'85 Ranger Restomod

[85_Ranger4x4]

Bumper mounting plates are fitted and drilled:



And since all the cool kids are installing them I got my CB hooked up after 15 years.



It lights up anyway, I just tested it that far to see if it worked after being in my barn for a couple years. For reasons unknown Amazon seems reluctant to ship me a cable and even if they did I don't have the bumper done so I don't have anywhere to put the antenna. Power and ground is ran to the radio anyway though.

I am not crazy about how it sits, especially the mic. It is starting to intrude on passenger legroom kinda bad. Easy to flop the mike between my plethora of shift levers but still... I don't like it. I might redo my gauge panel so the radio can sit above the gauges but I want to find a more period looking radio first.

 

[racsan]

its not period correct at all, but Ive seen one cb before that mounts under the seat or in a console and has the controls on the mic head, all you have visable is the mic itself. takes up less area on visable mounting points. Ive got a couple of old cb’s somewhere, the 23ch with a backlit dial, no digital readout. Havent had one in a truck since my ‘88 ranger years ago. I used to have a under-dash programable scanner as well. When I had that stuff in the ‘77 nova, some thought I was a undercover unit with all the antennas and plain black rims with baby moon hubcaps.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Ultimate endgame... I would LOVE one of the factory CB radios from the late 70's/early 80's. I have never even found a part of one in a yard though.

I don't have much room under my seats, I checked into it. The DS has the mechanism for the seat slide and the PS has about enough room for the two ratchet straps that lives there and don't really have anywhere else to go.

Dad had one of these in his '84 C10, I kinda would like to track down another just because of that.

 

[sgtsandman]

This is the proper way to mount a CB in a Ranger.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

This is the proper way to mount a CB in a Ranger.

I got stuff up there already!



Actually after poking around looking at them more I am thinking about going to one of these at some point:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XJG6NYB/?tag=959media-20

 

[sgtsandman]

Whine, whine, whine.

Here’s another alternative.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Whine, whine, whine.

Here’s another alternative.

I got very important things there too!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

One mounting plate is in, the other is tacked. I also picked up the rest of the tube and played around with the upright. The one with the brace is approx where it needs to be, the other one is in limbo yet depending on how the catch for the latch ends up. And of course the top tube is not cut until that is figured out.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Flag is mounted, I used a chunk of pipe insulation so it doesn't beat up the truck/topper.





Poked at the engine checking things out for the trip. Snugged the valve cover bolts and carburator mounting nuts. For whatever reason they both tend to work loose. Checked ignition stuff, fluids and also checked the hardware for the rear swaybar.



Spot checked a couple plugs, they looked really good. Truck runs good so I am not going mess with them.



And I washed it:

 

[BlackBII]

Looking good!

How are old the plugs? Looks like it might be running lean?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

How are old the plugs? Looks like it might be running lean?

New before the roundup a year ago.

It might have been a hair lean, it had a slight vacuum leak I think because of the carb mounting nuts being a hair loose. It idles smoother now that I snugged that down.

It did have a little more color than the picture shows, it is kinda getting washed out in the sunlight.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Mocked up with numbers and tape measures and math things:



I think it will work ok:



With some magic sparkles:



And it is like 90% done being welded:

 

[Curious Hound]

Mocked up with numbers and tape measures and math things:



I think it will work ok:



With some magic sparkles:



And it is like 90% done being welded:

Whats the rush? You’ve got another week til the trail ride.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Whats the rush? You’ve got another week til the trail ride.

It still has a disgusting amount of little crap to do to it yet.

1. The rubber rest the gate sits on when latched
2. I am not crazy about the latch design, I need to fit a bushing to the pivot because after 3-4 times it has the bolt backed way off. I don't see how it would ever work as is.
3. Drill holes for license plate, license plate lights and trailer connector
4. Weld in an internal reinforcement for the hinge to reduce or eliminate flex. The top web of the bumper flexes pretty easily as it is.
5. Paint

 

[Curious Hound]

It still has a disgusting amount of little crap to do to it yet.

1. The rubber rest the gate sits on when latched
2. I am not crazy about the latch design, I need to fit a bushing to the pivot because after 3-4 times it has the bolt backed way off. I don't see how it would ever work as is.
3. Drill holes for license plate, license plate lights and trailer connector
4. Weld in an internal reinforcement for the hinge to reduce or eliminate flex. The top web of the bumper flexes pretty easily as it is.
5. Paint

Steps 1-5 on Saturday. Second coat of paint on Sunday