I am, like most people, controlled by the mighty Algorithm. No matter how strong I think my willpower is, the algorithm always seems to know just the right thing to show me in order to keep me scrolling a little bit longer. Often, what the algorithm is showing me is a 2nd or 3rd generation Ford Ranger paired with the sound of a man excitedly screaming about the truck over a Eurotrash beat.
That man is Logan Belak and he, inadvertently, created a meme that is somehow both loudly profane and quietly wholesome. This is a man who simply loves the Ford Ranger so much that the mere sight of one elicits a kind of unadulterated joy inside his being — a joy that many of us lose touch with when we become actual adults.
It’s such a pure appreciation that it’s become the digital version of infectious, launching thousands of viral memes seen by tens of millions of people across various platforms.
The Ford Fuckin’ Ranger Is Eternal
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Maybe the greatest thing about English, the writer Bill Bryson once noted, is its flexibility. You can make English your own and even our swear words can have a million meanings. The F-word, in particular, is a verb, noun, adjective, adverb, gerund, or whatever you want it to be. It can be extremely offensive or, in this case, almost reverential.
The 10 million+ viewed Instagram reel above, from 2023, was the first time I’d heard Belak’s voice. I didn’t know who he was or what I was looking at, other than the video of a third-generation Ranger towing an absolutely obscene amount of cardboard and captioned “Egend says no one knows the actual towing capacity of a ford ranger, because no one has ever found a load too heavy for one to pull!”
The truck was great, but it was the voice that captured me. Screamed over a simple beat, the lyrics were simple enough to be unforgettable:
“I know this truck,
I ain’t no stranger.
I know that truck,
that’s a Ford Fuckin’ Ranger!”
I quickly shared it with friends and moved on with my day. Sensing that perhaps the appreciation of Rangers was something I felt deep in my soul, the next time I logged into Instagram the algorythm started showing more videos. Some had the song. Others merely had the same voice exhorting other people to notice there’s a Ford Ranger doing something incredible.
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It doesn’t matter if it’s a lifted off-roader or a freakin’ Ranger dragster, they’re all Ford Fuckin’ Rangers.
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There are thousands of videos like this on Instagram, and even more probably on TikTok:
@morgan_b8 That’s A Ford Fucking Ranger! #TAFFR #Ford #Dangerranger #Gangster
The voice is usually swearing while also trying to make any Ranger owner feel great about not having the biggest truck. Here’s a compilation if you want to spend ten minutes watching Rangers being awesome:
After consuming, I don’t know, 19 million of these reels and TikToks, I decided I had to find the original voice. Who was that siren calling me to buy a Ford Fuckin’ Ranger or, at least, to take a moment to appreciate it?
Meet Logan, The Internet’s Bard Of Cheap Trucks
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“Ford Rangers are just great beater trucks, but [they] also can be great pre-runner trucks, work trucks, low rider trucks, or even just a stance truck,” Belak explained to me.
The genesis of Belak’s admiration came from a friend who would drive him home from his graveyard shift at McDonald’s. It was impossible for Belak to ignore the incredible and simple beast that was the Ranger.
Soon after, he started posting his little Ranger missives to Snapchat and then, later, to TikTok and Instagram, where they went viral.
“It feels weird but mainly because I’m not used to this much attention, especially when people see me in public and recognize me and quote me or take pictures with me. It’s like being a celebrity without the money sadly,” observes Belak. “But it also makes me feel good inside knowing I’m doing what I love and that is making people laugh.”
Some of his personal videos are a riot, including his take on the ASMR luxury car videos that gained notoriety a couple of years ago:
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Part of the fun of all of this is that Belak’s acknowledgment that these are mostly beater trucks now. They’re not brand-new six-figure Raptors. They’re just honest, as Belak knows from experience.
“I’ve owned two Rangers and the first one caught fire and [I] watched it burn in front of me, sadly. I just recently sold my 1988 Ranger XLT to pay some debt due to me being told my company is selling so [I] no longer needed my truck.”
