NOT YOUR EVERYDAY RANGER

There's Nothing Quite Like Going 100-plus Across the Desert in a Purpose-Built Ford Ranger

- LINDSEY FISHER

Everyone has that one vehicle that causes them to pause-that quintessential custom you can only dream of emulating in some shape or form in a future build. For off-road desert speed fans, that truck is Rob Lindsay's Ford Ranger, turned insanely custom pre-runner! And for good reason.

Rob's Ranger started off life like any other standard Ford Ranger-mildly capable, big enough to haul some stuff around, but not overly impressive when it came to, let's face it, any specifications. But, match that Ranger up with one heck of a fabricator, an unbelievable prowess for building off-road capable vehicles, four years of work on nights and weekends, and some of the best upgrades and modifications money can buy, and you've got yourself one legendary off-road truck!

A talented fabricator, Rob owns and runs RJ Fabrication out of Hesperia, California, specializing in building custom pre-runners-vehicles meant to have the suspension and clearance for off-road fun, with the style and comfort of a full race vehicle. So when it comes to one of the most well-known pre-runners in the off-road world, it should come as no surprise that it was commissioned, built, and is owned by Rob himself. Chances are if you've spent any time in the SoCal desert, you've seen, and drooled over, this very truck.

Built from the Frame Up

This being a completely purpose-built truck, everything from the chassis up was customized, starting with the frame, which started as a standard 1989 Ford frame but was then plated and boxed in the front. Out back, the frame was completely done away with and replaced with a full custom tube chassis, which runs up through the cab of the truck for added stability and passenger safety. From there, in true pre-runner style, the suspension dynamics were significantly changed, giving the truck the travel and ability to speed through the desert with little trouble.