Motor in frame... Milestone reached

[PanamaExpat]

Well after a long time in the making yesterday morning we set the motor on the frame. I know there is still a long way to go but it sure feels good getting this far. I know I should have put the new WARN manual hubs on to spruce it up a bit but I don't want them to get damaged while moving stuff around the shop. Was going to install transmission today but discovered yesterday that the slave is a no go so I will have to wait a week or so for the new one to get here. Anyhow got many months into this so far so what do you guys think? (Dangerous question I know.)

On those rear wheels. I found that the centers have rusted and the chrome has flaked off of them. Was thinking about painting up the old automatics and sticking them on the back for center caps. Haven't decided if that's a good idea or not. The old automatics are both shot internally.

I know... One of these days I should actually start a build thread. So much work has gone has been done so far the list would be very long.

Still have some vacuum lines to connect and I forgot to put the left back spark plug wire back on that I had to take loose so that the strap I used to keep the motor from flipping while it was attached to the hoist could be connected. I have a piece off the motor that for the life of me I can't figure out where it came from.(some kind of small bracket) I'll have to shoot a pic and let one of you tell me where it goes.

Anyone see anything that I need to take care of before proceeding?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Clean it up a little, jeesh! [jk]


You have spent a lot of time detailing, it looks good.

Richard

 

[robertc1024]

Looking good - congrats. I LOL'd about the bracket. I've got a one time use rod-cap bolt from my 911 engine I re-built about 30 years ago.

 

[a31ford]

OMG !!! it looks BETTER than mine, (Did I actually say that, I must be drunk or something, and I don't even drink !!)

lookin GREAT, love the detail.

Greg

 

[kunar]

i fixed the typo in your thread title, it was bugging me. truck's looking good though!

 

[PanamaExpat]

Thanks for the compliments guys. My family thinks I am crazy for putting so much effort into an old truck. They just don't understand.

And special thanks Kunar that title typo was bugging me too.

 

[det107]

...One of these days I should actually start a build thread........Anyone see anything that I need to take care of before proceeding?

Looks good & start a build thread-

 

[racsan]

the only thing with putting the auto hubs on the rear for center caps is that (1) you will need longer wheel studs, and (2) you will have to machine out the inside of the auto hubs so they will fit over the rear axle flange. ive thought about doing it myself, but wasnt sure if my old front rotor studs would work in the rear. and hand-maching out the inside of the old auto hubs is quite a pain to do, if you had a lathe it wouldnt be too bad to do though..
the chassis looks really good!

 

[Mark_88]

Looks good...sorta what mine looked like about 8 years ago...except that huge blue and yellow thing at the front...what's that for? Are you planning to go to the moon? I can almost hear "Rocket Man" playing in the background...

 

[Andy D]

Nice, the front views of the engine is really neat. From the side the 4.0 looks small. I've been thinking about narrow whitewalls, black reverse steelies with baby moons for my wheels
The Rat will never see such treatment. It introduced me to the make though . If I ever build a hotrod, it will be on a Ranger frame.

 

[nine-teen91stxranger]

hey panama, what are those rims off of??

 

[PanamaExpat]

Those rims are from Darwin Racing. I bought them here in Panama for about $100 each. The lug nuts were another $100 and the Toyo Open Country tires were I think $135 each. Anyhow after grinding on them for a while I managed to get them down to $1000 even including taxes. Even conned them out of a free balancing and alignment.


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