- Joined
- Aug 6, 2007
- Messages
- 3,872
- Reaction score
- 1,733
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Macon/Fort Valley, GA
- Vehicle Year
- 1999
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Type
- V8
- Transmission
- Automatic
- 2WD / 4WD
- 4WD
That is a "another chance", a "second chance", or maybe a "last chance". Hell it might be all three.
So my first ride was a 1984 Ranger long bed that was my dad's when I was little, before getting passed around the family. Got passed to me by my grandmother when I was 15, some time in 2000/2001. It was actually the exact vehicle I wanted and I was estatic. At the time it was silver and sitting mostly unused at my aunt's house in South GA. Dad and I brought it home and spent the next 6 months or so getting it ready to drive when I turned 16. Dad even through a little paint job on it which it didn't take me long as a new driver to mess up.
Not long before totaling it in 2009:
Bought a non running 86 Ranger short bed a year or two later that I was going to use as a host for all the good parts and stuff I'd done to my 84. Shortly thereafter I got my hands on a 98 Explorer V8 donor. Long story short I had big dreams for using EVERYTHING from the Explorer in the Ranger. I managed to completely butcher the wiring harness in the Ranger, then found rust I didn't like in the floor boards, and got in way over my head electrically. More on all of that can be found in the thread "Project "Snail's Pace": 1986 Ranger Rebuild" <you can probably tell I'm not a naming genius, fortunately I don't have kids or pets> , unfortunately most of the pictures are gone and I'm not going to try to get it straightened out. Essentially I ended up abandoning the project. Largely untouched for years, though I still have most everything. I kind of decided that my best option was to start over with a clean slate to build from, or atleast a fresh complete cab with intact wiring. Have enough going on that I never really went out searching hard, but would regularly check on the various market places.
I'm not going to get into the whole life's shit story, although I almost typed ot all out right here. Had a few hard knocks in the last 6 months or so. Not as bad as many people have had, and not the end of the world, but unexpected. Was diagnosed as diabetic just after Thanksgiving, been trying to get that under control. I was not someone that would look at and suspect diabetes, 6 ft tall, 185 lbs, did not partake in a lot of sweets and sugary items, everyone around me was as shocked as I was. Apparently it's also been affecting my eyes. I got the pleasure of starting intravitreal injections of Avastin about monthly to combat Diabetic Macular Edemia. So a few weeks ago I started getting good news about the diabetes, had dropped my A1c by 4 points with metformin and diet. They adjusted my medication slightly and now my glucose levels are pretty well staying right where they should be. I'm responding well to the Avastin treatment for the eye. A few other good things just seemed to be happening the last few weeks.
Well Tuesday I'm scrolling Facebook Marketplace and I see this ugly mug smiling at me:
"85 ford ranger for parts motor no good" - $1000
Started scrolling through the pictures and got more and more interested. My first truck was a regular cab, long bed, silver (originally) with blue interior. This truck regular cab, long bed, silver with blue interior. This is an 85 model instead of an 84, but I'm good with that. The 85 is an XLT instead of an XL, but I almost bought a set of XLT door panels on eBay last week. It's 2.3L (allegedly locked up) and automatic instead of a 2.8L manual, but I wasn't planning to use the engine and the auto controls are convenient for plans.
I mentioned that my 84 was at my Aunt's house in South GA when it was given to me. The 85 was about 2 miles from where that house was at. Since I couldn't get it home this weekend, I had it towed and its being sored at her daughter's house about 7 miles from there. Kind of like it was meant to be.
Everything just felt right, so when I confirmed that there were no major rusting issues I decided it was mine. Oh did I mention that he actually had the title for it. Don't have to deal with the aggrivation of a BOS, I've got the actual title!
Now y'all aren't here to read so here's the pictures:
Not going to be able to start working on this for a few months, and got to decide the direction I want to take.
The 84 and 86 were both was going to get lowered with suspension goodies. The 84 already had some sway bars and poly. The 86 was going to take it a few steps further with lowering, big brakes, better shocks, and better rolling stock. The 84 was eventually going to get V8 swapped (should have done it instead of rebuilding the V6), the 86 just ascellerated the plans. The 86 was also getting an Explorer 8.8 disc axle. All of those are going to happen to this one too.
The 86 was going to be a short bed for what I thought would be a better handling truck, and a more sporty look. Also had a flush fit fiberglass tonneau for the short bed. The gas tank was going to be relocated behind the rear axle with a BII tank for better weight distribution and room. The plan was to carry forward with all of that, and this truck has parts that make the tank relocation easier.
