1987 FORD RANGER

One-Off Custom Mini Truck | BMW M57 Turbo Diesel | Full Air Ride

BUILT, NOT BOUGHT.

This isn't your average mini truck.

What you're looking at is a ground-up, one-off custom Ford Ranger, built using approximately 95% brand-new parts, with a fully custom CAD-designed chassis, BMW M57 turbo-diesel power, AccuAir suspension and a Las Vegas-inspired custom paint job.

Built over approximately six months, with over £25,000 invested in the truck and parts alone, this is a proper show-quality build that's also capable of being driven and enjoyed.

And it's already a trophy winner!

🏆 Custom / Modified Winner – Norwood Car Show

Only exhibited at one show before being offered for sale, where it took home the Custom/Modified Winner trophy. The truck has also been invited to the indoor GR8 Ultimate Stanced show at Telford.

It's also been photographed for an upcoming feature in PPC magazine.

THE STORY BEHIND THE BUILD

Originally imported from Las Vegas, Nevada, this Ranger arrived as an incredibly solid, rust-free truck.

The Las Vegas connection inspired the casino-themed paintwork, with a deliberately aged finish, heavily metalflaked roof and plenty of little details to discover as you walk around it.

The cab was completely removed from the original chassis, stripped and refinished. The firewall was hand-fabricated to accommodate the BMW straight-six engine, while the cab received extensive soundproofing, fresh seals, new carpets and a replacement windscreen.

The roof features approximately four coats of metalflake and eight coats of clear, giving it incredible depth in the sunlight.

The interior roof features a custom American flag, while the lower door shuts carry the words "Please Gamble Responsibly".

The aged appearance is intentional. This truck was solid before painting, and I have hundreds of photographs documenting the build, including its original condition.

No body filler was used to disguise dents or hide previous repairs. I wanted the truck to retain some of its history.

THE CHASSIS & AIR RIDE

Forget lowering blocks and bolt-on suspension kits.

The original chassis has been replaced with a fully custom, CAD-designed frame, engineered to allow the truck to lay frame completely on the ground.

The suspension includes:

• Slam Specialties SS8 8-inch airbags

• AccuAir electronic air management

• Twin aluminium air tanks

• Twin VIAIR 480C compressors

• Fully adjustable rear four-link suspension

• Panhard rod and high-quality rose joints

• Custom adjustable front suspension arms

• Polyurethane bushes and cab mounts

• Heavy-duty oil dampers front and rear

• Mustang II power steering rack

• Ford 9-inch rear axle with stronger 31-spline shafts

• Custom Dave Mac one-piece propshaft

• Upgraded front brakes with 11-inch discs

An electronic dashboard display monitors individual airbag pressures, while a wired handheld controller allows you to operate each airbag individually from outside the truck.

And because no mini truck is complete without something completely unnecessary, there are also two five-trumpet air horns running from the onboard air system.

They're absolutely ridiculous. And ridiculously loud.

THE LIFTING REAR BED

One of my favourite features is the custom rear bed.

The entire bed, including the rear bumper, lifts approximately two inches using air pressure, operated from inside the cab.

It has been designed to clear the ground even when the truck is completely aired out.

A removable rose-jointed safety brace is included for supporting the raised bed, along with locking pins, tie-down points and a working tailgate with an anti-theft modification.

BMW M57 TURBO-DIESEL POWER

Yes, it's diesel. And yes, it's a BMW engine in an American mini truck!

Power comes from a BMW 3.0-litre M57 straight-six turbo diesel, taken from my own E46 330d.

The engine had approximately 110,000 miles when removed and was already a well-maintained unit before receiving further work during the build.

Engine specification:

• BMW M57 3.0 turbo diesel

• Approximately 220–240 bhp (Stage 1 remap estimate)

• Five-speed manual gearbox

• House of Torque ECU management

• Swirl flap and EGR deletes

• Custom stainless-steel boost pipework

• Large Wellycooler intercooler

• Large aluminium radiator with electric cooling fan

• New alternator and power steering pump

• New auxiliary belt and tensioner pulleys

• New three-piece clutch kit and concentric slave cylinder

• Gearbox detent pins replaced

• Injector copper seals checked and replaced

• Fresh gearbox and engine oil

• Upgraded fuel pump and filtration

The combination of the torquey M57, manual gearbox and lightweight pickup makes for a rather entertaining drive!

CUSTOM INTERIOR & ELECTRICS

Inside, the Ranger retains its classic mini-truck character, but with plenty of modern upgrades.

• Pioneer double-DIN stereo with DAB

• Apple CarPlay/Spotify connectivity via compatible device

• Twin 6x9 speaker enclosures

• Clifford alarm and immobiliser

• Remote central locking

• Team Momo 280 steering wheel

• Coolerworx-style gear shifter

• Additional boost, fuel and temperature gauges

• Sliding rear window

• 12V heater/demister

• New carpets and extensive soundproofing

• Additional wiring for future audio upgrades

The interior was also repainted to complement the exterior, with plenty of custom touches throughout.

SHOW TRUCK WITH ROAD MILES

Unlike many show builds that spend their entire lives on trailers, this Ranger has actually been driven.

It successfully completed a 106-mile round trip to Norwood Car Show, where it won its award.

At the time of writing, it has covered approximately 320 miles since completion, so it's still in its initial shakedown period.

Please understand that this is a freshly completed custom build, being sold as a project requiring continued shakedown mileage and routine checks. I'd recommend completing at least 1,000 miles of faultless running and inspections before considering any serious long-distance journeys.

Mileage may increase slightly as I continue using it.

The truck is UK registered with a V5C and currently has an MOT. As a 1987 vehicle, it is approaching eligibility for historic vehicle tax and MOT exemption, subject to the applicable DVLA rules and substantial-change criteria.

WHAT WOULD IT COST TO RECREATE?

The original truck and parts alone represent an investment of over £25,000.

That's before accounting for approximately six months of fabrication, welding, chassis design, preparation, painting, wiring and assembly.

Even at a modest workshop labour rate, the cost of recreating this truck would be considerably higher than the asking price.

This is an opportunity to own a genuinely unique, award-winning mini truck without spending the next six months (and a small fortune) building one yourself.

I have hundreds of photographs documenting the entire build, which can be made available to serious buyers.

FOR SALE – OFFERS & PART EXCHANGE CONSIDERED

Location: Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10

Price: Please enquire / Open to sensible offers

I'm happy to discuss the specification and price, including potentially retaining certain removable parts to reduce the overall cost.

Items that could be excluded by agreement include the wheels, spiked wheel nuts, Momo steering wheel, stereo equipment, air horns and tailgate.

Part exchange considered, particularly an SC01 Tesla or something Ford from around 1932.

Viewings are welcome by arrangement. Due to the nature and value of the truck, I won't be offering test drives, but I'm happy to take serious buyers out as passengers.

Collection only, with payment arrangements agreed in advance.

This is a one-off build, and there won't be another one quite like it.