The Rarest Ford Pickup Truck Ever Made Was A Convertible

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Friday, 24 Jul 2026 18:06 0 3 autotech

The Rarest Ford Pickup Truck Ever Made Was A Convertible

Ford has built some legendary trucks over the decades, but buried deep in the brand’s history is one that almost nobody has seen in person — and for good reason. The rarest Ford pickup ever made wasn’t a limited-edition performance hauler or a factory special run; it was a convertible. Droptop pickups fill an odd niche in the car industry, intended to combine the rugged practicality of a truck with the open-air thrills of a convertible. It’s of a similar spirit to the Chevrolet El Camino, albeit a bit less harmonious. As you’d expect of what is, effectively, the platypus of the automotive world, such an odd hybrid results in more compromise than utility.

The SkyRanger Is The Rarest Ford Pickup Ever Made

In the world of rare Fords, few trucks stand out quite like the SkyRanger. A quintessentially ’90s concept, it combined the practicality of Ford’s Ranger compact pickup with the sporting appeal of a convertible. In practice, this meant lopping off the roof, adding a roll bar and retractable soft top, and fitting the bed with a tonneau cover and spoiler. Exact counts on the SkyRanger’s production differ depending on where you look, but it’s generally agreed that fewer than 20 of these oddities existed at any point in time. If you can’t tell based on the looks alone, the SkyRanger was an outside job. Like the Mustang McLaren and other special-production, low-volume offerings, Ford didn’t ship a truck like this from the factory. Most sources claim it was completed by American Sunroof Company/American Specialty Cars (ASC). However, our research — including an ad posted by a SkyRanger owner — suggests that it was actually the product of Professional Autocrafters, a now-defunct outfit based in Livonia, near Ford’s Dearborn headquarters. Bob Kaiser (of Clark Kaiser Customs) worked to design and modify the trucks in collaboration with the company.

Ford Never Signed Off On The SkyRanger

Convertible Trucks Are Few And Far Between

That’s not entirely the fault of the SkyRanger. Modern droptop pickups were a novel concept back in the ’90s, and they remain a rare sight on the road today. You’ll find plenty of older examples, like the Ford Bronco and the Willys Scrambler, but newer trucks are limited to a few notable exceptions, like Chevrolet’s SSR and Jeep’s Gladiator. While convertible trucks are designed to combine the utility of a pickup with the experience of an open-air ride, traditional folding tops typically consume so much of the bed that the result is more compromise than value-add. Dodge made a similar attempt at a droptop truck with the Dakota convertible, but — as we’ll address a little later — it also proved niche in its appeal.

Making An Extended Cab A Flashy Droptop

1991 Ford SkyRanger

eBay via The Ranger Station

1991 Ford Ranger SkyRanger Engine Specifications

Engine	Cologne V6
Displacement	4.0 Liters
Transmission	5-Speed Manual
Power	160 Horsepower
Torque	225 LB-FT
Drivetrain	4×4, RWD

Ford Ford introduced the Ranger in 1983, and the truck received its first facelift in 1989 before being replaced by the second generation in 1993. Between 1989 and 1992, Ford offered the Ranger with a variety of engine, transmission, and drivetrain options so buyers could tailor the compact pickup to their needs. The 2.3-liter four-cylinder was ideal for those prioritizing fuel economy, while the larger 2.9-liter V6 offered a bit more grunt for hauling and towing. Of course, the SkyRanger’s head-turning appearance demanded something a little more performance-minded under the hood. Trucks that received the conversion were top-of-the-line items from the Ford factory, fitted with a 4.0-liter V6, a Mazda-derived five-speed manual transmission, and the buyer’s choice of rear-wheel drive or 4×4. Left up to us, we’d equip such a vehicle with sportier suspension and brakes as well, but the original advertisements we’ve found make no mention of changes to the ride or chassis components.

Features Of The SkyRanger Convertible

The SkyRanger was offered in ‘Elite’ and ‘GTS’ trims
GTS cars received lowered ground effects and a trick chin spoiler
All SkyRangers were fitted with a tonneau cover, a sport bar, and a rear wing

Even if the SkyRanger is a little unconventional in its design, you have to hand it to the builders — they managed to execute the conversion better than some unfortunate factory convertibles. The sport bar and spoiler integrate surprisingly naturally with the lines of the bed, and the folding top tucks away cleanly thanks to the extended cab body configuration. Sure, the SkyRanger’s convertible conversion isn’t quite as tidy as setups like that of the Chevrolet SSR, but let’s not forget that it started life as a boxy Ranger pickup.

How Much SkyRangers Are Worth Today

If you have your heart set on acquiring a SkyRanger, best of luck. In keeping with the low production count (again, certainly fewer than 20 but potentially as few as 14), the truck rarely comes up for public sale, let alone on a major auction platform. The sole completed transaction we found came back in 2008, when RM Sotheby’s sold the pictured example for $13,200 as part of the Bud Mick Collection. We’ve since seen some buzz about SkyRangers being advertised online, though we can’t confirm whether those sales were ever completed. At the time, one seller had advertised a pickup showing around 7,500 miles with a $24,995 asking price. Unsurprisingly, you won’t find valuations for the SkyRanger on appraisal sites like Hagerty. However, looking into 1991 Ranger XLT values can at least give you a general baseline for how the Ford’s appeal is trending, as even Bronco Rangers are rising in value. Classic.com reports an average sale of $12,696 for first-generation Rangers, though the 1991 model year has traded somewhat more affordably. Needless to say, we’d expect a SkyRanger to command at least double that figure on account of the truck’s rarity. If you’re looking for the closest comparable offering, Dodge’s Dakota convertible could prove helpful in your SkyRanger valuation efforts.

Dodge Dakota Convertible Values

First-generation Dodge Dakotas average $10,787 on Classic.com
Hemmings auctioned a 1989 Dakota Sport Convertible that sold for $19,500
The most recently auctioned Dodge Dakota Sport Convertible sold for $4,000

Dodge Also Tried A Convertible Truck

If you’re intrigued by the idea of an open-air pickup truck but aren’t 100% sold on the SkyRanger, be sure to check out the Dodge Dakota Sport Convertible. It’s another cool ’90s droptop option that hit the market around the same time, and it’s far more common than the Ford — even if it is a rare breed in its own right. Unlike the SkyRanger, the Dakota Sport Convertible was a bona fide production vehicle. Dodge offered the truck from 1989 to 1991, employing ASC to assist with the factory conversion. The Dakota launched with a 125-horsepower 3.9-liter V6 under the hood, and buyers could choose between a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. Dodge introduced a smaller four-cylinder and additional color options for the 1990 model year, but even those changes weren’t enough to broaden the droptop’s appeal. The Dakota occupied an awkward middle ground — bigger than compact rivals like the Ranger yet smaller than full-size alternatives — and not even Shelby badging could help free it from that limbo.