Was going to drop this cab on the short bed frame and get to building. Now I'm not sure if I want to do that or keep the long bed and dual tanks.
So my first ride was a 1984 Ranger long bed that was my dad's when I was little, before getting passed around the family. Got passed to me by my grandmother when I was 15, some time in 2000/2001. It was actually the exact vehicle I wanted and I was estatic. At the time it was silver and sitting mostly unused at my aunt's house in South GA. Dad and I brought it home and spent the next 6 months or so getting it ready to drive when I turned 16. Dad even through a little paint job on it which it didn't take me long as a new driver to mess up.
Not long before totaling it in 2009:
Bought a non running 86 Ranger short bed a year or two later that I was going to use as a host for all the good parts and stuff I'd done to my 84. Shortly thereafter I got my hands on a 98 Explorer V8 donor. Long story short I had big dreams for using EVERYTHING from the Explorer in the Ranger. I managed to completely butcher the wiring harness in the Ranger, then found rust I didn't like in the floor boards, and got in way over my head electrically. More on all of that can be found in the thread "Project "Snail's Pace": 1986 Ranger Rebuild" <you can probably tell I'm not a naming genius, fortunately I don't have kids or pets> , unfortunately most of the pictures are gone and I'm not going to try to get it straightened out. Essentially I ended up abandoning the project. Largely untouched for years, though I still have most everything. I kind of decided that my best option was to start over with a clean slate to build from, or atleast a fresh complete cab with intact wiring. Have enough going on that I never really went out searching hard, but would regularly check on the various market places.
I'm not going to get into the whole life's shit story, although I almost typed ot all out right here. Had a few hard knocks in the last 6 months or so. Not as bad as many people have had, and not the end of the world, but unexpected. Was diagnosed as diabetic just after Thanksgiving, been trying to get that under control. I was not someone that would look at and suspect diabetes, 6 ft tall, 185 lbs, did not partake in a lot of sweets and sugary items, everyone around me was as shocked as I was. Apparently it's also been affecting my eyes. I got the pleasure of starting intravitreal injections of Avastin about monthly to combat Diabetic Macular Edemia. So a few weeks ago I started getting good news about the diabetes, had dropped my A1c by 4 points with metformin and diet. They adjusted my medication slightly and now my glucose levels are pretty well staying right where they should be. I'm responding well to the Avastin treatment for the eye. A few other good things just seemed to be happening the last few weeks.
Well Tuesday I'm scrolling Facebook Marketplace and I see this ugly mug smiling at me:
"85 ford ranger for parts motor no good" - $1000
Started scrolling through the pictures and got more and more interested. My first truck was a regular cab, long bed, silver (originally) with blue interior. This truck regular cab, long bed, silver with blue interior. This is an 85 model instead of an 84, but I'm good with that. The 85 is an XLT instead of an XL, but I almost bought a set of XLT door panels on eBay last week. It's 2.3L (allegedly locked up) and automatic instead of a 2.8L manual, but I wasn't planning to use the engine and the auto controls are convenient for plans.
I mentioned that my 84 was at my Aunt's house in South GA when it was given to me. The 85 was about 2 miles from where that house was at. Since I couldn't get it home this weekend, I had it towed and its being sored at her daughter's house about 7 miles from there. Kind of like it was meant to be.
Everything just felt right, so when I confirmed that there were no major rusting issues I decided it was mine. Oh did I mention that he actually had the title for it. Don't have to deal with the aggrivation of a BOS, I've got the actual title!
Now y'all aren't here to read so here's the pictures:
Not going to be able to start working on this for a few months, and got to decide the direction I want to take.
The 84 and 86 were both was going to get lowered with suspension goodies. The 84 already had some sway bars and poly. The 86 was going to take it a few steps further with lowering, big brakes, better shocks, and better rolling stock. The 84 was eventually going to get V8 swapped (should have done it instead of rebuilding the V6), the 86 just ascellerated the plans. The 86 was also getting an Explorer 8.8 disc axle. All of those are going to happen to this one too.
The 86 was going to be a short bed for what I thought would be a better handling truck, and a more sporty look. Also had a flush fit fiberglass tonneau for the short bed. The gas tank was going to be relocated behind the rear axle with a BII tank for better weight distribution and room. The plan was to carry forward with all of that, and this truck has parts that make the tank relocation easier.
Was going to drop this cab on the short bed frame and get to building. Now I'm not sure if I want to do that or keep the long bed and dual tanks.
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