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Ford_News
12-08-2011, 05:13 PM
Filed under: Truck (http://www.autoblog.com/category/trucks/), Work (http://www.autoblog.com/category/commercial-trucks/), Ford (http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/weborkin-ranger.jpg

The Ranger (http://www.autoblog.com/ford/ranger/) pickup has been an integral part of the Ford (http://www.autoblog.com/ford/) truck lineup for decades. But later this month, that will cease to be - at least here in the States. That's when the very last Ranger will roll off the assembly line in St. Paul, Minnesota. And what do you know, it's already found a buyer.

The last Ranger has been sold to Orkin, the pest control company that already relies on fleets of white Rangers (and Chevrolet Colorado (http://www.autoblog.com/chevrolet/colorado/) pickups) with the red diamond logo on the door and all manner of insecticides and other tools of the trade in the back.

"Since 1983, Orkin has used the Ford Ranger as its primary fleet vehicle because it's a reliable and economical truck," Paul Youngpeter, Director of Fleet for Rollins, Inc. (Orkin's parent company) tells Autoblog. "We're honored that Ford has agreed that we will get the last Ranger, and we'll put into our regular service rotation before it's retired to our corporate archives or used for training."

Orkin says they've got enough Rangers to last them for now, and that the company will pick a successor when the time comes. For our part, it seems only fitting to us that a terminated model should be used by exterminators, but one way or another, at least the final Ranger will be put to good use.Final Ford Ranger to be built mid-month, already sold to Orkin (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/08/final-ford-ranger-to-be-built-mid-month-already-sold-to-orkin/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
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03redfireGT
12-08-2011, 05:47 PM
I bought 2 new Ranger 4x4's ('87 & '99) over the years, loved both of them. Both were built @ the St Paul Assembly Plant. The '87 was black with a red interior, a 4 cyl and manual trans. It was great in the snow, and the roof would frost up from your breath when it was really cold. The '99 was a totally different vehicle. It had a headliner!, 6 cyl, auto trans. I drove the 99 everyday for 7 years.
I heard from a guy at the plant that the last Ranger is scheduled to come off the line Friday the 16th. It's too bad for all those people that work there.
Anybody been through the plant?

FLSTCI71
12-08-2011, 08:12 PM
Anybody been through the plant?

Yep, our SEMN Ford Club took a tour through the plant several years ago. It was very cool. At the end of the line, the worked fired up the brand new Ranger, looked at our group, smiled, said real loud, "Have you driven a Ford lately?" and squealed the tires as he took off. My dad got a kick out of that part.

Stilz
12-09-2011, 06:09 AM
My father-in-law worked there for 25+ years, i worked there for a year. It was a great place, with great people... Poor MN, losing one good staple in the cities.