The SkyRanger was a 1991 Ford Ranger converted into a convertible pickup, with a folding soft top behind the front seats. It was not a regular Ford factory model, and surviving accounts put the conversion run at fewer than 20 trucks, with 17 often cited. That tiny reported run makes it one of the rarest Ford-related trucks, though “the rarest” is an enthusiast claim, not an official Ford ranking.
What Was the Ford SkyRanger?
The SkyRanger began as a 1991 Ford Ranger extended-cab pickup. Its conventional roof was removed and the truck was modified to use a manual soft top that folded behind the front seats. The result was an unusual open-top compact pickup rather than a new Ford model with its own factory engineering program.
MotorTrend’s review of period advertising describes two styles: the GTS, with additional lower aerodynamic pieces, and the Elite, without the more aggressive aero treatment. The review also notes that the folding roof stowed behind the front seats rather than forming a large stack outside the cab.
One documented example was described as an extended-cab, four-wheel-drive Ranger with a 4.0-liter V6, five-speed manual transmission, and power equipment. Those are specifications for that example, not confirmed standard equipment for every SkyRanger.
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Who Built the SkyRanger?
The strongest available evidence points to Professional Auto Crafters, also referred to as Autocrafters or PAC, a short-lived customizer in Livonia, Michigan. The project was pitched to Ford but did not become a regular production model. It is more accurate to describe the SkyRanger as an outside conversion of a Ford Ranger than as a truck manufactured by Ford.
Some older accounts credit or speculate about American Sunroof Company (ASC), which built other unusual convertible vehicles. However, MotorTrend’s review of period advertising identifies Autocrafters/Professional Auto Crafters as the builder. The surviving public record is thin, so the attribution should be treated as the best-supported account rather than a complete factory record.
How Many SkyRangers Were Built?
The exact total remains unresolved. Accounts cite 14 or 17 conversions, while other reporting describes the run as fewer than 20. The number 17 is frequently repeated, but it is not a verified Ford production figure: these were outside conversions, not a Ford factory series with a confirmed production ledger.
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| Reported figure | What the evidence supports |
|---|---|
| 14 | Cited in some secondary accounts; not established as a definitive total. |
| 17 | Frequently cited, including in an account associated with a documented vehicle; not a verified Ford production record. |
| Fewer than 20 | The safest summary of the commonly reported total across surviving accounts. |
The low reported count is compelling, but it does not establish how many examples survive today. The available sources do not provide a definitive survivor count.
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Why Was the SkyRanger Never a Regular Ford Model?
The SkyRanger was a specialized conversion: an open-top version of a compact pickup, offered during the early-1990s custom-truck era. MotorTrend reports that the idea was pitched to Ford but never entered regular production. The limited audience for a convertible pickup and the cost and complexity of a specialty conversion offer a plausible explanation for why it remained a niche project, but the available evidence does not document a definitive reason from Ford.
Some accounts raise questions about structural or rollover protection, but the dossier does not identify a formal engineering or regulatory finding that ended the project. Safety concerns should not be presented as the proven cause.
Is the SkyRanger Really the Rarest Ford Truck?
Ford-Trucks calls it the rarest truck in its selected list of rare Ford trucks, citing a reported total below 20. That supports calling the SkyRanger exceptionally scarce, but it is not an audited ranking of every Ford truck, prototype, one-off, dealer conversion, or special-purpose vehicle ever made.
A careful description is that the SkyRanger is often cited as the rarest Ford truck, or is one of the rarest Ford-related trucks. Its small reported conversion run makes the claim plausible in enthusiast comparisons, but it should not be mistaken for an official Ford designation.
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The truck combines a familiar Ford Ranger base with a convertible body style rarely associated with compact pickups and a reported production run in the teens. Its unusual history and scarcity attract collectors, while its aftermarket conversion origins make documentation especially important.
Useful evidence can include period brochures or sales material, conversion photographs, VIN documentation, and records that support the truck’s conversion history. Ford-related build records or a Marti Report can help establish details about the base Ranger, but do not by themselves prove that the vehicle received the period SkyRanger conversion.
RM Sotheby’s records a 1991 Ford XLT SkyRanger Convertible Pickup, VIN 1FTCR15X6MTA03553, sold for $13,200 at the 2008 Classic Car Auction of Michigan. That is a historical auction result, not a current valuation.
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Was the SkyRanger built by Ford?
No evidence in the available sources establishes it as a Ford factory model. The SkyRanger was a Ranger-based conversion, with the strongest surviving attribution pointing to Professional Auto Crafters.
How many SkyRangers were made?
The exact number is unknown. Accounts commonly put the total below 20, and 17 is frequently cited, but it is not a verified Ford production count.
Did ASC build the SkyRanger?
Some older accounts credit or speculate about ASC, but MotorTrend’s review of period advertising points to Autocrafters/Professional Auto Crafters. The surviving record is limited, so the attribution is best stated with that caveat.
What were the SkyRanger GTS and Elite versions?
MotorTrend’s review of period advertising describes the GTS as having additional lower aero pieces and the Elite as lacking that more aggressive treatment. The available evidence does not confirm that every completed truck followed an identical specification.
How can a buyer verify a SkyRanger?
Look for period conversion evidence such as brochures, sales material, photographs, and records tied to the vehicle, alongside VIN documentation for the underlying Ranger. A Ford build record can establish base-truck details but cannot by itself prove the aftermarket conversion.
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