TOPIC:

When I was a kid, and had got my first Sand Scorcher, I always used to read the guide books (actually just looking at pictures). There were some 1:10 off-roaders I absolutely loved. I actually only fancied the 1:10 off roaders. Of course, having the Sand Scorcher, I rated the the Holiday Buggy and Sand Rover to be inferior, and didn't care much for them. So it was the Sand Scorcher, the Rough Rider, the Ford Ranger, the Toyota Hilux, the Blazer and the Super Champ that got most of the "drooling". A couple of years later I got a used Hilux from a friend of the family, and I still have my Scorcher and this Hilux. Over the years I have pieced together several Scorchers and Rough Riders, and I have a new built Super Champ on my shelf as well. The Blazer I have basically given up on, as the prices for the parts are astronomic. I do have a very good set of Blazer wheels and tires that is only marginally used. I bought them for the Hilux, as I thought the Hilux tires were soooo tiny. Of course, they didn't really fit, because they touched the body at the front when turning right or left. So I modified the springs to lift the whole car, but never really ran it. Already back then I was more of a "mechanic" than a "driver". But I'll keep the wheels and tires just in case something should happen one day, you'll never know.

The second of the bunch I still don't have is of course the "forgotten" SRB, the Ford Ranger. I guess that apart from the body, the only things that's different from the SS/RR are the front body post, the rollbar, the rear body post and the wheels/tires? Am I right?

I do have a nice set of Ranger wheels/tires, as well. I believe they are the early type wheels. I also have most of the parts needed to build a couple more SRB's. Not every piece, but nothing major missing. The Ranger specific parts are another matter.... They don't show up often on eBay, and when they do, they are quite expensive. I see andyaus made his own rollbar, but I don't know what he's thinking regarding the body posts. Do you hear Andy? I don't have the equipment nor the expertise to make these parts myself. With all the alu parts being made for the SS, RR and even the Champ and the 3-speeds, I find it strange that noone have remade those Ranger specific parts. Maybe they are being made, and it's just me that haven't found them? Does anyone know?

Well, enough rambling, and on to my real question

I understand that the Blackfoot bodies are mostly the same as the SRB Ranger. Does this apply to every version of the Blackfoots? Are these bodies suitable for "converting" into a SRB Ranger. I'm well used to Tamiya Putty, so filling holes and drilling new ones will be no problem. But are there any larger differences from the SRB Ranger, like on the various beetle bodies around?

I really want to fill that "gap" in my childhood nightly readings, so any help will be appreciated.

Tom

TommieG wrote:

I see andyaus made his own rollbar, but I don't know what he's thinking regarding the body posts. Do you hear Andy?

I'm not entirely sure yet but I'm pretty sure I'll be manufacturing the front 1 (unless 1 pops up @ a good price) and maybe a RR/SS rear clamp

TommieG wrote:

I understand that the Blackfoot bodies are mostly the same as the SRB Ranger. Does this apply to every version of the Blackfoots? Are these bodies suitable for "converting" into a SRB Ranger. I'm well used to Tamiya Putty, so filling holes and drilling new ones will be no problem. But are there any larger differences from the SRB Ranger, like on the various beetle bodies around?

The Super and blackfoot 3 bodies are the closest with the main shell having the right shape but the grill is different, It has only horizontal grill bars.

Thanks Andy.

This is what I've found out about the Ranger/Blackfoot body line:

1st gen Ranger has a smaller/shorter front wheel arch, clear "glass", FORD on hood & tailgate, CUSTOM F150 behind rear arches (which always makes me laugh a little as RANGER XLT was the top trim level, CUSTOM was poverty spec, but dealer upgradeable; they're all F150s)

2nd gen Ranger: "regular" front arches

Blackfoot: as 2nd gen Ranger, smoked glass, no doubt extra holes on rear bed for rollbar & antenna, opening for SRB radio switch closed, standoffs either side of rear body mount deleted

1st gen Super Blackfoot: as Blackfoot

2nd gen Super Blackfoot: as 1st gen Super Blackfoot but "FORD" deleted from front of hood, tailgate + grille changed to more generic horizontal bars, and CUSTOM F-150 missing from behind front arches

1st gen King Blackfoot: Completely different shell, horizontal bars on grille

2nd gen King Blackfoot: as 1st gen King Blackfoot but with different grille

Blackfoot Xtreme: as 2nd gen King Blackfoot

Blackfoot III: 2nd gen Super Blackfoot (i.e. "long" front wheel arches, Ford references deleted & generic horizontal grille. Some say the glass is a lighter tint than the Blackfoot.




I think it depends how "right" you want it, my opinion is the Blackfoot III body set, possibly with FORD added to the tailgate, a few holes filled in, correctly painted & decalled is correct enough for a Ranger built from bits, though it might offend a few purists.







@ Andy - Using a SRB rear body clip set (9808269) makes sense ... up until you want to take the body off - how do you get your fingers to it?

Making something functionally equivalent to the Tamiya body mounts is straightforward enough, the front post is round bar counterbored 2 different sizes at one end & a M3 tapped hole, + machined down at the other end, rear is hex bar M3 tapped one end, machined the other. (I won't offer to do it for you, if you knew how long it took to do anything on a baby Unimat you'd know why).

Thanks for that lesson, Jonny!

Are these the old deep dish or the newer shallow dish front wheels?

I think I found it myself. I think these are the newer "shallow" dish wheels