The publishers of CAR partnered with a selection of reputable suppliers to envision and execute a purposeful Ranger bakkie build. Here is the final result!
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The brief was simple. Start off with a pedestrian-looking, previous-generation Ford Ranger 2,2 TDCi double-cab and have it looking tough within a few months. Thanks to the folks at McCarthy Novel Ford in Paarl, we sourced a then-new 2022 model a year ago with a few km on the odometer. Over the course of a year, we’ve gradually put this Ranger together. Get in touch with us at [email protected] and let us know what you think of our build. Is this look what double-cab owners in South Africa are after, or did we get it completely wrong?
No sooner had we taken delivery of the Ranger and handed the keys over, we piled into the bakkie and headed to Montague Gardens, home of vinyl application specialists Mint Wrapworks, for the first upgrade. The subsequent wrap took the Ranger from its basecoat grey finish to a flat black hue.
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Part and parcel of any decent bakkie build are a set of wheel arch extensions, grille vents, side sills, tailgate panels and tailgate wing. Road to Race Air Design kindly helped transform the Ranger into a visually beefier bakkie. We also got a nudge bar from Maxe, which is not just a cosmetic enhancement but practical as well.
With the Ranger now looking a bit under-tyred, we visited the Tiger Wheel & Tyre 4×4 Fitment Centre in Tygervalley for a new set of chunky Goodyear Wrangler all terrain tyres wrapped around aftermarket Fuel Blitz 9J 18-inch alloys. They also fitted our Ranger with a suspension lift kit for a more purposeful stance.
Related: Ford Debuts Latest NWM T1+ Ranger Bakkie for 2024 Season
As the base Ranger bakkie doesn’t come standard with the previous-generation Raptor’s sports hoop and fancy load bed cover, Tonneau King generously supplied our Ranger with a tonneau cover and roll bar.
Watch the video series of our bakkie build on CARmag.co.za and find the full article in the May 2024 issue of CAR Magazine.
