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Eating peanuts, or multiplying Ranger rabbits...


Rick W

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Age
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Location
Atlanta
Vehicle Year
1997 1987
Make / Model
Ranger XLT x2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 & 2.9
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
97 stock, 3” on 87
Total Drop
N/A
Tire Size
235/75-15
My credo
Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely
Snow White came to see Mickey to console him. But when she got to him, he wasn’t in tears, he was angry. She said to him “oh Mickey! I heard that Mini was sleeping with Donald Duck. But please, don’t be mad, don’t do anything foolish!” At first Mickey looked at her with a look of confusion. Then he laughed, and belted out “I never said she was sleeping with Donald Duck,
I said she was fu**n’ Goofy!!!”

Ok, maybe I’m goofy too with the Rick’s Ranger Rig tractor trailer project.

Recap: besides my 87 4WD Rick-storation project, I bought another complete 87 2WD, complete except for the engine and trans, for parts. I bought the 93 2.3L for the seats and wheels and a couple other parts for that project, thinking it wasn’t running.

After I realized it was running fine except fo bleeding the clutch, it became the base for my 6X2+4 project.

I also bought 3 HF trailers, an old welding trailer, an old weird Dirt Bike Trailer, and another heavier 5 x 6 utility trailer made on an old double JetSki frame, and I bought two extra 87 6’ beds and one 87 7’ bed, all to make matching trailers for the 87 and my 96 F250 Diesel 4WD. Oh, and a couple camper tops and a pile of ranger tires and rims. All craigslist stuff, I spent very little money.

Writing about it all here has been a great help for me to figure out some of the details of how I will do these projects, and it has also brought down the wrath of the gods who are a little disillusioned about my design, implementation and sanity in general!

Well, it’s become like eating peanuts - after one you just can’t stop! Or maybe these rangers multiply like rabbits all on their own...

A couple days ago I picked up a 97 extended cab short bed 2WD 5-speed with the 4.0 V6 engine in it. Again, very little money. The reason I jumped on it is because, even though it has high mileage (310,000 miles), it is a one-owner truck that has been well cared for. The father had it since new, and when he passed away, the son has been driving it for about a year, but he is not mechanically inclined and it needs “tinkering.”

It’s what a mechanic hobbyist looks for. The body is mostly straight and rust free. All of the interior panels are very good condition, no tears no cracks, etc. Its all original inside, with just a little bit of wear on the driver seat. All of the original tools, etc. are there. The 4.0 purrs like a kitten, the clutch is good, and the trans shifts and runs fine. He had all the receipts from new, including receipts for ninety-seven oil changes! Aside from being a little muddy, I’m pretty sure the son did that, it runs out really good. The only things I didn’t like, that are easy to address, is that it has the right/left braking, and the front end is a little loose. If you’re not familiar with right/left braking, that’s when you step on the brakes and sometimes it pulls left and you step on the brakes and sometimes it pulls right!

If you remember my other thread about the 93 dually project, I have given up on making anything dually, but I will use this 97 4.0L truck and proceed with Rick’s Ranger Rig. That’s good and bad for a few reasons.

If you remember the 93 thread, RobbieD needed a 2.3 L donor truck. I talked to him last night and I think we’re going to work out passing the 93 along to him at cost, which is little money.

On the downside, I was really looking forward to using the tiny 2.3 to make my rig, show it can be done (think Tarzan yell now) and then ride around in front of all of the naysayers!!! But I have to admit, they were also the folks who were telling me to get the longer truck with the bigger engine. I just don’t like to overdo stuff. Like I said, I’m learning a lot on all of this although I will not be distracted from my central inspiration!

Soooo, As I move forward with the 87 4WD Rick-storation, I will continue to post in that thread. I’ll post info on the fixup of the 93 2WD for RobbieD in that dually thread. And I will start a new Rick’s Ranger Rig A thread in the 97 4WD category.

That way I won’t be confusing them by mixing them together, and it will provide three different platforms for people to tell me I’m insane, I’m the devil, pond scum and annoying, it’ll never work, and not only will it be impounded, I will be in jail next to the other miscreants with wrenches who can weld.

Oh, the high rise white camper cap is up for grabs. Too clean and straight and modern for my tastes!
 

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Rick W

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
TRS Event Participant
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
2,269
Reaction score
3,690
Points
113
Age
68
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle Year
1997 1987
Make / Model
Ranger XLT x2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 & 2.9
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
97 stock, 3” on 87
Total Drop
N/A
Tire Size
235/75-15
My credo
Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely
Oh, And the real silver lining catching this so quickly and moving to the 4.0: I didn’t even waste 1 quart of Rust-oleum nor one foam roller!
 

