So some fine person ran their truck bumper into the front end of my '97 XL Flareside, broke the head lights, header panel and grill and then drove out of the parking lot without leaving a note (of course). Question I have is whether there is a difference in fit between the Flareside and Styleside header panels. I can find panels in the right years and color for Styleside XLT but not Flareside XL.

Appreciate any help in getting this job done.

Ed

__________________
'97 Ranger Flareside 5 speed 2.3 liter
Nothing special, but very clean

Styleside and flareside refers to the bed, not the grill.

__________________

Really? Wow, that helps me tell whether the header panel and grill from a Styleside XLT will bolt right on an XL Flareside.

Obviously I should have just stated XLT and XL, but all the parts I found online refer to the XLT Styleside while the XLs are all listed as Flareside, so it seemed the terms go together, even though I thought the bed type shouldn't make any difference, but the XLT vs. XL might. I see I need to call a body shop tomorrow, I'm not getting anywhere here.

__________________
'97 Ranger Flareside 5 speed 2.3 liter
Nothing special, but very clean

He did indirectly answer your question. The truck panels are the same. A flareside bed truck has the same front end as a styleside bed truck. Don't know why they ask you what bed you have when you are dealing with the front of the truck. Even the beds are interchangeable.

__________________
2000 Ford Ranger XLT Supercab
1984 Ford Ranger 5.0, 2wd (Retired)

You asked for any help and got it, I cleared up your confusion (which doesn't seem to have gone away) on the bed type that has nothing to do with the header panel, but by all means go ahead and call a body shop.

__________________