Understood, we'll see how it goes, I have found plenty of decent used ones for similar $, none have the low mileage this one does so I'll try to stick with it if possible .

Interestingly a buddy who lives in Oregon found me a 2002 Mazada B2300 in the same specifications, better paint and also one owner, the bed looks new but it has jut over 200,000 miles, a fall back maybe .

I had no idea Mazda still sold pickup trucks .

My insurance guys office was closed when I went by Saturday so I'll go by there again to -morrow and drop off paperwork, see what turns .

I appreciate all the helpful support you guys are giving me .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

I don't know if they do sell them now but they did then. They are identical to the fords but have a little more bling...aluminum wheels and a bigger chrome grill. I think they are a little better looking too.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Yeah the Mazda is a rebadged Ranger. If it’s been driven easily and maintained well, 200k is not too many miles on a modern injected engine with frequent oil changes and other maintenance also kept up.

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Many are not aware that Ford bought Mazda in 1967 .

I remember the first generation of Ford Courier / Mazda whatever they called it in.....1971 (?) .

I drove a mustard yellow Courier for a year or so in Commercial Service, it took all the thrashing I gave it and never complained .

The Mazda B2300 my buddy sent me a link for, it clearly a re badged truck, only the radio looks different .

My insurance agent looked at the other guys insurance this morning and said "this ins't right ~ he only has collision and medical coverage for him self ~ not for anyone he hits" .

We spent close to an hour on hold (more like FORGET) with infinity insurance co and my guy finally said, you go on, I have work to do and will let you know what we discover, it's ILLEGAL to write a policy like this so maybe it's a mistake, if no coverage we'll go for a uninsured driver claim with my insurance....

I told him I want them to inspect it A.S.A.P. (their boilerplate said they'd want to) because I'm disabled and sliding across the seat from the passenger's side is painful as well as difficult and I need to use the rig so I want to get started up fixing it soon .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

That’s just rotten. Is there anything you could put in the seat that would make it easier to slide across.

I hope they get off their bottom and do something quick. This just isn’t right.

I didn’t know the Mazda purchase was that far back. The Mazda connection shows up sometimes. My 2000 F150 4x4 manual, has a Mazda transmission. It is a rare V8 and the transmission isn’t real sturdy. I understand it works out well behind a V6, but is too weak for the eight. I am nursing the 2-3 synchronizer.

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Synthetic oil is what you want along with small rare earth magnets on both fill and drain plugs .

Don't let the mound of SWARF scare you after the first 3,000 mile tranny oil change .


Then annually regardless of miles accumulated .

Fully synthetic oils are great because they pretty much stop wear wherever the item is in it's wear cycle ~ I have a 1969 Honda CM91 90CC Motocycle that has 40,000 miles on it, I've put most of those miles on it with only synthetic oils, always hot changed every 1,000 miles and clean out the centrifugal oil filter .

It's so loosey-goosey it's amazing but it's a one kick starter and once in top gear I can run it WFO all day.... I've ridden it from California to Beatty, Nevada and back again, never missed abeat and used less than a cup of oil .

I'm going to ass-U-me you're old enough to understand double clutching.....

The insurance thing, I don't think it can be rushed .

I'd already have the rig in being fixed (this is the slow time of year in the Auto Trade) but my insurance guy said nix ~ if I fix it before giving them a chance to inspect it they might use that as some sort of excuse to deny my claim....

1967 was a pivotal year in many places, VW bought moribund Audi then too .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Extensive Ford diagnostic software available for free download. Forscan. I've heard awesome things about it.

Good luck with the Ranger, never should have quit making that vehicle.

Saw a full size truck painted at MAACO for cheap money, $1200. Looked good. Law requires a three year warranty here on paint work.

Maaco is here to and the paint and prep quality are all over the map, this is normal for any high volume production paint shop ans the average budget minded Customer won't care about the door jambs and core support having terrible over spray .

Me, I go nuts over that and will sell off a vehicle if it comes back with over spray on the VIN & info tags etc...

I know one shop in the San Fernando Valley that does decent works for how little they charge , they do movie cars, used cars and so on, I used them for the car we gave as a high school graduation present to one of our Foster boys a few years ago .

Some orange peel but it looked nice .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

1.6.20

So ;

The B.S. insurance co. the other guys used sent me a latter denying coverage / claim, my ins. co. (Mid -Century / Farmers) says to take the truck in to a sgop and get an estimate, if approved I can leave it there to - day and they'll begin the repairs .

I hope they'll allow me to pay out of pocket to have the rest of the truck re sprayed .

Stay tuned .

(It still runs and drives *perfectly*) .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

You just have to love insurance companies. What happens in a case like yours? Your company pays and chases the other parties insurance company? For recovery.

We had a little Datsun type truck here that took a broadside hit years ago. An adjuster for the other persons insurance company showed up. They wanted to give a cheque for the dent in the door.

I had to ask him if he was serious. Anyone could see the door post is out of place. That adjuster was an out and out crook.

No, I don't .

Mine is trying to help me, I took the truck by their contract shop to day and the adjuster was snooty and didn't want to write an estimate, wanted to give me a total write off note and good luck Charlie....."it's too old" .

I tried talking to him explaining that it may well be 18 years old but it's in tip top shape, collision free until now, only 117,000 miles and clean as a whistle, I said I plan to pay out of pocket to have the rest of it re sprayed and his eyes bugged out and he said "re paints here are $10,000.00" (?! WTH ?!) .

So, I let him take photos and he'll write up an estimate, I hope he doesn't recommend totaling it, I'll just take it to the other place I already found and hope I can afford a total re paint .

Part of taking the photos involved him forcing the bent door open, it turns out the rocker panel and door jamb were forced up a bit so I can in fact open and close it, it just takes one hell of a push either way .

No more sliding across the seat from the passenger side, whew .

I'm surprised and pleased how much I'm enjoying driving this little rig with it's manual gear box .

I have two broken knees, broken back and fused neck from my Motocycle injuries , endless pain yet I'm enjoying this little red truck immensely .

I hope I can git it fixed one way or t'other .

We'll see .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Good luck!

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Glad things have started moving in the good direction for a change.

Hang tough!

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

O.K., Saturday I washed and waxed the non damaged parts of the truck, the paint fairly pops now, I don't know if they'll color match it or just used the factory E4 paint code , in any case I wanted to deliver the body shop a clean and nice looking, well cared for rig ~ so many leave their vehicles filthy when they drop them for service and then wonder why the Mechanics do sloppy works....

Monday morning I dropped it off at the body shop with the junkyard same color spare door, a different adjuster was there this time, he took a moment to look it over and said ' this is in really good shape for so old' and he made some notes on the intake paper works to ensure the hood and cab roof get re sprayed .

He noticed a little trim piece gone missing off the top right side of the cab and asked if I could supply one, yes indeedy, I know right where one is, I forgot to grab it the last time out when I bought the door at the junkyard .

I also forgot to buy the black plastic door sill strip that's broken, I was going to go chase those parts down plus a factory CD player I spotted in another junker they just got in this morning .

Sadly it began to rain before the buttcrack of dawn so I'm not going to - day as I'd planned .

Hopefully Friday, my Sweet has plans for me .

I have my fingers crossed it'll come out well .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Sounds really good Nate!

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.