'85 Ranger Restomod

[Jim Oaks]

Been picking at it here and there, started cleaning up the t-case skidplate to keep my t-case from damaging rocks. It hasn't been in the truck since the V8 swap because with the stubby C5 the t-case was way too far ahead and it wouldn't fit:





Have also been researching new and innovative ways to plug up die grinders:



Pretty backup lights, they never have worked. I fixed the wiring when I redid the rear wiring last year but the automatic shifter had no place for a switch.



Work on the floor continues. That piece was a PITA to fit, I think the worst is behind us now.

LOL. Been there - done that (TRS-1).

 

[Ranger850]

Congrats on the New Edition.? (coming soon) I remember freaking out because my DD was a single cab with bucket seats. but we strapped that carseat in & it didn't move for almost two years. She was my only passenger as the wife rarely has been in my truck. That's when I got my Sport Trac, and was lucky enough to not have to trade my Ranger in. ST is gone and the Ranger is still around.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

LOL. Been there - done that (TRS-1).

It ain't for the faint of heart. I can't wait until this is behind me and I can get back to mechanical stuff.

Congrats on the New Edition.? (coming soon) I remember freaking out because my DD was a single cab with bucket seats. but we strapped that carseat in & it didn't move for almost two years. She was my only passenger as the wife rarely has been in my truck. That's when I got my Sport Trac, and was lucky enough to not have to trade my Ranger in. ST is gone and the Ranger is still around.

Thanks!

Not sure how much little person is going to actually ride in the Ranger in the carseat phase. I have already heard it is a no-go because they are supposed to be in the back seat which plain and simple isn't an option. Logistically it doesn't work either, Boss usually goes to work with me and there is in no way room for a lab and a car seat in a standard cab Ranger. I remember from Bullitt nothing makes a standard cab truck feel smaller than when you have a large dog in there with you.

It is one thing that would make a new Supercrew Ranger very nice. Not really sure how well it is going to work in my Supercab F-150 but I guess I will find out.

 

[Ranger850]

It ain't for the faint of heart. I can't wait until this is behind me and I can get back to mechanical stuff.



Thanks!

Not sure how much little person is going to actually ride in the Ranger in the carseat phase. I have already heard it is a no-go because they are supposed to be in the back seat which plain and simple isn't an option. Logistically it doesn't work either, Boss usually goes to work with me and there is in no way room for a lab and a car seat in a standard cab Ranger. I remember from Bullitt nothing makes a standard cab truck feel smaller than when you have a large dog in there with you.

It is one thing that would make a new Supercrew Ranger very nice. Not really sure how well it is going to work in my Supercab F-150 but I guess I will find out.

Good Luck, all the same.

 

[adsm08]

You don't have to put them in the back seat if there isn't one. Also, that is mostly an airbag thing, which you don't have.

I will say though, when I had my oldest riding shotgun in the rear-facing car seat I could not see the mirror, or anything else out the passenger widow.

This is one thing that just has to be played by ear. If you look there will be all sorts of contradictory laws and guidelines, and all of them will assume your oldest vehicle is newer than 2005.

In PA the laws say he has to be in a boost seat until age 8, so tall, and or X weight. Then the guidelines for figuring out if he is big enough say he is OK to be out of the booster if the should strap crosses the chest and shoulder, and his legs can bend over the front of the seat with his back on the backrest.

Well in the back of the B2 he meets the guidelines since there is only a lap belt.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You don't have to put them in the back seat if there isn't one. Also, that is mostly an airbag thing, which you don't have.

I will say though, when I had my oldest riding shotgun in the rear-facing car seat I could not see the mirror, or anything else out the passenger widow.

This is one thing that just has to be played by ear. If you look there will be all sorts of contradictory laws and guidelines, and all of them will assume your oldest vehicle is newer than 2005.

In PA the laws say he has to be in a boost seat until age 8, so tall, and or X weight. Then the guidelines for figuring out if he is big enough say he is OK to be out of the booster if the should strap crosses the chest and shoulder, and his legs can bend over the front of the seat with his back on the backrest.

Well in the back of the B2 he meets the guidelines since there is only a lap belt.

Yeah, it is legal if there is no other seating option but the wife is the one who nixed that. I haven't decided if that hill is worth fighting for since honestly if I am going to wreck a vehicle with my kid I would rather it be my F-150 with him in the back seat which is safer than the front.

She is due mid November so the Ranger will be parked for the winter for the first few months anyway.

Anyway...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Cleaned it up and painted it so it can sit and cure over the holiday weekend.



I went to the JY today, found parts to fix the steering one way or another. We will see what combo of parts works out the best. Top shaft is out of my parts truck for reference.



They also had a '87 there with a 2.0. As I was marveling at its nearly complete lack of wiring I had a weird thought. Sure enough it had a nice cap to block off the hole in the firewall where the harness goes to the passenger side inside of the cab for the computer... so I grabbed that too.

 

[Shran]

Good work on the floor and congrats on the new addition! ?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Good work on the floor and congrats on the new addition! ?

Thanks!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

This stuff was fun to play with:



Carpet is installed. Very impressed with how it fit, all the knockouts for seatbelts, seat mounts and the jack stuff was dead on. Speaker mounting holes were not marked and were a PITA to find thru the carpet though.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Is that the noico?

For holes you have to cut in the carpet. Put the screw back into the hole. Then lay the carpet down. Much easier to cut around the fastener. Than to try to use a pick to find the hole.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yeah, it the Russian stuff.

I was just using a pointed screw to get thru the carpet and then using the regular blunt screw to help hold the carpet in place. Kind of trying to train it where it needs to be.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Another tip is, if the shape of the mold in the carpet is wrong. Take a heat gun. And heat up the glue on the mold. This will allow you to reshape the carpet to fit your floor pan.

Looks good though man.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It has been rolled up its box since 2011 so it is a little lumpy. Too cold to let it sit on n the sun. Thanks for the heat gun tip!

It might sit a little better after I finish cutting around the shifter too.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Interior reassembly resumed following church today. Covered a lot of ground today.





I need to find more carpet to put on the back wall behind the speakers to cover the insulation.

If you ever want to make your seat look bad... get new carpet. I wish I had $250 burning a hole in my pocket to recover my seat.



I was happy when I found base model tan windshield trim in a '85 last fall so I could replace my cracked stuff and it is hard to find. Well they changed it in '87. My cab had the longer stuff that also helps hold the lower kick panels in place. It works for now though. Also noticed the top windshield trim was missing a screw in the center above the mirror.





Looks pretty good though, almost like a new truck.



I slipped shifters back out to repaint, I have a steering shaft to make and floor mats to wash tomorrow after work.