A flatbed is the way to go on a compact/midsize pickup, imo. Build it up vertically with stacking reels, ladder rack, vertical water tanks, underbody boxes, etc.
Get an extended cab for a little bit of weatherproof storage space behind the seats.
Here’s my Truck Norris build. It’s a Tacoma, not a Ranger (which would’ve been so much more fitting… Walker, Texas Ranger 
) but same concepts apply.
