This Lima’s Got the Beans: 1985 Ford Ranger Sports a Turbo 2.3 With Nitrous

This one is pretty far out in left field, but it does the numbers for precious few bucks. Joe Morgan was featured in the April ’99 issue with his turbocharged Pinto, which goes 10.70s and recently completed Power Tour West and the return trip to Cali.

Also on the trip was Morgan’s $500 daily driver, an ’85 Ranger pickup. After the original 2.3L four-banger finally gave up at 150K, Morgan swapped in a 2.3 Turbo he pulled from a wrecked Merkur for $100.

He bolted this tidy package to a junkyard Thunderbird Turbo Coupe A4LD trans (four-speed auto with Overdrive) and treated the stock Ranger 7.5-inch rearend to 9-inch axle-tube ends, so he could use the beefier 9-inch axles.

A stock 4.11:1 Traction-Lok differential transfers the torque

Morgan added a tiny 50hp shot of nitrous to get things happening off the line, and the truck responded by nudging the 12.90s at 105 mph.

Careful parts scrounging and bartering netted the later-model cab and front clip, as well as the Lexus wheels and tires. Morgan figures he’s got four to five grand in the project, but much of that was for body and paintwork.

Gas mileage? On Power Tour, with a full load of tools, tires, and spares, the Ranger clicked off 30 mpg with ease. Morgan reports he has never seen less than 23 mpg around town.