Let’s not kid ourselves; classic trucks sure look cool but such aging—and often underpowered—workhorses rarely drive well. Fortunately, Icon’s latest creation manages to combine the old-school charm of a 1970 Ford F-Series pickup with the dynamic capabilities of a modern machine, with a few contemporary comforts mixed in.
Dubbed the Ranger Reformer, this custom pickup truck was found, scrubbed clean, and then restored and modified with a host of upgrades that make it an actual performer, too. Most notably, Icon’s stuffed the Blue Oval’s modern Coyote V-8 underhood; the heart of the current Mustang GT, the 5.0-liter engine pumps out 426 horsepower and—here—mates to a four-speed automatic gearbox.
While the Ranger Reformer offers plenty of grunt for the street, Icon and CEO Jonathan Ward made sure it’s also extremely well-equipped to hit the trails—provided you’re willing to risk damage to the two-tone paint job that’s a fresh update of the truck’s original color scheme. Credit its four-wheel-drive system that includes a twin-stick transfer case, a stout Dana 44 axle up front and a Dana 60 at the rear, Fox shocks and Eibach coil springs at all four corners, and a set of chunky BFGoodrich all-terrain tires wrapped around retro-flavored 18-inch aluminum wheels.
Accompanying the truck’s modern powertrain and chassis components are now-expected convenience features such as power steering and brakes, the latter of which was designed with Brembo and incorporates big rotors and meaty calipers all around. Ensuring the Ranger Reformer’s cabin remains as cool as its looks, the classic truck also boasts an under-dash air-conditioning unit but you can also operate the hand-operated crank windows to let fresh air inside.
The Ranger Reformer is wickedly cool and offers the best of both worlds: Vintage looks with modern performance and (presumably) reliability. Although Icon has yet to share the price of this build, the company’s top-notch, unparalleled work generally comes at a cost, and there’s no doubt this “old” Ford required its new owner to write a check with six figures on it. Some folks might not understand spending that much on a 50-year-old mass-market vehicle, but good luck finding another classic pickup truck that offers the craftsmanship, style, and performance capabilities of the Ranger Reformer.
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