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Greetings from Germany


Yamidora

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Hi there,

My name is Johannes I'm 24 years old and I live near Leipzig in Germany.

I allways dreamed of having a Ford pickup.
After I graduated last year I bought a 1990 Ranger 2.3l single cab 2WD.

The car had a Rough time ever since it was shipped to Germany in 1991.

6 previous owners ripped the inside apart, painted it without any love and it's my turn to bring it to it's former glory.

What I've done so far to bring it back on the road in first place was:

- water cooler
- water pump
- tie rods
- pivot axle bushings
- 4 new shocks
- brake lines
- air intake system
- serpentine belt
- timing belt
- removed the A/C since it's not refillable in my Country

And here imy to do list:

- change the 10x15 on the read axle to 7x15
- original rear fenders
- cab mounts
- leaf springs
- get a better driveability itself

I hope I will have a nice time here and you may have some help once needed.
 


XLTsplash

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Welcome. It's nice to know some American cars make it to other Germany. It must be hard for you to find parts. I hope you will post some pictures of your Ranger. Good luck.
 

Yamidora

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Thanks for the reply.

I agree it is a pain to get parts. There are some Bronco 2 and Explorer parts I can use but the majority of parts I am ordering in the US which makes them expensive.

But I guess with dedication money doesn't matter.

Pics will follow soon.
 

msparks

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Thanks for the reply.

I agree it is a pain to get parts. There are some Bronco 2 and Explorer parts I can use but the majority of parts I am ordering in the US which makes them expensive.

But I guess with dedication money doesn't matter.

Pics will follow soon.
I'm looking at getting an over head consol from a Explorer, which I thank is a nice mod.
 

96firephoenix

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send the parts to my house, I'll be glad to bring them to you!

:)

Herzlich Wilkommen
 

The_Epsicle

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All hail the mighty ziptie!
I only know one other German citizen and his name is also Johannes... is that a common name over there? Welcome to TRS.
 

Yamidora

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Well, I wouldn't say it's one of the most common names but it's also not uncommon.

It's an overall typical european name.
 

Yamidora

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Here's a pic of my Ranger.

http://imgur.com/77dLmeC

Maybe someone can help me with the rims.
I think it's a Cragar Super Spoke. They just paintes it black.
Anyone agrees?
 
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a2thy

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Wilkommen Johannes! Meine Mutter ist deutsch und so spreche ich ein kleines bisschen deutsch, but much better English.

Your truck looks great for it's age. Most Rangers of that generation in my area don't seem as well taken care of. I'm happy to hear that you're giving your Ranger the love and attention it deserves. You're probably right about the wheels being Cragar Super Spoke, I don't know what else they would be. Pickup trucks in general must be very hard to find in Germany. I've been there many times and have only seen a handful of them. Just don't expect your truck to power through the turns the way some of those German cars will, and you should be happy with what it can do. My other car is an Audi, primarily for performance/handling reasons. What specifically were you hoping to improve in terms of drivability? TRS can probably help.

Viel gluck! I'm sure your Ranger will serve you well.
 
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Yamidora

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Hey there,
thanks for the compliment.

At the moment I got some issues that I feel every bounce on the street.
It's hard to figure out where it comes from since allmost all the bushings are worn out within 25 years of age. I allready replaced some of them and some of them have to be replaced.
I wana get rid of all the squeeking and hammering while driving a less good road.

One thing I really have to get more information about is if it's possible to lower the cab movement itself when you turn.

The movement of the cab itself is pretty much the only thing that forces people to decide weather it handles like a sports car or a heavy lifted monter struck.

I don't know if a sway bar and some coilovers in the back would work. But I guess there are other places to discuss this. :icon_thumby:


Pickup trucks in general must be very hard to find in Germany. I've been there many times and have only seen a handful of them. Just don't expect your truck to power through the turns the way some of those German cars will, and you should be happy with what it can do.
Well in Germany you got some different factors.
Gasoline is expensive (if I calculated right we pay about 5-6 dollar per gallon), so there are just a few 3.0+ engines here. Everybody is driving Audi, BMW and stuff. For me it's kinda sad to see less old cars on german streets since they got character, they are telling stories and you share them with people. Who cares about a new BMW? They are nice cars and I also drive a Ford Fiesta as my daily driver but I simply like the feeling of sitting in my old truck, even if it's not that old, drive through the streets and see everybodies face and I know that most of the people think "He did it right".
 
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The_Epsicle

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Well, I wouldn't say it's one of the most common names but it's also not uncommon.

It's an overall typical european name.
Ah, I see. I'm half German by birth, and I've always wanted to spend some time in Germany, Lutherstadt Wittenberg in particular. I'm going to be starting some German lessons soon so I can speak it in the 5 years it will take me to afford the trip.

You've got a great truck there, I'd tell you to take good care of it but judging from your posts I don't have to, enjoy your Ranger.
 

a2thy

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Epsicle, you should visit Germany whenever you get the chance. It's a fun and beautiful country. Knowing some German is a huge plus, but I've always been impressed by the amount of English spoken by locals.

I've had to do some filling up at German gas stations, so I know the pain :/ Wouldn't a 2.3l 2wd Ranger get better fuel economy than most of the mid to full size luxury cars out there?

As for the effect that bumpy roads have on our trucks, I share your concern. I'd love to feel how a Ranger with a rear coil spring conversion would handle. I spent most of my life driving German and Japanese cars before getting into pickup trucks, and I miss the stability they had on mildly bumpy roads. But when it comes to pulling a trailer, moving large objects, camping or driving off-road, I'm very grateful to have my truck.
 

Yamidora

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I would like to visit America once in my life aswell.
If you live in Germany your whole life you realize that the country isn't as fun as others. We got way too many laws and rules.
 

Mark_88

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Welcomet To Das RAngerstationblicht...

Sorry, that was not really German...can you tell I'm unilingual...:)

Anyway...I noticed you said the ride is a bit bumpy...my first Ranger was similar to yours and I once ran over a 2x4 piece of lumber (wood) and the truck bounced from one lane to the next very fast...the reason...my front tires were over inflated...

You might find that to be part of the problem as some people over inflate tires thinking it gets better gas mileage...which it may do...but the best ride I've found is at 28 PSI or thereabouts.

That and the front shocks were gone on the truck so it made a big difference in ride with less air pressure and new shocks...but I see you've already put 4 new shocks...they may be too stiff for the truck, but stiff can be better on some roads so there is a bit of a trade off between performance and ride handling...

Anyway...welcome again and enjoy...!
 

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