$350,000 Big-Block Ford Ranger Prerunner: From Free Truck to Full Build

It started as a free old Ford Ranger handed over at a family dinner. Four and a half years later, Rob had turned it into a $350,000 street-legal big-block prerunner, and Autotopia LA got the full walkaround.

Featured in “$350,000 Big Block Ford Ranger Luxury Pre-Runner Throwing Down & Going Airborn!” by Autotopia LA.

Only portions of the cab and a section of the frame survive from the original truck. Everything else Rob and his team designed and fabricated themselves, making this his first hardcore off-road build. Under the hood sits an old-school Mark IV iron big block Chevy, not the LS many assume, and despite the truck’s hefty 6,200-pound weight, it puts down strong numbers on both engine and chassis dynos.

The suspension is fully custom, running Fox shocks with 20 inches of front travel and 28 inches in the rear. Axles are made from 300M for durability, and braking comes from Wilwood six-piston calipers on 14-inch rotors. Rob added custom headers, a high-grade exhaust, and a titanium color coating for the off-road look.

Build highlights

• Platform: old Ford Ranger (retains only part of cab and frame), street legal
• Engine: Mark IV iron big block Chevy
• Suspension: Fox shocks, 20 in. front / 28 in. rear travel
• Brakes/axles: Wilwood six-piston calipers, 14-inch rotors, 300M axles
• Interior: Corbeau Baja XP seats, aluminum dash, Lizard Skin lining, roll cage
• Electronics: Racepak, smart wire PDM, iPad interface, drag shifter

Inside, a proper roll cage was fitted by removing and reattaching the roof, wrapped around Corbeau Baja XP seats, an aluminum dash, a snap-in carpet system, and Lizard Skin lining for sound and heat. A Racepak system, smart-wire PDM, and iPad interface handle the electronics, while a drag-style sequential shifter rounds out a build that’s as much about luxury and tech as raw capability.