The Georgia Peach, the rebuild of my 85 ranger

Edited: 4/22/2011 5:16:27 PM by bagged85

[edit]this is a copy/paste mainly from my build thread on rangerpowersports.com, new stuff will be added as i add it there[/edit]

Ok i guess ill finally let the cat outa the bag. Im rebuilding my ranger. Ive ben unmotivated(and poor) towards working on my turd but I figure if I start a build thread ill get remotivated. The jeep is on hold for now. I was stupid, drug the truck to death and back a few to many times, the body is way past rebuildable. I cut the bed up and sent it to the crusher last fall as it was torn and drug so bad it flapped like a grannys gavina in a hurricane. in febuary 2010, I went to anderson sc, and picked up an 84 cab/frame(for free ) from stewranger, a fewllow member on SSM. im using the frame out from under it along with a yota clip i picked up from lucky_brew back in 08. I picked up a bed/tailgate/fenders from a member on RPS. Im using the cab, doors, whole int., motor/trans/rearend, and headlights/grill off of my 85. thats it. The beams were sold 2years ago and the 2 link is twisted(yes i said 2 link). Like i said i was dumb and didnt know anybetter.

on to the pics! a lil history for those who dont know my truck. what she started life as in 1985



junior year(00/01) in high school. 3/4 drop on 95 GT wheels



it got lowered 2 more inches and de flamed in spring 02. i thought i was hot ****. 5/6 drop on tsw knock offs.



After high school and bagged

fall 02 on borrowed wheels



in spring 03 on 16 in lexus gs 300 wheels



air over leaf setup with 6 inches of block and a flit kit.



i wrecked it the day after those 2 pics were taken.(summer 03)

3 months later i got this.



4 in body drop next to stock.

which turned into this

and later with the 18/20s all in its glory days...



i sold the wheels and oct. 06 was the last time i drove my truck..seriously. i makes me wana cry



now that the back story is done and the class is all on the same page, some rebuild pics!

keep in mind some of these pics are 2 years old as ive ben working to much so its a slow rebuild

ok after spending 45 min finding all that stuff, moor picz.







my friend welding on my truck.



it has a yota clip in it, but no pics as its not finished.so far i have zero dollars in the rebuild. the yota clip, cab and frame were free. the notch was left over from a friend of mines truck that got backhalfed 6 months after we put that notch in.

plans for the truck are to keep it simple. im going for the mid 90s mini truck. ya know the ones we all fell in love with. layin hard and tuckin the **** out of small rims! i will set this one up for 20s, but run 15 in probes. i also have a set of OG clear tails for it to :D it will be trad. floored also.

heres the bed i got. fenders match lol







and the yota clip. and my make shift frame table aka jack stands and a cinder block.

i plan on shrinkin the factory frame down this weekend to its in there solid.

i was gona use that peach cab, but decided it was easier to replace the rockers and cab corners on mine.

got the passenger side of the frame melted in. still got plate the bottom, add an outside fishplate and an inside guesset. dont mind the ugly welding, my small grinder took a **** so i gota go get some grinding rocks for the bigger one.

start



showin how i want it



all nice n cut



relief cut for the bend



yea thats better



the gf doin some work



as you can see i added about 4 inches to the part were i cut the factory rails



fixed the bottom gap



muuuuch stronger



top view



comparison

well by by peach cab.

dont worry, there is 1/4 plate with a 3/8 bolt holding the chain in. its not like its heavy anyways.

my gf posing



i should just bodylifted it and left it alone.



had to use a small strap the hold the front



hello bare ass frame





my gf welding on the brace for the front of the frame since i cut the horns off(gota lower them for the other cab anyways)







her showing off my mig light. yes i have a light on my welder, its the ****

well i had it all typed out and the homo who made the backspace button make the browser go back should be punched in the dick with a hammer.



finished this bitch today. 4 hours strait of bodywork.

by by rust hole



were did it go?



first coat of mud. 2nd on handle and R



ready to prime





1 good wet coat of keystones 3n1 primer





now for the 2nd coat. who woulda thought some hugger orange paint would make peach :)

i want no tubing other then xmembers, gets to jumbled and body working them SUCKS. anywho i actually DID something to it yesterday

since we were moving stuff around in the shop so dad could get both his 52 chevy trucks out( sold em) we pulled the frame outside to get his out.



the handtrucks+1x1+ chain works epic for moving the frame lol.

pulled it back in later and put it up on sawhorses upside down to finish the bottom welding



bottom of the passenger side rail









all welded up and ground down a lil





bottom of drivers side rail





now i just need to get some grinding rocks and cutting wheels so i can make the fish plates for the bottom and finish it up.



ground down ready for the fish plate



o yea.



tacked to meet the curve of the frame



ta da!



before pic of the bottom of the notch on the pass side.



the front gap got welded up, the rear got this filler plate



finito



start of boxing the lower part of the engine x member back together(i had to cut the stock one off as it was mangaled and twisted).

took the ebrake pedal out of the ranger(after it never being used after i 2 linked it in 2004 lol) some sound deadener/asbestos crap was put in this hole. hey look stock color.



tack in place ready to be formed to the frame contour.



tacked ready to weld



got this far and ran out wire. dont mine the ray charles welds.





got the probs from stewranger to

finshed welding the passenger side fish plate.



all ground downish



notch capped off



best weld of the day!

ince i didnt make allstar this weekend, i figured id spend some time in the shop :)

frame on the ground







me taking it out for a spin



motors out





cab off the original frame for the first time ever



new frame in place :)



almost ready to go to the scrap heap



ahhh feels good



ridin dirty



now its time to hang the rad support, do the frame horns set the motor, 4 link, replace rockers/cab corners, bodydrop bed then blow it apart for final weld/paint.

didnt touch it much winter of 2010, but since its ben warming up ive ben working on it more

since its starting to warm up outside, i actually worked on this turd today

found a rust hole in the firewall on the passenger side



behind the inner fender its a lil rusty to



byby



drivers side cut off



donor rad support/inner fenders from an 88 b2 i had a few years ago



detrimed



looks more like a truck :)



yota clip to rad support, adding the frame horns tomorrow!

this is why dragging is bad.



new cab corners from LMC truck



got the rad support, fenders and hood on it today. still up in the air if im gona go back to 1st front sheet metal. also, its almost ben 10 years since that hood has ben on my truck(original hood) got the frame horns tacked on to so i can start shaping the transitions from yota to ranger. then itll be time to call brian and order some bag mounts/4link. i need to get some poly urethane bushings for it, as i think the lf bushing has deflated since i had to shim it a 1/2 in to level it out.









shot a wheel up in there for ****s and giggles. dam inner fenders holding it out.

I need to lol. ok so I started theyouta frame to ranger frame horns tonight. used the plasma for the first time since we bought it on the truck lol. I love this thing. on to the pics!

Passenger side start



Side cap



All burnt in



rinse repeat on drivers side



Test fit the radiator. Gona have to notch the frame for the hose lol.



energry suspension bushings to replace the tired originals



Fitting the motor

Got it at the right height

Mmmmmmmm

Clears nicely