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Rick W

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
TRS Event Participant
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
2,269
Reaction score
3,690
Points
113
Age
68
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle Year
1997 1987
Make / Model
Ranger XLT x2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 & 2.9
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
97 stock, 3” on 87
Total Drop
N/A
Tire Size
235/75-15
My credo
Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely
Yeah, but expensive. You have to use the brown primer first, and then cut the red with mineral spirits, then it takes two coats. Black covers in one coat out of the can. It more than doubles the price!
 

Dirtman

Former Middleweight Moss Fighting Champion
Joined
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113
Location
41N 75W
Vehicle Year
2009
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
It's up there.
Total Drop
It's down there.
Tire Size
Round.
My credo
I poop in the furnace.
What's happening right now?
 

Rick W

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
TRS Event Participant
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
2,269
Reaction score
3,690
Points
113
Age
68
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle Year
1997 1987
Make / Model
Ranger XLT x2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 & 2.9
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
97 stock, 3” on 87
Total Drop
N/A
Tire Size
235/75-15
My credo
Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely
On the projects?

My shade tree is still putting the 2.9 V6 into the 87 4wd. He’s doing it as a side project, and I’m in no hurry. I’ll jump on that when I get it back.

Now, on the 93 that will go to RobbieD, Per our agreement, I’m going to take off what I want, but also hopefully get it running/driving, and he’s going to take it for a temporary driver but mostly for the drive train to flip over to a nicer truck I believe. I’ll drag it over to him (75miles?) with big red, the 96F250 diesel. I’m guessing 2 to 3 weeks on all that.

I already did a few things to the 97 extended cab, but it is running and driving fine. For the Rick’s Ranger Rig project, I have been accumulating various parts, and I’m making a trip tomorrow or Friday to pick up about 10 more wheels, a bumper, and a couple more trailers. I’ll be working on it and the four-wheel-drive at the same time as time allows. I think I mentioned I have a couple of buddies who are professors down at Georgia Tech in mechanical engineering, one in the automotive engineering, car club buddies, and they’re helping me with the hinged frame/fifth wheel design. I’ve spent a good bit of time with them and here on the TRS blog, and I expect to be turning wrenches and welding on it in a week or so.

And I already ordered the rustoleum in the right colors for both trucks, and the various trailers. I also picked up about a half dozen truck boxes in the meantime. When I get the first trailer done, everybody can see what I’m talking about.

Also, I think I mentioned that I have a long history of living with Murphy. Two of my three Lincoln’s have stupid little problems (Fugitive vacuum leak; other a/c clutch), the kind of stuff that drives you nuts that’s hard to trace down. And ditto on my F250, fuel tanks won’t switch over and one gas gage died. And, while I’m pretty much retired, I still do my business/commercial real estate brokerage/engineering/construction, and I’ve got a couple of good opportunities at the moment.

And besides all that, I’m dating a redhead, holy cow, talk about work!!!!

Not enough hours in the day, and I don’t run quite as fast as I used to...
 
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RonD

Official TRS AI
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REDhead..............................(y)
 

Rick W

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
TRS Event Participant
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
2,269
Reaction score
3,690
Points
113
Age
68
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle Year
1997 1987
Make / Model
Ranger XLT x2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 & 2.9
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
97 stock, 3” on 87
Total Drop
N/A
Tire Size
235/75-15
My credo
Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely
Yeah, it’s like the Mexican red-hot peppers, my system really suffers when I have them, but I just can’t stay away from the damn things !!!!

Oh, and I’m at the tail end of a nine year battle with my city, Dunwoody, Which I helped form, that is now in a lawsuit because of damages on my home after widening the road illegally. It is literally in court right now, we’re in and out probably for another 90 days. That bites me in the tail about three times a week and I have to jump.

In closing, I’ll keep an eye on this posting, but as I said in the beginning, I’m going to split these three trucks up into the two older postings and a new one I’ll start for Rick’s Ranger Rig.

keep those cards and letters coming in....
 

ericbphoto

Overlander in development
TRS Event Staff
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U.S. Military - Veteran
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
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GMRS Radio License
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15,210
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Age
59
Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
You should get a full-time job to fill in your spare time.
 

Rick W

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
TRS Event Participant
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
2,269
Reaction score
3,690
Points
113
Age
68
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle Year
1997 1987
Make / Model
Ranger XLT x2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 & 2.9
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
97 stock, 3” on 87
Total Drop
N/A
Tire Size
235/75-15
My credo
Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely
Really, amen, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg! In the automotive corner, I’m also building some custom code 3 traffic annunciator light bars for all three Lincolns and Big Red, and I’m going to do something like that on both of these Rangers. I’ve got something to do for the court and a couple things for clients, and as soon as I get that done, I’m going to get playing with these things seriously. This stuff is my stress relief, my sanity.
 

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