Icon Cars Turning New Ford Ranger Into Old-School F-100 Clone

Icon Cars Turning New Ford Ranger Into Old-School F-100 Clone

We can’t wait to see what the finished product looks like.

If you want a classic American pickup but don’t want to deal with the various maladies associated with old cars, you could always pay a small fortune for a restomodded example with modern underpinnings and luxuries. Or, you could fabricate old-school body panels for your new truck.

First discovered by The Drive, that’s precisely what Thailand-based mod shop Icon Cars is doing. The tuner has purchased a new Ford Ranger and is turning it into a custom truck with Ford F-100-inspired styling.

The project is still in the early stages, with the Ranger’s body covered in foam mockups of the final product. It’s certainly off to a good start with flared wheel arches, a pronounced hood, and a squared-off front end.

Based on the renderings below, Icon Cars will retain the Ranger’s doors, greenhouse, and roof. A skilled auto body mechanic could easily add retro touches to the doors to make them appear more period correct. The same can’t be said of the steeply-raked windscreen, which is entirely at odds with the vertical unit on the F-100.

Of course, the original F-100 was never available as a crew cab, so this Ranger-based project may end up looking a bit awkward. We’ll reserve judgment for when we see the finished product.

The standard wheels will make way for larger, sporty-looking items. We assume the front and rear tracks will be widened, as the Ranger looks slightly pinched in its current configuration. This will presumably improve handling while providing a more aggressive stance.

We can also see the compact old-school side mirrors replete with a chrome backing and dainty stem. This can’t be very practical (or safe, for that matter), but hopefully, Icon Cars will find a way for them to work. Lastly, sporty white racing stripes will flow over the bodywork, adding that special touch to a rather unusual build.

There’s no word on any engine or interior upgrades, but seeing this tribute powered by something like a Coyote 5.0-liter V8 would be great. A feeble diesel four-cylinder won’t suit the character of the build.

It’s delightful to see another country other than America appreciating icons such as the F-100, and we applaud Icon Cars for having the courage to do something this interesting. Somehow, it reminds us of what Japan-based Mitsuoka does, transforming humdrum hatchbacks into Jaguar lookalikes and Miatas into Corvette C2 copies.