- Joined
- Jan 10, 2008
- Messages
- 123
- Points
- 3,101
- Vehicle Year
- '90 / '84
- Transmission
- Automatic
The plans are to take a 1984 and make it into a super shortbed with 4WD, 4.0, 2nd gen dash, and what ever else pops up along the way. This is a low budget build but I still want a nice truck when done.
This is the starting point....
Picked up this for the running gear, needs an engine but it's got a 3.73 posi and is 99% rust free....
Here's the '84 frame, was going to shorten it but it had been hit in the front at some time and isn't straight....
Cab needs some rust repair. I've got new floor pans for both sides plus some other repair needed....
Here's the chassis coming out of the '91 two door Explorer. I'm going to mount the Ranger body to this....
Final pic for now, a '94 Ex giving it's engine and trans for the project, far cheaper than fixing the engine from the '91....
OK, it's been awhile but got a lot of work done before my back surgery a few weeks ago
I've got the '91 2 door Ex chassis with the '94 engine and trans mounted in. Welded in two new floor pans on the cab. Repaired the rusted out air box under the cowl with pieces cur from the Ex. Made mods to the firewall so the Ex strg column would fit. Welded in new tabs for the Ex dash to fit. Mounted the cab on the chassis, the front four mount match up, needed to build new rear cab mounts.
Test fitting the dash...
Here's the cab on the chassis, first drive out of the garage....
Next step was to shorten the bed to fit the 2 door Ex wheelbase. The difference between the '84 short bed Ranger and the '91 2 door Ex was 5.8".
Cut off the front of the bed...
Welded back together...
Drivers side, closed up the gas filler door...
Move the filler door to behind the wheel well...
This is pretty much where it's at now. Need to finish up the body work on the bed. Doing some finishing touches on the wiring. Then it's time to sand and paint
This is the starting point....
Picked up this for the running gear, needs an engine but it's got a 3.73 posi and is 99% rust free....
Here's the '84 frame, was going to shorten it but it had been hit in the front at some time and isn't straight....
Cab needs some rust repair. I've got new floor pans for both sides plus some other repair needed....
Here's the chassis coming out of the '91 two door Explorer. I'm going to mount the Ranger body to this....
Final pic for now, a '94 Ex giving it's engine and trans for the project, far cheaper than fixing the engine from the '91....
OK, it's been awhile but got a lot of work done before my back surgery a few weeks ago
I've got the '91 2 door Ex chassis with the '94 engine and trans mounted in. Welded in two new floor pans on the cab. Repaired the rusted out air box under the cowl with pieces cur from the Ex. Made mods to the firewall so the Ex strg column would fit. Welded in new tabs for the Ex dash to fit. Mounted the cab on the chassis, the front four mount match up, needed to build new rear cab mounts.
Test fitting the dash...
Here's the cab on the chassis, first drive out of the garage....
Next step was to shorten the bed to fit the 2 door Ex wheelbase. The difference between the '84 short bed Ranger and the '91 2 door Ex was 5.8".
Cut off the front of the bed...
Welded back together...
Drivers side, closed up the gas filler door...
Move the filler door to behind the wheel well...
This is pretty much where it's at now. Need to finish up the body work on the bed. Doing some finishing touches on the wiring. Then it's time to sand and paint
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