'85 Ranger Restomod

[85_Ranger4x4]

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

 

[jhammel85]

Awesome. I've always liked your truck. I'm hoping to swap a V8 in mine one day.

On the C5 Trans...
What is the RBV tail housing? I take it it's a C5 from a Ranger or is it some kind of adapter?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yeah, it is the back end off a Ranger/BII C5, basically allows you to bolt the Ranger/BII 1350 or 1354 to either a C4 or C5.

If you are going to do much highway driving I recommend something with an overdrive.

EDIT 1/12/20 Interesting OEM first gen part numbers for future reference:

E5ZZ-18813-A - 83-88 (maybe to 92?) Radio Antenna
E3TZ-9133-A - Fuel Cap Strap
E27B-8c020-AA, E3TZ-8213-A, E4TZ-9842528-A : Grille Oval, Hatch oval for BII
E3TZ-17A553-A : Wiper Switch W/O intermittent wipers
E3TZ-1004104-A7U : Tan Sunviser
E3TZ-1020910-ASP : Door Edge Guards (aluminum/chrome)
E3TZ-9932230-D : Bed Rail Kit, Aluminum Fence Style 7' Bed
E5TZ-9900064-A : Chrome Box Tie Downs
E3BZ-3600-AC : 83-84 Two Spoke Steering Wheel Blue (turn signal mounted horn and speed control)
E4TZ-3600-A : Same in Black
E5TZ-13341-AA : 85-88 Turn Signal Switch
E7TZ-10280A59-A : 83-92 Standard Cab Cab Corner

E3TZ-1K105-B : 83-92 (D28) Automatic Lockout Hubs, Pair
E3TZ-1028160-A : 83-88 Rear Door Post Panel (inside door area)

E3TZ-2162-A : Brake Master Cylinder Cap
E7TZ-16720-E : Black "Ranger" fender emblems, 83-88 Font
E3TZ-1010128-B : 83-?? Standard Cab Passenger Side Cab Rocker Panel
E8TZ-16450-A : Aluminum Running Board Kit (6' Long)
E8TZ-14527-A : 85-92 Drivers Side Power Window/Lock Control Bezel, Red
E5TZ-8592-H : 83-85 2.8 Upper Thermostat Housing Water Outlet w/ Gasket
E3TZ-10887-A : 83-88 Gauge Cluster Lens (1)
E5TZ-1021813-A : 85-88 Drivers Side Door Latch
E3TZ-16796-A : 83-88 Ranger/BII Hood Hinges (pair)
E5TZ-14529-A : 85-92 Passenger Side Power Window Switch
E7TZ-14521-A : Power Window/Lock Gasket
E5TZ-1130-D : 83-88 Red Wheel Center Cap
E3TZ-1137-A : 83-88 Red Center Cap Applique
E3TZ-9943400-G : 83-92 Tailgate Latch Handle, Black
E6TZ-5084-A : 86-97 Cab Mount Bracket (Extended Cab?
E3TZ-17618-A : 83-88 Washer/Overflow Jug
E2TZ-1021984-E : 83-85 Door Lock, Black (both sides)
E7TZ-16612-A : 83-88 Ranger Bronco II Hood (yes the whole big hood)
E6TZ-1021999-A : 83-88 Door Lock Grommets
E7TZ-10718-A : Black Plastic Battery Hold Down
E9TZ-13405-A : 83-92 Left Tail Lamp Housing
E43Z-19986-A : Blower Motor/A-C Switch Assembly
E0AE-9C915-A2A : Carburetor Bowl Vent Solenoid
E3TZ-1061748-A : 83-92 Bucket Seat Track Cover
E3TZ-13200-A : Amber Turn Signal Lens RH
E3TZ-14413-A : 83-88 Glove Box Lamp, Switch and Wiring Kit
E3TZ-8150-C : Chrome/Argent 83-88 Grille
E8TZ-15200-C : 88-90 Marchal Driving Light Kit (with wiring, switch and relay)
E8TZ-10044D70-D : 86-88 Brushed Silver Dash Bezel (Big Single Information Center, Single DIN Radio)
E8TZ-10044D70-E : 86-88 Woodgrain Dash Bezel (Big Single Information Center, Single DIN Radio
F0TZ-14401-D : Under Dash Harness 1990 Ranger or Bronco II without cruise control, without power windows or locks, and with manual hub locks (models produced before 2-1-1990)
F2TZ-14290-F : dash panel to headlight junction wiring harness for a 1992 Ranger with a 2.9L 6 cylinder motor but without "power group"
E9TZ-14401-D : under dash wiring harness for a 1989 Ranger or Bronco II with a 4 or 6 cylinder motor with cruise control (specific to these vehicles and year). It also specifies "without electric shift, without rear window wiper, without premium sound, and without power windows/locks".
F2TZ-14290-B : under hood wiring harness for a 1992 Ranger with a 3.0L motor and without power group
E9TZ-14401-H : under dash wiring harness for a 1989 Ranger or Bronco II 4x4 with electric shift but without premium sound and without cruise control.
F0TZ-14401-E : under dash wiring harness for a 1990 Ranger without cruise control but with electric shift and auto hub locks, or a 1990 Bronco II without cruise control
F2TZ-14401-N : under dash wiring harness for a 1992 Ranger 4x4 with electric transfer case, auto hub locks, with power windows, and power door locks
F2TZ-14290-A : dash to headlight junction wiring harness for a 1992 Ranger with a 2.3L 4 cylinder motor
E3TZ-15k233-A : Foglight cover. Shows "Ranger" in first gen font in parts book. Subs to E9TZ-15k233-A with a Ford oval
For the above light kit:
Ranger Fog Lights; similar to other '75-91 Ford trucks.
'80-86 Bronco/F Fog Lights
D9ZZ-15K233-A Lens Cover
D9ZZ-13466-A Bulb
EOTZ-15237-B Socket & Wire
EOTZ-15A245-A Bezel
EOTZ-15200-A Fog Lamp Assembly
EOTZ-15L203-A Lens
E4TZ-15200A : Foglight Kit

E8TZ-15200-C : 88-92 Fog Light Kit

 

[4.0B2]

looks good. subscribed!

