Happy Easter Everyone; and God Bless you all!

I Just went through the worst experience in my life with my ranger last week. Someone ran into it and destroyed the drivers side door, fender, and snapped the steering knuckle.
I'm trying to find a way that the insurance company won't total it and I've come up with multiple ideas so far, but i was hoping to get a little more leeway with the answer to this question:

Is there a marker on the 1998-2001 Rangers that tells us if it's a custom order?

The reason i ask is because, I've been looking for a replacement to my Ranger and i can't find the exact one. I've been able to match other Rangers with identical ones, to the letter! However, not mine. I even had my buddy at the dealership take a look using the VIN #, and i got nothing back on it. Literally no one has ever even seen my ranger anywhere before. I did a VIN search myself and Ford told me that they don't know what my Ranger even is. It's like its mix of packages were not factory made.

If anyone knows, you'd be very appreciated. This truck was my dad's before i got it and has a lot of sentimental value to me, I grew up with that truck and would Hate to lose it.

Thanks,
James Pennington

 

What does your Ranger have that makes you think it might be a custom order?

 

I can't find this truck anywhere, and nobody else can either.

It's a 1998 Ford ranger with the 2.5L XLT, Extended cab, splash bed, Pacific green metallic paint, Manual transmission, different dashboard, sliding back window.

have more, I just can't think about them off the top of my head.

 

If it's got stuff that's not from the factory, then it's been added by one of the owners. Unless you declared it (with proof of costs) to the insurance carrier, I doubt they're going to consider it as part of the coverage.

 

Get your 1998 Brochure here: https://www.therangerstation.com/art...ger-brochures/

VIN doesn't have Trims, just Regular cab or extended cab, 2WD or 4WD, and engine size

The serial number at the end of the VIN....MIGHT......be able to show what trim it had but its hit and miss if Ford has that info

If its a "Custom" then it was a base model trim that original buyer added options to, base model can be "Fleet" or "XL", either would be 4cyl with manual trans

You could get a stepside or regular bed on any Ranger except Long Bed models

 

Is the "Fleet" the XLT package?

 

Fleet is what places like Auto Zone would buy to pickup and deliver parts, or your power company would buy for the meter reader to drive.

 

Yes, Fleet is the lowest trim level, often no radio, not in brochures

As said, Ford makes and sells basic(bare bones) trucks to companies that want a "fleet" of the same vehicle, Rangers or F-150s or E-150s(vans) were popular fleet vehicles

 

Okay, based on that and compared to what I have plus trying to line things up with the catalog, it has to be a "fleet" and the original owner ordered from factory I guess. Or am I just not getting the "fleet" thin?

Either way, the truck that I have does not line up with the catalog at all.

 

Wait, but that wouldn't make sense, my truck came with an original radio.
So what the heck am I owning????

 

Fleet can come with a Radio, its an option, when you add options to fleet vehicles it usually gets the "Custom" badge

Fleets often just have this badge: https://i.etsystatic.com/20742019/r/...28875_6l83.jpg

Fleet with added options like this: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/T4oAA...S/s-l1200.webp

If you look at the brochure there will be XL, XLT, ect...... you can add options to those but they would still have the XL or XLT badge
XLT badge: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/60AAA...F/s-l1200.webp

XLT could have several added option but badge would still be XLT, same for XL or any Trim Package offered that year

 

What do you mean by "different dashboard" ?

 

It's not the standard gauge, I shouldn't have said dashboard. It's the optional gauge and odometer.
I have the XLT badge on mine.
From the research I've done on my own, The XLT never came standard with the 2.5L, manual tranny, and 8.8in rear axle hauling package.
​​​​​​i call it a "hauling package" cause it's basically what it is.

 

I believe 'tow package' is the nomenclature you're looking for.

You might have a Frankenford.

 

Maybe it is, maybe it's not, but, the tow package it literally just the 8.8in rear axle and the thing attached to the bumper. It's not got the slide in-slide out hitch, just the one attached to the top of the bumper.

Either way I'm still confused. I mean Frankenford is a possibility that I've though of. But I have a hard time believing that the first owner bought the truck, just to Change stuff on it, the sell it back to a dealership.
I'm not arguing, I'm just saying it's highly unlikely. I could happen, but I doubt it.

I can send pictures of it if you want, I don't know if it'll help though.

 

A manual transmission is not going to have the "Tow Package"

Trailer hitch on top of the bumper every Ranger has that.

There are 2 different clusters available, with tach or without tach, both are very common

 

The 2.5 with manual transmission was standard equipment on all RWD Rangers except the supercab Splash


Everything you're coming up with points to a standard bottom of the line XLT Supercab, possibly with a couple options.


If you think you have something special buy a Marti Report

https://www.martiauto.com/martireports.cfm

 

Alright guys, back. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. Unfortunately It said my Ranger was a Fleet vehicle and it was an XL. My truck is clearly an XLT as stated by the decal and the registration. Does anyone know what the heck is going on?

The Marti website says "Repro" tags are common. Is that a possibility? Or is it a fleet that somebody stuck packages on?

 

"Fleet" basically means is was originally bought by a business possibly to use as a delivery or service vehicle.

The business that bought it could have bought a "XLT",

So yes it could easily be both "Fleet" and " XLT"


For example every vehicle that car rental places buy (Budget, Alamo, .ect) is a "Fleet" vehicle.