'85 Ranger Restomod

[85_Ranger4x4]

I am a big fan of the test fit.. whenever possible

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I almost shorted out my shop teacher in high school once with "Yeah, I cut it twice and it's still too short"

 

[scotts90ranger]

It used to be like $5 for a 10' chunk of 3/8" threaded rod (in the electrical section of home depot and lowes by the steel conduit, most workers don't know they have it) but it's up to like $12, I use that stuff for all sorts of low load situations...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It used to be like $5 for a 10' chunk of 3/8" threaded rod (in the electrical section of home depot and lowes by the steel conduit, most workers don't know they have it) but it's up to like $12, I use that stuff for all sorts of low load situations...

That was option 3 after TSC and Ace.

It is about an hour each way though.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Grille gaurd is now boltless.



Also had to disassemble my old tombstone Cobra mic, the screw backed out and the hanger thimble fell off. Kind of a fun little fiddly project.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Bent up the brackets a couple days ago.



Reset up my rig and got to work.







Then a guy gets to wondering how it will look with the brush guards on it...



And then a guy's tiny assistant wants to see it with his beloved winch...

 

[Jim Oaks]

Looks good!!

 

[ericbphoto]

All assembled, it looks perfect. Love it.

 

[Terrys87]

Looks great, all in one small package. Been slowly going through your build. You have been at it for a while. Great job!!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Looks great, all in one small package. Been slowly going through your build. You have been at it for a while. Great job!!

24 years this year, I built the grille guard I am replacing around 2002...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Bottom mounts are drilled, trimmed and ready to weld



Welded on both sides.



I already pulled the brush guards off a couple nights ago since they have to come off so I can paint it anyway.



Pulled the grille guard back off, threw paint on the tabs and brackets. Had plenty of help...

 

[RobbieD]

With the looks of that crew, I'm glad that the cat is supervising.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

My tailgate has been something of a POS since I got the truck, I just kind of put up with it. One mounting hole for one latch was ripped out of the tailgate body so getting it open and closed was always kind of janky. It is also mashed in pretty bad at the bottom which complicates controlling dust in the rear of the truck both in its normal daily routine running limestone gravel roads in Iowa and whever it ends up as a Vagabond rig (with me sleeping in the back)

I cleaned this out before the TRS Roundup last year and with the truck largely sitting most of the winter.



Having this irregular lower gap complicates sealing dust, plus with really only one cable holding the tailgate up is a recipe for disaster.



So I sprung for new clips and reassembled my JY tailgate.



Holy cow, it is freaky to have a civilized opening/closing tailgate!



Kinda mixed on getting F O R D letters, without the embossed letters they will be a PITA to install and with the spare tire swingout closed you can only see the O anyway. And the swingout also helps distract from the mix matched tailgate too.

 

[sgtsandman]

The pink ribbons are a nice touch.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The pink ribbons are a nice touch.

One is pink, one is actually orange for Leukemia.

Anyway, tapped the bolt holes I used to clamp it together to screw bolts into them to plug the holes.



Threw some paint at it.





I couldn't help myself, after all the storms I put it back on tonight.





I still need to get the cables routed and hooked up for the winch and I want to get a little more age on the paint before I clamp on the mounts for the Daylighters.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Rough week, last night I did something fun to bring in the weekend and got the Daylighters back on.