'85 Ranger Restomod

[Uncle Gump]

looks like you get to play around with the new to you welder... yay!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

looks like you get to play around with the new to you welder... yay!

I am thinking about dropping the grille guard off after supper and playing with the wire welder at work Saturday morning.

Single digits until at least the 13th and that kind of takes the fun out of it in an unheated garage...

 

[svtcards]

I should have started one of these a long time ago, so there is some catching up to do.

In late August 2000 for my high school vehicle, I don't remember what day it was but I got insurance for it on 9-11-00 (I remember being shocked right after 9/11 when I went to put the new card in it)

Just like this but with a black grille and an aluminum toolbox that has came and went several times since:



I joined here for the first time in 2002, when my first A4LD died. I got a parts truck for the trans and that is where I got the chrome grille.

In 2003 I made a grille guard from some salvaged steel.



In 2006 I added a 3" bodylift. In 2007 I picked up a set of 235/75-15Dunlop Mud Rovers (same size as the street tires it came with) I don't have a pic of it with the regular tires, take my word for it... it looked stupid. The front bumper bracket followed shortly thereafter.

In 2008 I picked up a much better looking set of rims at a swap meet for $75.

Later in 2009 I picked up rollbar for $20 off of craigslist



Along the way I had been gather things to replace the dying 2.8 with something that if it didn't beat 10mpg... justified it. I got sidetracked on an engine that needed a ton of work, eventually I found a good one.

Swap thread:

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61372&page=3

I finished that somewhere around March (it is in that thread somewheres)

Final specs

1987 non-HO shortblock
Weiand Stealth intake manifold
Edelbrock 1403 500 CFM carb
Duraspark ignition
Hedman 88400 headers
2" true duals with glasspacks, routed between the frame rails and coming down between the bed and frame in front of the rear bumper.
M5ODR2 5-speed and twin stick NP-205 t-case

Initially after the swap it looked like this:



Now the engine bay looks like this:



A very subtle hint that it isn't a normal Ranger, the V8 badge off of the back of a 2002+ Explorer in leu of the V6 badges that it should have had (but didn't )

While I had the interior gutted I installed the interior out of two different '93 Explorers, the console out of one and the seats out of another.

As it sits now:

Photobucket has my build thread in shambles with no easy way to fix it. I am creating albums on Flickr to get pics back out there. I bought my 302 late 2010 and worked it over that fall before installing it in early 2011. 8.8 Swap took place that summer. Explorer FEAD upgrade happened summer of 2012. Bunch of little stuff in between but that should somewhat help you get words to go with pics. I am working on getting it somewhat indexed. If all else fails PM me.

Prepping the 302 preswap (Tri-Y's didn't fit so they were not used)

https://flic.kr/s/aHsm1L5zJT

V8 Swap

https://www.flickr.com/gp/152407235@N06/7013b1

1996 Explorer 8.8 Swap

https://www.flickr.com/gp/152407235@N06/646ktj

V8 Swap (initial) - Early 2011
Instrument Cluster Restore - Late 2016
Battery Tray Swap - Early 2017
Rear Sway Bar Install - Summer 2020
Rear Bumper Build - Summer 2020

Y didn't the tri- ys fit may I ask? because of the transfer case?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Y didn't the tri- ys fit may I ask? because of the transfer case?

Yup. T-case and front driveshaft.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I am thinking about dropping the grille guard off after supper and playing with the wire welder at work Saturday morning.

Single digits until at least the 13th and that kind of takes the fun out of it in an unheated garage...

View attachment 55164

I'm right there with you... it's was snowing here pretty much all day. I think we got about 5 inches... now the deep freeze.

I bought a propane torpedo heater this year to help in the garage. I don't use it much... Just enough to take the chill off. It has a pretty healthy propane appetite.

 

[Roert42]

I'm right there with you... it's was snowing here pretty much all day. I think we got about 5 inches... now the deep freeze.

I bought a propane torpedo heater this year to help in the garage. I don't use it much... Just enough to take the chill off. It has a pretty healthy propane appetite.

It started snowing Sunday afternoon here and didn’t stop till Tuesday afternoon. Got 30”, most snow I think I’ve seen in one dump.

 

[Uncle Gump]

That's about twice what we got in about the same timeframe.

 

[sgtsandman]

I'm right there with you... it's was snowing here pretty much all day. I think we got about 5 inches... now the deep freeze.

I bought a propane torpedo heater this year to help in the garage. I don't use it much... Just enough to take the chill off. It has a pretty healthy propane appetite.

Torpedo heaters are fuel hog in general but the propane models do seem to be a bit more fuel hungry.

I break mine out as last resort if the kerosene heaters and the electric heaters in the garage can’t cut it.

 

[Roert42]

Most places around here adveraged the same as you or a little less. Seems like I was just into the center of the whole damn thing.

 

[racsan]

got snow here finally last weekend and snowing more now. was too windy to plow and when I did get the lawn tractor w/blade out it was a bit much for it. Thankfully the neighbor was out with his 3010 deere and a back blade and helped me and a few other neighbors out. I gotta get a rear blade for my allis. It’s supposed to be really cold here too next week. my ranger is in need of a starter and Ive got one but its just too cold to mess with right now, I think it’s causing my parasitic battery drain too.

 

[Shadowrider6661]

I like a propane radiant heater, they're extremely efficient. Radiant heat doesn't have to be on constantly like infrared heaters, only when you need the warmth. Infrared are the best heaters for a garage, but they are meant to be on all the time when it's cold out. Their advantage is they heat up the surfaces of everything inside the garage instead of the air. If you don't work in your garage every day, then radiant is the best choice. I'm not trying to sell you on one or the other, its a personal choice everyone has to make. Remember, this is just my opinion, and we all know what they're worth !

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

We got about an inch today but it blew like crazy.



I cuddled up to my little electric heater, pulled the grille guard and wired the new lights.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Dude... is that your driveway?

 

[MikeG]

We got some sunshine that was a real bear to shovel off the sidewalk... think it hit the low 70s today here.....

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Dude... is that your driveway?

Nope.