 

[Viva*the*Ranger]

Sweet! I love the rig man, good work!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Well, since the dust has kinda settled on some family issues and the weather supposedly cooled of a little (I didn't notice a big difference) I got started on my spring swap.

Brake caliper and shock removed from the suspension...

Suspension sagged and I could finally get a wrench on the infamous nut. Much to my dismay (and I knew somehow it would give me a problem) the whole dang thing unscrewed from whatever it screwed into.

Sooo tomorrow I have to see what that is about and loosen the swaybar so I can get more drop and get the spring out.

 

[Rangerman4158]

nice truck you got there looks good

 

[Viva*the*Ranger]

Well, luckily it just threads in to the beam from there, and there is a hex on the bottom that you can put a wrench on to extract the nut on the top. They can be a real bitc# once they're rusted on like that. I suggest using some creeper oil, and heating it up with a torch. It should come off fine. I would also get new bolts/nuts for it, or wire wheel the crap out of the old ones.

You also might have to disconnect the radius arm to drop the beam down far enough to access the hex on the bottom.... Maybe not though.

-Denny

 

[dangerranger83]

I would love to do a v8 swap to mine like yours but I would want a manual tranny though, along with a manual tansfercase.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I can wiggle the beam and see the spring pull away slightly from the bucket, so I am pretty close that way. I think if I get the swaybar off I can get that extra half an inch. If I have to remove the RA it wouldn't hurt my feel bads too much anyway because after this I have to change the RA bushings. With the stud removed I don't have the extra length of that to deal with.

When I get the the stud out, hopefully I can get it apart and bead blast it... and then never seize it. As it is, the retainer is a awesome funnel to surround the nut in crap and never let said crap leave.

I would love to do a v8 swap to mine like yours but I would want a manual tranny though, along with a manual tansfercase.

It came with the manual t-case and hubs, and I serously pondered a 5 speed. But the C5 came by at a decent price all set and ready to go so I jumped on it. Getting one, converting the truck, finding a fullsize t-case that fits both the transmission and the truck and getting the driveshafts to work would have really complicated things. Using factory stuff and having the driveshaft length altered was pretty simple. If the truck had originally been a manual I would have stayed with one. OD would be nice, but since it will never be the long distance cruiser than my F-150 is anyway... it works fine.

 

[dangerranger83]

If your upgrading the rear, you should do the front next.

So theres no way to adapt a ranger transfercase to a full size tranny for those...???

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If your upgrading the rear, you should do the front next.

So theres no way to adapt a ranger transfercase to a full size tranny for those...???

I will upgrade the front eventually, but I am trying to get it more drivable for the moment. I gotta tire that has a really nasty shake above 45mph (actually the one that is off right now) and with the current spring sag I can't fit the 31's I have sitting in the shed. It also horribly needs aligned. I am wanting to get this thing drivable so I can get some rust fixed on my F-150 before winter.

Everything I am doing now (4.0 Explorer springs and RA bushings) will carry over to a D35 so I am not out much there.

You can get adaptors, they are major $$ to run a weaker t-case IMO. Yeah the stock t-cases will take a mild V8 (like mine) but why spend several hundred bucks ($3-400 IIRC) to keep one?

I considered a manual for the OD, I am not a die hard manual guy. It just kinda came down to what I found first and for how good of a deal I thought it was. It might get something different down the line, but the C5 made for a quicker turn around doing the swap and works great for now. It wouldn't be that hard to go back in and switch out tranny's if I wanted to.

Edit:

http://www.advanceadapters.com/search_results.php?keywords=ranger

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Went back into battle tonight. Hit the sway bar mount with the impact, tapped it out with a hammer and punch (that will be fun to get hooked back up) The beam dropped enough to get the spring out. I tried a breaker bar and a big box end wrench and can not get it the nut off, took it to the shop to try a deepwell socket and a impact but because of the cone of the bottom washer a deepwell impact socket won't engage on it. Going to have the guys take a look at it tomorrow.

Comparing new to old, the old looks longer but the new has thicker wire.

BTW my camera was still fogged up 1/2 hour after I went out of the house... gotta love humidity.

And in referance to my family issues I mentioned earlier, this finally came in for my brother.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

What changed in that stud from '85 to '86?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

We attacked it over lunch.

I bead blasted the threads it had left to go, let it soak a little while with penetrating oil. Then dad held the stud up in there with a prybar and had a box end wrench on the nut, and I rattled on the stud with a impact, slowly it came and then once it was on the clean threads it came right off.

The threads look perfect once cleaned, with no torch used to compromise any temper the stud had I am going to go back together with it.