'83 Ranger beyond help?

[DannyBeans]

Hi, all. I'm looking for either a second opinion or a confirmation on something my shop told me.

The guys at my shop managed to revive my '83, but it has some serious issues - it surges like crazy, leaks oil, has some serious blow-by, and possibly a blown head gasket. I'd love to swap the engine, but they're telling me it isn't worth it, which I suppose makes sense given the condition of the body, but the frame and transmission are in great shape, so I'd be willing to call it part of a restoration/customization. (It currently has a 2.0 Lima with at least 300k miles and a rebuild, so almost anything I replaced it with would be an upgrade).

What do you guys think? Is there something I'm missing that a rebuilt (or even good-condition used) engine wouldn't address?

 

[Dirtman]

Lima engines are a dime a dozen and with some retrofitting any of them would work. 2.0, 2.3, or 2.5 from 1976 to 2001. So finding an engine is not an issue. If you're not mechanically inclined enough to do the swap yourself then it may not he worth it because paying someone to do it won't exactly be cheap.

 

[DannyBeans]

Yeah, I figure the labor's gonna be scary. But I also think it'd cost more to replace the entire truck with something newer. Plus this old beast has a lot of sentimental value.

 

[RegularGuy]

It really depends on what it's worth to you, I personally would feel hard pressed dropping any serious money into an 80's pickup unless it was something extra special to either myself or a loved one. For me, labor costs absolute kill my motivation for a project I'm unable to complete myself. Labor costs don't add value, heck, it can be argued that parts don't either.

If the body is giving you issues, I would ask, are you going to do something about it or are you going to let it rot? If you're going to fix it, your main consideration should be, what is it going to cost you in time and money? And is that commitment worth it to you.....
If you're going to let the body rot, how much longer does it have? Five, ten, twenty years before it's too far gone to be seen driving? Think not of how much you're spending (time and money wise) upfront but what you're trading it for.

If you reasonably believe the truck can serve you for another 10 years then if the swap is costing say, $1000 by the end of it, that engine is costing you $100 a year... A pretty decent sounding deal to me... If you're wanting to hang onto it for two years though, that math doesn't work out to me

 

[DannyBeans]

If the body is giving you issues, I would ask, are you going to do something about it or are you going to let it rot? If you're going to fix it, your main consideration should be, what is it going to cost you in time and money? And is that commitment worth it to you.....
If you're going to let the body rot, how much longer does it have? Five, ten, twenty years before it's too far gone to be seen driving? Think not of how much you're spending (time and money wise) upfront but what you're trading it for.

The plan for a while now has been to make a project out of this. Restore the body, upgrade the suspension, build a nice wooden flatbed, customize the electrics - turn it into something unique. Not a show truck, 'cause I intend to use it as a truck, but something I can show off a little.

I'll probably try to cajole the shop into it when I have a little more money. If the only objection is the truck's value, then it's worth it to me. After all, the sale price only counts if I plan on selling it.

Thanks for the input, and also an apology - I didn't notice the "THIS IS NOT A HELP FORUM" until after I'd posted. I'll be more careful in the future.

 

[Curious Hound]

In other people’s views, many of these trucks are “not worth” the time and money we put into them. The owner is the only one who can ultimately make that decision.

 

[sgtsandman]

Swapping an engine isn’t that tough as long as you pay attention to detail. Of course, one needs the tools and and engine puller. If your truck has a manual, changing the clutch, slave cylinder, and pilot bearing would be a good idea. Make sure you support the front of the transmission before you pull the engine. Lastly, look at the original wire harness and the one on the replacement engine. You may need the original to get everything to work since the truck the donor engine came from might have a different transmission.