'85 Ranger Restomod

[85_Ranger4x4]

PS header is connected to the exhaust again



And PS inner fender is back in, and the vacuum canister and intake tube are attached to the top side again.



DS header is connected again also, inner fender with the ignition are back in the truck too.



And I set the radiator back its spot too.

 

[RobbieD]

You're making good progress. Looking forward to the finished result.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Nothing really for pictures but the steering stub shaft is back in, radiator is back in and coil wire is ran.

Two radiator hose clamps ran off, so I need to snag more of those before I can fill it with coolant.

 

[Blmpkn]

Europe The Final Countdown - Google Search

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Tore the garage apart looking for two hose clamps and the battery hold down bolt. Wrote it off as my lil helper hid them somewhere. Substantiated by him saying he put the clamps behind the truck but couldn't remember where exactly.

So I bought new clamps and a battery hold down kit on my way home from work.

Reset the idle adjustment screws for fun.



Pretty funny, he gets up there and declares "I need the green screwdriver" so I hand it to him and he goes to town with those poor screws. They will need reset anyway so no biggie.

Dumped 3gal of premix coolant in it, seems to be holding.

Dumped oil in it and changed the filter.

Set the battery in it, battery hold down screw was with my special extension that still had the socket locked on it from pulling the battery. Was sitting on my little 4' tall cart, so my helper didn't hide that on me after all.

I roll the engine over with no fuel just to see how it sounds, sounds ok. Go to turn the key on and there are my two hose clamps on the drivers floorboard. So he was totally innocent after all.

So anyway, I turn on the ignition... and no fire. I have power to the coil, power to the module. Tried my spare module and no dice. Kinda question my new coil wire but it was getting late and I felt like I was at a good stopping point for the night.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Pondered on my situation all day. Went home for lunch and checked my new coil wire with the ohmeter, it seems ok.

Only thing really left is the rotor right? So I snagged one on my way home from work.

Instant backfire.

Scared my helper right out of the garage. Between tears he scolded me for hurting the Ranger and ran off to his mom in the garden.

But now I got something.

So I dig into that. Pull #1 plug and roll the engine over... and sure enough the dizzy is 180* off. Turn that around and it fired right up like I had just shut it off.

Very roughly timed it by ear, let it get up to temp and idle there for awhile to seat things in.

Hoping tomorrow I can sneak it outside in the daylight and get the timing dialed in and start zeroing in the carb. If everything keeps looking good I have a bunch of tidying to do under the hood and fender trim to put back on too.

 

[sgtsandman]

You’re in trouble now! You hurt the Ranger and scared the helper! Mom is going to get you!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Got the timing set, set the idle screws on the carb, after I pulled it outside. I need to get the idle down a hair and start getting the actual tune set.

Runs better than ever so far. Exhaust note is a tad softer at idle which is interesting. Idles super smooth, lights right off when I start it, and just like I thought the bottom end is much improved. Its just right there ready to rock.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Last night (5/23):

I had my sidekick install the electrical panel cover, I started the screw and set the breakaway on the clutch to like 6 (out of 20) and let him have at it. He got a huge kick out of actually doing something.



With a couple good heat cycles on it I figured I would do a bolt check on the valve covers and headers, basically all of them could have used snugged up.



All the intake tubes and whatnot are back on.



Today (5/24)

Drove it to work. Low end power is noticeably better. Engine all around feels happier. Granted it has new plugs which is probably a lot of it but with the E7's there was basically one point (I want to say 11.5*) where it was in between wanting to ping on the highway and diesel at shutdown. That was it. Right now it is just set to 10* and I love it. Sounds much smoother and more refined, not as much popping when engine braking. Carb is a tad rich and I have a header collector leak that is getting worse the more I drive it.

Snagged a second carseat for my sidekick and he got a victory ride and he loved every minute of it. Yes that is the same kid, he got a haircut today.

[

 

[Josh B]

Are yall waiting on the green light!?

 

[racsan]

Or they are staged for a drag race!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Time to get this thing sounding more presentable so today I tackled the header collector leak. My uncle who was also in my car club for decades passed away last weekend. So our club is taking our rides to the funeral on Tuesday. So I am trying to get it somewhat decent for that.

Not sure if I just did it better this time or what but two bolts (that I reused last time) on the DS header are too long. The nuts hit the end of the threads and stop. One seemed tight and the other just spun... So I fought it apart to make a dash to town to try to snag two new ones before everybody closed... missed it by half an hour. It was so hilarious, I kinda explained we needed more parts for the truck to my helper, he goes to mom and says "we need more truck parts for our truck and we are sad again" Luckily ran into dad and he had them so we kept going... and maybe not be said anymore?



And since now I need to get shelter for our sheep I had @r-hindl71 come down from Omaha with my brother in laws and help move my bed out of the end of the chicken house and back into the barn. This time I left the side I need to play with to the outside so maybe if I get brave I can try to dabble in bodywork in my free time

 

[Blmpkn]

Sorry to hear about your uncle.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Walked by it today and remembered I hadn't put the front wheel arch trim back on. Looks terrible, you can see my rust.



So I got that put on tonight and viola, a guy gets distracted by the shiny and misses the rust.



Then I rumbled it into town at 11pm and gave it a bath.



Even set the clock and calender in the thing, all ready for our big run tomorrow (I think)

 

[Josh B]

Walked by it today and remembered I hadn't put the front wheel arch trim back on. Looks terrible, you can see my rust.



So I got that put on tonight and viola, a guy gets distracted by the shiny and misses the rust.



Then I rumbled it into town at 11pm and gave it a bath.



Even set the clock and calender in the thing, all ready for our big run tomorrow (I think)

Yall be careful out there