His current stable includes a 2006 Mustang GT, a heavily modified 2014 Hyundai Equus, and another great beater truck: a 1994 Mitsubishi Mighty Max he uses for work.
One of my biggest curiosities was the song. How did such an inspired tune appear?
“The song came together from me just vibin’ at work and [I] heard a beat and threw a little Ranger jingle in the beat and it just caught on,” says Belak.
With his permission, his buddy DJ McNaughty also made his own version:
I asked if there would be a single coming to Spotify anytime soon, and Belak explained that his original version hasn’t been finalized yet. Maybe one of these days the world will get the song and music video we all deserve, although it seems like someone makes a new video with the tune every day.
My most important question, and the one on the minds of many Ranger fans on the Internet, was whether or not only the first three generations of Ranger count as Ford Fuckin’ Rangers. The new ones are now nicer, bigger, and more expensive. In some ways, the Maverick has replaced the Ranger as a low-end beater truck.
“[To] me personally, any Ranger is worth rangerin’ long as you’re enjoying your ride. That’s all that matters.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
I’ve had one Ranger or another since I got my license, both have been great trucks. Current ’02 FX4 (hence the username) I’ve had for almost 20 years and don’t think there is any reason I won’t have it for the next 20.
Used to talk with a retired Mack and Scania (former and current world’s best truck) engineer in Australia who’d had a chance to sample every small pickup including the ones we don’t get, he rated Ranger the best!
I wish I had a picture of the time I towed my Crown Vic Police Interceptor 60 miles with my buddy’s leased ‘01 Ranger. That poor truck only had the 3.0 and it struggled.
Ow!
Two thoughts have just recently watched No Time For Sargents for the thousands time this guy would fit right in. Second will we be seeing Ford Release Ford Ranger Fuckin Edition?
FFRX4
His name “pronounced Belloq!”
*His name, “it’s pronounced Belloq!”
“So once again Jones, what was briefly yours, is now mine.”
Nice catch and quote! Another great villain quote was, “you Americans are all the same, always over dressing for the wrong occasion” in the nunchuk(?) coat-hanger scene. BTW, have you ever noticed the resemblance between DT and the Gestapo actor? I loved that movie when I was a kid and it still holds up
I have had the same thought about DT as well.
Interesting.
Ford needs to:
1) Bring back the compact version of this truck. A small 4cyl and standard/extended cabs should be plenty.
2) Use this song in the marketing of said compact truck.
Yep.
Now I need to come up with an explanation of why I’m giggling at work
Latest memo from the boss?
Nah. Productivity report.
And now I want to rush out and buy a FFR.
From the time I got my driver’s license until I graduated from college, my after school/side job was delivering auto parts for the local Carquest franchise. When I first started there I was relegated to one of piles of iron oxide that were the store’s Chevy LUVs, or occasionally the owner’s unmarked Ford Courier. Eventually I worked my way up to an S-10, but the ultimate prize was one of the two first gen Rangers with the working AM radio.
That was when you knew you made it.
I remember a guy at Stan’s Car Stereo (the one on Frankfort) in Lubbock, TX 5.0 swapped his 90’s something Ranger and instantly became as respected as the kid who took his dad’s Viper out when his dad was out of town. I mean, he wasn’t crushing as much tail as Viper kid, but he’s still pretty cool. Actually, Viper kid always had some cold Bartles & James on hand, so Ranger guy wasn’t in the same galaxy of cool. Still respected by car guys though.
‘Bartles & James’ damn that’s so 80s! Forgot all about those…the girlies loved them.
I feel like any ranger can be proud to be called a Ford “F@#£” Ranger, but there is a tier list.
S-any year 2.3l/5 speed 2wd (if you want a Toyota Tacoma, but for half the money and built with union labor, here is your indestructible econotruck)
A- 2004-2011 4.0 4×4(gave up some invulnerability to gain enough power to go toe to toe with the dakotas and S10s of the world. Formidable off road, and In 5 speed form, peppy as hell and fun to drive)
B- anything else, as there are no bad rangers.
