• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Back after a 14 year hiatus.


RustyNail

New Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Western PA
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.3
Transmission
Manual
Yes, it has been a while. The last time my Ranger saw the light of day back in 2000 it looked like this:



At the time I decided that I was going to tear it down to the frame and swap in the entire driveline from a 77 bronco. Life interrupted and it sat in my parents garage 3/4 of the way torn down for more than a decade.

I bought my parents house a few months back and have finally cleaned out the garage and got back at it. I have reversed course though and decided to go back to the original driveline as it is extremely low mileage.

I still have a long way to go though:



The driveline is in place, but I do have a few parts missing. Someone helped themselves to a few critical pieces of my old D28, most likely knowing that my intended destination for them was the scrap pile. A caliper, rotor, brake shoes, and a few pieces of hardware (spindle nuts and lower radius arm bolt) are all that is missing to get her back on the ground, and onto the next stage; paint.
 


86isuzu

TRS Member Since 2003
Supporting Member
Firefighter
EMT / Paramedic
ASE Certified Tech
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS 20th Anniversary
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
453
Reaction score
9
Points
18
Location
Eden, NY
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford Bronco II
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.9L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2"
Tire Size
31"
Welcome back! But why not upgrade the d28 while you're missing parts for it?
 

RustyNail

New Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Western PA
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.3
Transmission
Manual
I should. Mainly it's just budgetary concerns, as the paint job is going to be a pretty big expense. I can replace what's missing for $70-80 versus having to acquire a junkyard D35, regear it, and hope that it doesn't need ball joints, brakes, etc. Plus, I haven't even checked to see if the D35's knuckles take the same tie-rod ends. It's also pretty unlikely that I will be doing much off-roading in this truck. I have a 97 TJ and a 2012 JKU Rubicon for that.
 

Captain Ledd

Well-Known Member
Article Contributor
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
2,384
Reaction score
39
Points
48
Location
Michigan
Vehicle Year
1984, 1997
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
302, 2.3
Transmission
Manual
My credo
If you're not making mistakes, you're not learning.
Holy smokes I remember that Ranger from somewhere! Maybe I saw it from some loooong forgotten thread? Welcome back anyways!

Are those Jeep flares? I kinda like the paint as it is, retro as hell lol
 

Sasquatch_Ryda

Well-Known Member
Ford Technician
OTOTM Winner
Solid Axle Swap
Forum Staff - Retired
TRS Banner 2012-2015
Joined
Aug 8, 2007
Messages
7,916
Reaction score
108
Points
63
Age
36
Location
Terrace, BC, Canada
Vehicle Year
1991
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0L
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
Solid Axle Swap 4x4
Tire Size
40s
Bushwacker cut out flares
 

RustyNail

New Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Western PA
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.3
Transmission
Manual
Holy smokes I remember that Ranger from somewhere! Maybe I saw it from some loooong forgotten thread? Welcome back anyways!

Are those Jeep flares? I kinda like the paint as it is, retro as hell lol
Thanks. That was the big thing back in the 80's and early 90's... Heartbeats. Went right along with acid washed jeans, and mullets. :D

Those are bushwacker cut-outs. At the time I also had a set of 38" swampers that I ran around on, so that's where all the extra wheel well came from.
 

SOAD4.0

Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2014
Messages
47
Reaction score
9
Points
8
Vehicle Year
2004
Make / Model
Ford / Ranger
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
well... this probably won't explode.
Man that was a nice lookin truck! Kinda like that 90s paint job. How are you planning on painting it? Color/design wise that is.
 

adsm08

Senior Master Grease Monkey
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
Ford Technician
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Sep 20, 2009
Messages
34,623
Reaction score
3,613
Points
113
Location
Dillsburg PA
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
What's wrong with acid washed jeans?

I mean, I realize I have largely been living under a rock for 20 years, but what's wrong with acid washed jeans? Mullets aren't so bad either, but I can't pull one off.
 

RustyNail

New Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Western PA
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.3
Transmission
Manual
Man that was a nice lookin truck! Kinda like that 90s paint job. How are you planning on painting it? Color/design wise that is.

Thanks. I'm just going to grind that stripe off and re-shoot the truck the same color. I haven't decided on a graphics scheme, but whatever I do will be neutral and fairly subtle so that I don't wind up having to revisit it in the future.
 

Jim Oaks

Just some guy with a website
Administrator
Founder / Site Owner
Supporting Vendor
Article Contributor
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS Banner 2012-2015
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Aug 2, 2000
Messages
13,416
Reaction score
8,539
Points
113
Location
Nocona, Texas
Vehicle Year
1996 / 2021
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 / 2.3 Ecoboost
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6-inches
Tire Size
33x12.50x15
Welcome back!

All the good retro stuff is coming back. Old school is in.
 

doorgunner

Lab Rat for V.A. hospital
U.S. Military - Veteran
V8 Engine Swap
MTOTM Winner
2009 Truck of The Year
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS Banner 2012-2015
Joined
Oct 22, 2008
Messages
12,784
Reaction score
516
Points
113
Location
New Orleans (8' below sea level & sinking)
Vehicle Year
1934/1989
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
350+1
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
N/A
Total Drop
3/4
Tire Size
23570R15
My credo
JESUS Loves Ya!
It's a Time Machine!

Re-do the paint as is..........by 2016 it will be back in style again!


:headbang:
 

NarNar

New Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2014
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
Its so beautiful, like a box photo of a Tamiya model
 

RustyNail

New Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Western PA
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.3
Transmission
Manual
Keep the paint! Switch the d28 for a d35
Looks like it might come down to that.



I am missing everything on the left front corner right down to there. Those nuts are actually harder to come by than I ever imagined. I haven't been able to locate them anywhere except fastenal and they don't seem to want to sell just 5 of them. Other than that, I am probably looking at driving the old spindle studs out and replacing them with new studs that don't take an M9 X 1.25 stud.

Of course, I could spend a couple hundred on the D35 and still end up replacing ball joints, caliper, rotors, etc anyways. With a D35 I need to spend more money to put 4.56 gears in it, etc.
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Today's birthdays

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top