Plenty of examples of the Ford Ranger fell victim to the U.S. auto buyback initiative of the late 2000s, but some inexpensive models survived – including one that Donut Media picked up for a measly $500. The crew set out to make a Baja-ready racer out of the clunker, sinking six figures into its development, which some might think means it’s a bit overbuilt, and to make matters worse, Donut managed to break it already. After taking a step back and rebuilding what needed to be rebuilt, the team is finally confident that it’s ready to roll.
The tricked-0ut Ford Ranger looks put together, but at its core, it’s been slapped together with zip ties, questionable welds, and blind hope that it doesn’t fall apart again. Rust has been a massive problem for the Ford Ranger build, prompting the team to cover it in rust-resistant paint. Now, it’s time to go over everything again with a fine-toothed comb, because, as Donut puts it, “if we’re gonna jump this thing, we want it to be safe.”
Upgrades include double-tubed radius arms from Giant, which are going to be stronger and, in theory, shouldn’t break as easily. They hook it up and get it ready to roll, commenting on how “serious” the radius arm looks. Then, they chase a phantom electrical issue affecting the alternator, and elect to replace it with a more robust unit. Furthermore, the spare tire separated from the bed, so they must make sure the Ford Ranger isn’t going to lose them again, ratcheting them down good and tight.
With everything more or less secured, it’s time to see how the Ford Ranger performs. They decide to jump it – a baby jump, of course, to keep things under control. The first jump isn’t that impressive, but they manage to get all four wheels off the ground.
After a few more tries, they have something a bit more impressive to boast about, launching the Ranger into the sky in the desert and bringing it down on the right rear tire. The leaf spring on that side bowed under the pressure, but that doesn’t stop them from having one more go at it, leaping “Free Willy” style one more time.
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