The 4×4 Convertible Ranger Ford Built 17 Times Before Killing The Project
A lot of automotive oddities have appeared over the decades. Some have ended up becoming beloved. Others have ended up becoming controversial. Some have ended up being forgotten by all but the most dedicated enthusiasts. The vehicle we’re going to talk about is likely one of the third of those options. It’s a convertible, but the base vehicle for that convertible conversion isn’t what you’d expect!
Convertibles Based On Higher-Riding Cars Have Always Been Controversial
If you were asked to name what the most controversial type of car might be, you’d probably think of any kind of convertible that’s not been made out of a sports car or a grand tourer. Specifically, you’d be thinking of ones based on higher-riding cars like SUVs. Gearheads already often don’t like the idea of SUVs as it is. Turn one into a convertible, and that’s a sure-fire way to cause some heated comments! That’s certainly been the case for cars like the Volkswagen T-Roc Convertible and the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, which have become utterly infamous just for existing.
Jacked-Up Convertibles Didn’t Appear As Recently As We Think They Have
With how much ire jacked-up convertibles have drawn in recent times, you’d be forgiven for thinking that they’re entirely an invention of the SUV craze that started in the 2000s. But, these kinds of cars are a lot older than you’d think! For a start, there are plenty of classic off-roaders that have been available with some kind of removable or fold-down roof. The most well-known of those have to be the Jeep Wrangler and its Jeep CJ predecessor. It almost doesn’t seem right if a Wrangler or a CJ doesn’t have some kind of option to get rid of the roof, or even the doors.
It wasn’t just old-school off-roaders that got the open-top treatment back in the day, though. There was an odd niche that developed for creating convertible pick-up trucks. That curiously odd slice of the truck market is what the car we’re going to talk about here was designed to take advantage of. It’s not only one of the oddest Ford pick-up trucks you’ll ever seen, but it’s also one of the rarest. In fact, it could very well be one of the biggest unicorns in the history of North American pick-up trucks!
The Ford SkyRanger Is A Forgotten Oddity That Killed Its Own Builder
When you take a look at the Ford SkyRanger, it’s likely that you’ll think that it’s one of the oddest vehicles you’ve ever seen. First of all, there’s the obvious that it’s a pick-up truck with a Haartz Stayfast manual convertible top. Secondly, it’s that it has a slightly awkward look even for that. That’s likely due to it sitting on the platform of the extended-cab Ranger. This gives it enough space to put the convertible top behind the seats, but also leaves a strange-looking gap between the doors and the truck bed. To make up for the lack of a roof, the cab structure was reinforced.
When it comes to what powers the Ford SkyRanger, things are a lot more conventional. The engine on all the known SkyRanger examples is a 155 horsepower 4-liter SOHC Ford Cologne V6. This runs through a 5-speed manual transmission, delivering power to either just the rear wheels or all four wheels.
Two different trim levels were planned for the Ford SkyRanger, an “Elite” base model and a sportier and more upmarket “GTS”. The GTS is the one pictured here, and the main thing that points it out is that sportier appearance. This includes that distinctive rear spoiler and targa-style bar just behind the convertible top, as well as a front spoiler and wrap-around ground effect parts.
It Wasn’t Built By The Company People Often Think It Was
A lot of people think that these Ford SkyRanger trucks were built by American Specialty Cars (ASC) of Warren, Michigan. While ASC was a big name in developing convertible roof systems and convertible conversions of cars, research has shown that the Ford SkyRanger wasn’t part of ASC’s work. It was actually built by Professional Auto Crafters (PAC), a similar firm based in Livonia, Michigan. PAC’s two founders Bob Kaiser and Ron Clark had already built up a reputation for creating eye-catching custom builds. The Ford SkyRanger was a move more towards something that actually had production potential.
PAC Pitched It As A Third-Party Conversion, But Ford Wanted Nothing To Do With It
After coming up with the concept of the SkyRanger and building some examples, Kaiser and Clark decided to pitch it to Ford itself. The two PAC founders believed in the project so much, that they thought that the SkyRanger could be sold as a third-party conversion through Ford dealerships. Sadly, Ford didn’t see things the same way. The big Detroit automaker just wasn’t interested in selling such an odd, third-party converted vehicle through official dealerships.
Only A Handful Were Ever Built Before The Plug Was Completely Pulled
Because Ford never took up the offer to turn in into a dealer-sold third-party conversion, barely any SkyRangers exist at all. Various estimates have put the numbers made at anywhere between 13-19 examples. The most commonly accepted number seems to be 17. Whatever the case may be, this is a truck that’s so rare you’ve got more of a chance of finding a limited-production supercar in the wild. As a result, it’s not only a real event when one comes up for sale, but also anyone who’s lucky enough to snap one up will have an incredibly valuable unicorn on their hands. In due time, anyway…
Unfortunately, with Ford rejecting PAC’s proposal, there was no way the company could progress upwards to become a super-established custom conversions outfit. PAC ended up folding, never reaching the same heights as ASC.
It Wasn’t The Only Convertible Pick-Up Truck Around
As we’ve already said, the convertible pick-up truck was actually a real nice for a period of time. There were others around apart from the Ford SkyRanger, and one of those was the Dodge Dakota Convertible. Unlike the Ford SkyRanger, this conversion was actually done by ASC. It came with a 3.9-liter V6 that produces 125 horsepower, and that power could go either to the rear wheels alone or all four wheels through a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. That’s quite a similar powertrain to what the Ford SkyRanger offered – just a little less powerful, and with an automatic transmission option.
This Truck Also Sold Poorly
The Dodge Dakota Convertible did actually have a decently successful run for what it was. According to research, 2,842 Dakota Convertibles were sold in 1989 and 909 were sold in 1990. But, poor sales did eventually creep up on the Dakota Convertible. In its final year of production (1991), just 8 of them were sold. That was more than enough of a reason to ditch the Dakota Convertible entirely, and never entertain the idea of one ever again.
Open-Top Pick-Up Trucks Have Now Actually Become Successful
The open-top pick-up truck may have completely died out as a niche by the time the early ’90s rolled around. But, not only has the concept survived, but the model that’s kept the idea going has been incredibly successful! That truck is the Jeep Gladiator, and you might not initially think of it as being a convertible pick-up. But, like its Wrangler sibling, it is able to be made open to the elements via removable panels. America’s most American-made pickup truck has been a consistent part of the Jeep model lineup for several years, and enthusiasts have grown to love it as much as they love its sibling. Maybe the Ford SkyRanger was just ahead of its time?
Sources: Car & Driver, Dodge, Ford, Jeep, The Autopian
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