cylinder!