1987 Ford Ranger XLT, Project DSW

[mhughes165]

well, figure id post some pics of this thing as im going along, more pics will come day by day, but ive come up with a name for this rig

DSW- Dollar Store Whore

i decided on this becuase this will be one hell of a capable truck that was built for under 1k....and best believe i will be beating the piss out of it every day of its life

It started life as a BONE stock 1987 Ford Ranger XLT, Auto locking hubs, elec t-case standard cab long bed.

this is what its turning into

1987 Ford Ranger DSW edition
5.5" Suspension Lift
3" body lift
D35 w/ 5.13's up front
8.8 w/ 5.13's spooled in the back
1/4" wall(yes 1/4" wall) Tube Bumpers front and rear with reciever hitches.
4.0 w/ 80k miles
Zoom performance Clutch kit
Exploder seats
38.5 Gumbo Monster Mudders
and a heavy right foot

got some starting pics
and some progress pics

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/SUNP0001-1.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/SUNP0002-1.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/SUNP0010.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/SUNP0009-1.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/SUNP0008.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/SUNP0007.jpg


the more i get done the more pics will be up

[mhughes165]

my old ranger is showin up today, will take pics when it gets here so people can see what will be going into this truck

[mhughes165]

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010038.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010039.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010040.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010041.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010042.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010043.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010044.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010045.jpg

well, the donors a little bit worse for wear, and imma need a new carb with it, but the parts are solid and this gives me a perfect foundation for everything under the longbed, and the second gen doors are going on mine aswell, SWEET, ill have speakers in the doors ****IN A

[mhughes165]

i almost forgot about a old friend in the truck :P

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010046.jpg

[94 4.0 5-spd 4wd ranger]

hey mike, Glad to see you got your old ranger back! That new one you got looks like a solid new start, i just feel bad for its fenders when you have to cut um lol. Good lucks swapping everything.:headbang:

[mhughes165]

hey mike, Glad to see you got your old ranger back! That new one you got looks like a solid new start, i just feel bad for its fenders when you have to cut um lol. Good lucks swapping everything.:headbang:

i wont have to cut the fenders on that one, imma be runnin 38.5" gumbos on it, that were on the yellow one when it was built with full fneders, and the blue one will sit slightly higher aswell....

[mhughes165]

mid front rear installation pics

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010051.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010054.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010055.jpg

[stegomon]

holly hell dude..that is awsome

[mhughes165]

ya, im just callin it a day for now, its threatinin rain, so its break time for me

[mhughes165]

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010056.jpg

thats her under her own weight up front, once the 302 is isntalled it should settle another inch or two

[pillen140]

ok, so the yeller one is the one you bought back from the pineys, right? and your putting the suspension on the new truck right? looks sweet so far.

[94 4.0 5-spd 4wd ranger]

man you really tore into that thing! Did you have to fab up your own radius arm drop brackets? looks like its comming along good.

[mhughes165]

im running standard fullsize radius arm brackets, they arent bolted in yet, gonna measure that out and plumb bob it tomorrow, then gonna finish bolting it in, imma need new front and rear shocks, as i wont get much in the way of flex with the shocks on there....there full extended sittin on level ground

and whats happenin pillen, is im movin the small block, the 4spd, and the box bronco rears/susp to the blue one


is it wrong that everytime i look at my truck i get a hardon???

[mhughes165]

for those wondering, if u plan on using the sotck radius arms from the donor vehicle like i originally did, the back bolt on the radius arm brackets will use the bottom blot hole for the original trans cross member, same as extended arms with ttb.

the front is pretty much done, just gonna have to make up my steering linkage then shell be 100% done up front, im workin on as we speak swapping the rear in for now....once i get the back in i can make the determination of what todo with those stacked blocks from the back

[88ranger2.95sp]

looks really good.. makes me jealous.

Rob

btw, i used you in my siggy.

