Different Ford F-150 Ranger XLT body versions, new SRB mystery!

[DJTheo 2]

Yesterday, prepared a 2nd runner body for my Ranger runner and when I fitted it to my chassis I noticed that front tires were rubbing much earlier and easier to the fenders, put back the old body I had and no problems! Then I place the bodies on each other and get shocked! The front fenders on one are almost a cm larger, see pic! [] I thought that all SRB differences and version were long discovered, but Tamiya never fails to surprise us again. Weird nobody noticed though before. Now question is which version is older (my guess is that small fender is older as it really has clearance problems), when did the change happen and do different manuals, catalogue photos, or chassis differences to accomodate the change exist? Am especially curious about people having NIB Rangers. Please note both are blue Ranger bodies, no Blackfoot, just one is painted white.

Cheers

[Tamiya King 1]

Wow! [:S] That is weird! By the way, the new body looks good! Where did you get the Tamiya Club decals????

[DJTheo 2]

Just had a fast look at all the new built Rangers in TC and as far I could judge from the pics there are 16 with wide fender and only 7 with short fender, also all new built Blackfoots seem to have the wide one which might confirm the theory that the short one is very early and changed quickly due to much wheel rubbing.

Cheers

[DJTheo 2]

By the way, the TC Ranger manual RA-1027 shows the short fender version inside, please check your manuals, will also do the same.

Cheers

[Shodog 1835]

There are two different sets of ranger front wheels. One set has a much deeper dish than the other. It stands to reason that they would modify the arch also.

[DJTheo 2]

I know, but thought the different offset came later with the Brat and with either offset the short fender version has a big clearance problem, so its really weird...

Cheers

[Live Steam Mad 17]

Very interesting topic Theo,

My original Ranger (never been modified as far as I can tell) has deep offset front wheels (yeah I saw that topic and compared them) and wide front arches on my XLT original body shell and my original RA-1027 manual that came with it shows the short arched one. My NIB BF has the wide front arches.

Cheers,

Alistair G.

[MikeT 0]

badword, yet something else Tamiya have changed and not told us, makes me regret selling my XLT Body, i can't check now! LOL.

Mike

[richytanimal 3]

Sorry to hijack the thread but I got given (free[]) a much repaired and battered ranger shell recently, but it has some roll bars fitted, they don't look home made but I guess they must be. I'm going to repair it and use it for a runner (too much fibreglass inside to restore it properly!)

 

[loaded 4]

I was wondering if this might be a regional thing, so I just opened up an unmolested NIB 5827 from Japan and took a 58027 from RIKO (UK disty) and compared them and they are identical.  Both seem to be of the longer length.

I also compared it to a US one which came to me via the bay and is in the process of being restored and this is also the same.  It would appear the differences are not regional.  I imagine the box art may give us some clues, as the box art shows shallower wheels and shorter wheelarches (IMHO), so perhaps this was first and when they tried to consolidate mouldings for sharing parts with other cars, they adapted the Ford Ranger for sale alongside other concurrent models (like the Brat).  I would guess the box art would not change, even if they made such an adaptation, which might suggest short and shallow are the earlier types...

What do you reckon?

[DeeMiller 1]

Interesting topic!

 

Grtz Dee

[Dephcon5 2]

Could one of the shells be a blackfoot body? Sorry if its an idiots question, I dont own a Ranger. Just a thought....

[DJTheo 2]

As I wrote in my first post both are Ranger bodies and also the other new built ones in TC fall in both categories.

Seems the rarity of short onesm its rubbing problem as well the wide ones being used on Blackfoot prooves the short one is the older version. Kitbox seems to be unchanged from what i have seen till now, question is if a manual exist which shows the wide version

Also decals must have changed to fit the fender so 2 versions must exist, will check my sheets later, as I remember having some with a different brown tone.

Cheers

[Tamiya1/10 382]

Lets start a class action suit against Tamiya and for settlement, each TC members will either get free NIB of his or her choice and we all know what we want....now together 3 spd....did i mentioned nice paint job?

[Live Steam Mad 17]

>Also decals must have changed to fit the fender so 2 versions must exist

Now that's a very good point Theo. Are Chris's reproduction decals for the wider arched version like I suspect that they are?

I would also, like you, like to know about any differences in the original Tamiya decal sets for the XLT...

Cheers,

Alistair G.

[pleiku68 24]

Hi Theo...I did not really believe it till I looked at my Body kits...I have two..and like you I have one of each..but these are replacement body kits that I bought from Jason...The decales are different the narrow one has the proper decales a little shorter and the wider one has decales that fit it properly..So its the body kits as well as the kit itself...Interesting find you made Theo..Regards jerry and If I had picked the narrow body kit my rock crawler project would never have worked..The wider one has just enough clearance for the 2.2 Hawgs...

[OCD 514]

Absolutely mad!

I can't believe no one noticed this until now!

 I also find it interesting that this doesn't coincide with the

different offset front wheels.  For a moment there, I thought we

had a valid explanation as to why they ever changed the front wheels to

begin with. 

[pleiku68 24]

Two different body kits...1159 is the narrow one and 5159 is the wider one..Decales have tan and green backgounds. also..I will post a picture in my show room..If anyone can move to the post be my guest..I have never been able to post a picture here...Jerry

[TWINSET 1793]

Here ya go Jerry

[DeeMiller 1]

Well, they used the same picture on both manuals according to my judgement...

 

Grtz Dee.

[pleiku68 24]

Yes the pictures are the same on the build sheet for the body kits but the numbers in the top right cornor are different..1159 for the narrow one and 5159 for the wide one..Different stock numbers for different body kit..

[DJTheo 2]

Here are Jerrys decals, you can see the different size.

[DJTheo 2]

And here are mine, same (large) size despite different backing paper! So at least 3 decal versions exist! [] Interesting also that the green one has a copyright of 1985, 4 years after Ranger re-lrease and when it was already discontinued! []

[DJTheo 2]

Here also the short one on the body

Cheers

[DeeMiller 1]

Man, I love these misteries!

Great find!

 

Grtz Dee