Dang, the one I owned was B-tier (XLT 3.slow, 5 spd). One-wheel peels were a breeze, though
No worries. B-tier as well. 2011 Sport, 4.0, slushbox, 2wd. Still hummin along.
Same combo but with a manual transmission, plenty of torque to speed up quickly.
Nice!
I love and hate the Ranger. One of the worst vehicles I have ever owned was a ’93 Ranger with the turd of a 3.0L V6. But I also have owned many Explorers based on the Ranger, and appreciate them whenever I see a nice one. It’s very conflicting.
I enjoyed the Bronco II much more than the Ranger.
Easier to get up on two wheels.
I miss unkillable small trucks. Ford Rangers and S-10s could take an amazing amount of abuse and still work. A simpler time with simple honest vehicles overbuilt to do a job.
Back in my parts runnin’ days, I used to pretend I was the American Takumi. White 2 door V6 (VULCAN BAYBEE) Ranger with the company logos down the side, dirt roads, and a styrofoam cup of coffee in the cup holder. If I spilled the coffee during a drift (or a box of filters went flying out of the bed), I knew I wasn’t achieving doriftoro perfection.
Noice! ::Thumbs Up::
This is the content that brings me here!
We were in Reno last year and I have never seen so many early model Rangers in a long time. They were everywhere. Our friend who lives up there said one of his neighbors has a pristine late 80’s model as well as a Mercury M-100.
I love this guy and this is a great story. He seems like a cool dude.
Good question.
As an old Ranger owner, I get his stuff pushed to me via social media and that song rattles around my head like a ball bearing in a coffee can. Glad to see someone appreciates them though. The durability of a Toyota without the Toy tax(although prices are starting to go up on clean examples).
There are three Rangers in the employee parking lot where I work and three more tooling around the grounds owned by residents.
Still popular around these parts.
(Kinda enjoy the irony of the guy now driving a Mighty Max. Poor guy’s probably grilled every time he stops.)
Holy shit, I cry laughed. This guy deserves all the good things.
This guy deserves
all the good things.another Ford Fuckin’ Ranger!!I see a little blue Ranger drive by while I’m walking the dog in the morning and that song is in my head. Every. Single. Time. And I’m always smiling that it’s there.
I am about to pickup kids from school, I was debating what to drive. Ranger! (Slams the door to avoid the door ajar chime)
Mine stopped working years ago. Unfortunately, it also took the lights left on warning with it. (Dawn commuting mistakes)
Mine its been always glitchy, the previous owner I think they took the fuse for the interior lights so they don’t come on and off every time I hit a pothole, the ding noise is a remainder how bad the roads are.
I still have a scar on my arm from replacing the door switch in a Ranger 20+ years ago and cutting my arm on the sheetmetal.
It’s the passenger door in mine you have to close with authority. All part of the Ranger experience!
Fuck the fucking Ranger, this is what we need more info on.
I feel like I’m on the internet a fair amount and this is the first I’ve heard of this meme.
But then again I only use Instagram sparingly and TikTok not at all, because I’m old.
You’re using the internet wisely.
Righttherewityabrother. The only time I see tiktoks or instagrams (or tweets or facebook posts, etc.) is when they’re featured here on the Autopian.
I am also old and I have never seen the TickTock.
Shame on you! All must partake on the brainwashing! I mean, social media is good.
This meme lives in my head rent free
I’ve owned two, an ’84 and a ’95. I tend to agree. While Toyotas of the era were eating timing chain guides, that good old Pinto motor in the Ranger just kept going. I constantly have an eye on FBM for a nice one.
While most 20-30 year old trucks end up beat to shit and in the hands of the 11th owner, sometimes you find one that has been meticulously maintained by an 80 year old dude for its entire life. That truck always seems to be a Ranger.
I helped my coworker buy one of those unicorns. 2008 with only 20,000 miles on it.
Unfortunately it’s always gold with tan interior.
Saw one fueling up next to me at a Sheetz. Looked good I told the dude he said it had 250,000 on it and he used it to haul firewood. I didn’t look at the bed.