Kinda hoping to get some input from you guys here

Kinda hoping to get some input from you guys here.

I'm looking at picking up a spare vehicle and I've pretty much narrowed it down to either a Chevy S-10 or a Ford Ranger. I've found a bunch locally 4cyl and V6's with Manuals.

I'm mainly getting it for a spare, but I'm probably going to do a v8 swap later down the road(probably sometime next year).

Which should I get? I'm kinda leaning towards the ranger though as I already have a spare turn key 302 sitting in the garage(out of a 84 GT), But any insight would be appreciated.

I had a 2004 B3000 which was a rebadged ranger

Never had any issues with it, 3.0L with the 5 spd manual

Not great on gas, but they are cheap used compared to full size and very reliable vehicles.

I will answer any questions you may have about them

S10 will probably probably be more bang for your buck. Ranger and Tacoma both hold extra value due to brand name. Otoh if your gonna do a bunch of aftermarket stuff or an engine swap then I'd probably go with the ranger just for parts availability

If you get an S10 make sure it has the 4.3 Vortec. Those engines are bulletproof. Mine made it to 243k and was still going.

Unless the DexCool gets them or something else. Everyone seems to love these POSs but everyone one I've owned/worked on shit the bed early. The 99 S-10 Blazer my GF had, had transmission issues, then the intake gasket leaked, then I got to change the fuel spider, then the HG blew all under 110k miles. Never so happy to get rid of that Poortec POS.

I got a used engine for it, but I hated the thing so much I never put it in and sold them together.
>pic related

sounds like poor maintenance.

only issue I ever had with the was melting the cap and rotor.

v8 swap? just buy a dodge dakota with a v8 already in it

You would think the rest of my 20+ year old fleet would have the same issues, but they don't. It was very hot the day the HG blew and I was towing a trailer. The weakest link got found I guess.

I never had an issue with cap or rotor.

I don't like working on potato's and I like to actually have some "go" with all that noise they make.

If you want to v8 swap the ranger if you get one with the torsion bar front suspension it'll make it easier.

your pic is full size truck.

The second generation S10s/Blazers were crap. The first generation was hard to kill, Chevy had a habit of taking what works, and making turds. Same thing happened with the 3.4 V6. The 3.4s from the early 90s were good motors, after 1997, complete crap.

>I already have a spare turn key 302 sitting in the garage

>1984
>5.0
>175 HP

Dont do this OP.

Do what everyone else does and do the 5.0 explorer engine(215 hp) swap.... preferably with torque monster headers (+20 hp/ 35 tq)

> Ranger and Tacoma both hold extra value due to brand name.

People who know anything about trucks know Chevy is a top brand.

Umm why not spend way less money and just get a used F150?

never said the engine was stock. B cam, GT40P heads, MSD HEI dizzy, Edelbrock performer Intake manifold, and a Holley 625.

Got it for helping a buddy out. He swapped it for a 347.

Because I'm not looking for an F150.

Well have fun with a ton of headaches and wasting money.

And it shares the same V6, dumdum.

The S10 is not Chevy's best effort. The Ranger was better screwed together in about every way. The best part about it is it's cheap to swap a tree-fiddy into, even if everything else (plus the tree-fiddy) is trash.

The 5.3 vortec can move my avalanche like it's nothing. If you swap it into an S10 there will be many smiles in your future

just from my limited experience, chevy is kinda junk, especially the 350. clearances like a hotdog down a hallway and core shifts, wtf.

ford got their engineering shit together back in the 80's and really put out a better product.

What state are you in OP?

I have a 3.0 ranger I have to get rid of in the Cincinnati area that I want to go to a good home if you're close.

Not a burger, but I wouldn't buy a ute that big without a diesel engine.

What's info? Not op but I am in Greendale IN and was looking for a winter beater.

>1991, 3.0 v6 autotragic, 90k original miles

Had it for 4 years now daily driver, only had to do basic maintenance on it. Probably needs ujoints replaced because it's clunking lately, just got another car and only have one parking spot at new place. Though driving a light weight rwd truck with most of the weight in the front is a bad idea for a winter beater, skids are prevalent even with 300lbs of sand in the bed.

I vote that you get the one that is in the best shape for its price.

If you stick to a particular brand only because of fanboys you can easily miss out on a good opportunity.

As is with things these old it's really not so much mileage but maintenance and how it was used. I currently have a 70,000 mile 1993 vehicle and a 120,000 mile 2003 vehicle. The lower mileage vehicle is an absolute shed because I don't maintain it well and it gets used to beyond its rated capabilities nearly every day.

If you get an s-10 make sure to get the v6. It will make the engine swap loads easier then the i4

There are engine swap mods for putting a 302 V-8 in a Ranger, but keep in mind the 3.8 Buick V-6 (Buick Grand National) also fits nicely in an S-10. Also, didn’t the GMC Syclone have a turbocharged 4.3? So if you got the S-10 with the 4.3, you could in theory, just build it up. Same could be said for all the SHO turbo goodies for a 2.3L Ford in a Ranger. Both the Thunderbird and the Mustang had a 2.3 version back then and I’m guessing those parts would make a little Ranger deceptively quick.