Wannabe Baja Racer RR

[rocsteady]

After realizing that my plans for a part time track day Shelby GT350 were just not financially wise, and actually coming to grips with that, I made the move yesterday and traded the aforementioned Shelby and a Colorado ZR2 for a 2024 Ranger Raptor. After initially being smutten (that's like "smitten," only dirtier) with the chili pepper red, I decided on option 2, the carbonized gray. Time became an issue and this one arrived at nearly exactly the right time at my local dealership, so rather than tempt fate, I made the deal.
I had always called the Shelby the "Wannabe Racer" as the plan was to do a couple open track events a year as I had done with some older M3s years ago. It was all coming together nicely until I realized that I was, and would be, throwing way too much money at that hobby. So now the RR will be the wannabe baja racer as well as my daily driver. Only put about 50 miles on it, driving after purchase last night so I don't have any great insight other than it rides a lot better than my 2021 Colorado. Was too busy watching for deer to see how to work much of anything. I did, however, find the button to get the exhaust to "baja" mode and enjoyed that. It will never be mistaken for the Shelby's, but the exhaust sounds pretty good for a V6 I think.
This won't be a "build" thread as much as a way to document little things here and there and hopefully some fun snow/dirt wannabe baja experiences around the state parks here in NJ/PA/NY.

Sponsored

 

[markal49]

Enjoy. The more posts like this I see the more I want a Raptor!

 

[rocsteady]

Enjoy. The more posts like this I see the more I want a Raptor!

I drove it a bit today as I was off work and it was snowing a bit. Nothing stuck but still had a blast playing around with this truck. It's like trophy truck meets rally car. Buzzing around in sport mode, it blips the throttle on downshifts and just generally acts like it wants you to find some dirt roads and act like a hoonigan.

 

[rocsteady]

I'm like a little kid, rooting for the snow to dump down and cover everything so I can go hooning around before the plows catch up.

 

[bka0721]

You saved yourself, and family, a lot of money selling the Shelby. Ask me how I know!

Enjoy that new Raptor!

Hint, to save money on your new Raptor, stop reading the posts in this forum right now!

picture, me racing one of my Shelby race cars vintage racing at Texas World Raceway, College Station TX.

 

[rocsteady]

Went out last night after the roads got covered. It was a blast once I got the traction control switched off.

 

[rocsteady]

Big "mod" today, organizer tray for the center console:

 

[rocsteady]

Also did some crawling around underneath after quick wash off to try to get most of the snow/salt remnants from this week. Cleaned off the beautiful Fox shocks and checked out the crazy exhaust. Didn't do a very good job spraying off the road grime crap it appears:

 

[rocsteady]

And appear to have the obligatory rusted driveshaft. Thinking maybe I'll sand it down and coat/spray with "Steelit"?

 

[rocsteady]

Shame the Fox shocks are really not visible unless you're crawling around underneath:

 

[rocsteady]

Only "flaw" I've found so far was when I was washing the truck, leaned on the passenger side front fender and it moved a bit. Opened the hood to find a bolt missing. Pop disappeared into the garage and a few minutes later came out with a container of bolts. My first try was off but his was not only the right size, but the right thread too. Man's good. So it's blue, but it fits. Here's the "before" missing the bolt:

 

[rocsteady]

Had a little idle time so used a tiny bit of the orange vinyl that I'm going to use to dress up the "factory" bedside graphics, when they arrive. I like the side, not sure about the hood yet. I'll see it in the daylight tomorrow. I think I curved it toward the center a touch too early, left some of the countour line exposed.

 

[rocsteady]

Quick photo outside of a friend's place today.

 

[rocsteady]

Had Line-X bedliner done today. Guy said you could use it almost immediately after, walk on within 15 minutes. Feel so much better now to put anything in the bed.

 

[bka0721]

I have Line-X bedliner in all of my trucks, most recently the wife's new F-150. Since there was no advantage of trading my wife's 2020 Ford Ranger Lariat in with her SnugTop topper installed, we took it off and installed in on my Ranger XLT. The only issue it was white, and my Ranger is silver. I looked at painting/wrapping and they all were estimated higher than just Line-X the topper Black. Turned out perfect.

Sponsored