Will a 87 ford ranger transmission fit into 96 Mazda b2300?

No, a 1987 Ford Ranger transmission will almost certainly not fit a 1996 Mazda B2300. While the vehicles share some platform history, the transmissions used changed significantly over that time period, and the later Mazda B-series trucks are quite different from the earlier Ford Rangers. Even if the bolt patterns *seem* similar, there are likely to be significant differences in the bellhousing (the part that connects to the engine), input shaft dimensions, and other critical aspects. Trying to force a mismatch could result in serious damage.