[mhughes165]

this ****ers fightin me tooth and nail, this damn leafspring bolt is siezed up in the sleeve like a mother ****er

[mhughes165]

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1020062.jpg

well, in the end of the day i got the rear and springs out in on jumble of a mess, tomorrow mornin the new bushing goes in, and it sits on all 4's after i bolt it in (10 minute affair), expect more pics to follow, perhaps one day ill actually do a writeup for this stuff

[JohnnyU]

Stacked blocks? I mean, really?:rolleyes:

[mhughes165]

Stacked blocks? I mean, really?:rolleyes:

well, it was the piney innovation from before i got the donor, im just pulling it as is and putting it under to see how much height imma need in the back since its gonna be on a different truck, then ill adress the stacked blocks

[mhughes165]

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010065-1.jpg

[mhughes165]

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010066.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010067.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/P1010068.jpg

shes coming along now, gotta go get the damn single leafspring bushing in a bit, then motor and trans will go in tomorrow, and well see how level she sits

[mjonesjr]

Not too shabby.

I would have done the engine install BEFORE the lift.

[mhughes165]

Not too shabby.

I would have done the engine install BEFORE the lift.

ya, but its allright, my hoist will go plenty high enough, and with her sitting hire up it makes it easier for me to get under it and work on it. either way, when alls said and done it should only be a 1k build

[BlackBII]

Pretty killer, gonna be one hell of a gumbo mudd machine when done:icon_thumby:

[mhughes165]

Pretty killer, gonna be one hell of a gumbo mudd machine when done:icon_thumby:

i might not even have to gear it considerin im runnin a toploader 4spd and a geared 205 case, it did alright when it was built with a stock 205 and c4 when i did it last time

[mhughes165]

alright, was pullin the motor/trans from the old truck.......get it up in the air and turned enough so i can start to set it down that the shit goes to attack me.....cherry picker comes crashing down along with the motor and trans, i have to dive out of the way so i dont end up with a small block where my head used to be.....well motor and trans are out.....not the way i planned it and with a bit of damage....but out none the less

broke, alt bracket (post 85 sept belt setup)
broke, Top Plate for 4spd
starter ear on the block (will be repaired with some jb weld LOL)....

all in all im lucky i got good reflexes otherwise i might not have been typing this right now......never stand where if something falls it will come towards u

[mhughes165]

NP435
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
6.69 3.34 1.79 1.00

haha, those are the numbers i was lookin for, i will be able to run my 3.50 gears with 40's NO PROBLEM with the 4spd

[Boggin-B-Series]

Wow Dude Sounds like a heck of a time, Glad your ok,
cant wait to see this thing off-road too!

[mhughes165]

yesterday i picked up my wheelin tires, set of half tread 40" boggers, for only 200 :yahoo:

[mhughes165]

little up date on this summerlong project, truck was put to the back burner, all that is left is the shortening of my driveshafts, installation of the MSD box and a carb and im ready for the moment of truth, im not posting anymore pics until shes alive and wheeling.... oh ya, ill also get a pic of my 55 gallon fuel cell in the bed


and most of you probably thought i abandoned this project LOL

[metalmacguyver]

55 gallon fuel cell....... I am picturing an oil drum ratchetstrapped down in the bed of your truck....

[mhughes165]

its a DOT approved Boat Fuel Cell from a 22' Cabin Boat

[mhughes165]

shitty cell phone pic, but work is being done slowly.....

trimmed up the fender and folded the lip over and trimmed off lower front piece on damaged fender

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/2-20.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/2-21.jpg

[jaymegriffiths]

shitty cell phone pic, but work is being done slowly.....

trimmed up the fender and folded the lip over and trimmed off lower front piece on damaged fender

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/2-20.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/mhughes165/2-21.jpg

those dont look like 40's to me
lol. awesome truck love the build. sorry to rezzerect it... never checked the dates

[wrecking-crew]

holy old thread batman.