'85 Ranger Restomod

[Curious Hound]

Nope.

That floor almost qualifies as gravel.

 

[BlackBII]

If it doesn't fit, force it!

I bet they'll look great once you get them mounted

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

That floor almost qualifies as gravel.

I am careful not to loose wrenches and hammers in the cracks and am just grateful it never gets muddy.

Garage was built in the 40's, for a 80yo diy job it isn't doing too horrible.

 

[sgtsandman]

That floor almost qualifies as gravel.

Listen here Mr. Fancy Pants, that is a perfectly serviceable garage floor!































As long as you don't want to use a rolling floor jack or a creeper.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Listen here Mr. Fancy Pants, that is a perfectly serviceable garage floor!































As long as you don't want to use a rolling floor jack or a creeper.

*if you ask like you mean it a floor jack rolls fine on it.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I got kinda suspicious when Jim said I needed to update my first post... but I was very pleasantly surprised to see this pop up when I was browsing today.

Justin Russell's 1985 Ford Ranger 4x4 'Warthog' - The Ranger Station

Justin Russell (85_Ranger4x4) is one of our forum moderators, and has been a member since 2002. Justin got this 1985 Ford Ranger 4×4 while in high school, and has owned it ever since. As you can see on the license … Continued

www.therangerstation.com

Very nicely written @Jim Oaks, thank you for doing it!

 

[Jim Oaks]

Sure. I've been wanting to stick it up there, but it seems like it's always evolving. If you need me to update it with anything let me know.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Grille guard has been modified and received a new coat of bedliner. Plus new lights.

I also snagged a NOS center cap for the spare, the red center really pops... Kinda wish my wheels would accept them.

Fist time I had the truck out in awhile, didn't get a lot of time but it was nice.

 

[BlackBII]

Love the lights and covers. It's like it's 1985 all over again!

 

[racsan]

could you drill/tap the sawblade alloys for the nylon inserts and make the ranger bolt-on centers work? the backside would be countersunk a bit, as you see on your spare.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

could you drill/tap the sawblade alloys for the nylon inserts and make the ranger bolt-on centers work? the backside would be countersunk a bit, as you see on your spare.

I have thought about it.

Factory wheels have plastic inserts I suppose so you don't get into dissimilar metal fun with steel screws in aluminum wheels. I know people have done it though.

Still not sold on these being my forever wheels... so we will see how it shakes out.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I could have sworn we just left this party...



The "before" picture.



Ok, what I can feel happening is the top plate with the hinge flexes the bottom plate when pressure is applied in either direction, kind of like a 4-link. So step one to elminate that is to run a plate ahead to tie all three sides together, that should elminate a lot of the flex in theory. Just in case I drilled a couple holes so if need be I can run a brace ahead to the frame for version 1.3.



And also I never should have built off the factory bumper brackets. @Uncle Gump said it a few days ago and I fully agree. Of course now it is rather hard to do much about it. The brackets are narrower than the frame but not that much narrower... I should have just built my own. I still might but my bumper being built for the narrower than the chassis stock brackets rather complicates it now. Anyway I think I can kinda see the bumper itself twisting, it might just be the brackets its hard to tell. Neither should be able to... so for the cost of a little bit of steel (all this was $7 including $5 to cut it) I added some more structure to the bumper. Another "rib" in the center and another one on the far DS angle. For the way the swingout flexed the bottom plate I was concerned about the camper tie down doing the same on the other side. And everything inside the bumper is welded to all three sides.

Picture is horrible in the sun, I will try for a better one later.



How does it work? It is sitting on a milkcrate behind the truck waiting for the paint to fully setup.

And my gussets and tie downs came in from Ruffstuff for my sliders so maybe that project can advance now that I have the fuel tank about sucked dry.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I finally got one of those fancy wire welding machines like what @Dirtman has!



Yeah, it is kind of a turd. I see it is 65A but it is made in Italy so it has that going for it lol.

In addition to it maxing out where a real welder is set to stun the leads are surprisingly short, the ground cable can't be much more than 3' and the stinger isn't much longer. I suppose to get as much sparkle out of the little welder as possible.

The wire feed sounds like it is grinding corn but it does work, for $free.99 with most of a spool of wire I don't have much to lose.

I think it will be nice for my sliders. I have to drop the fuel tank to install the sliders which kind of immobilizes the truck. With the little guy I can get things tacked under the truck with the the multi-mig and then weld it with the Lincoln in the open or at work with the big Milller for real.

 

[Dirtman]

Awwww I just wanna hug and snuggle that thing!

You should bring it over to play with my Airco! Playdate!!!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Awwww I just wanna hug and snuggle that thing!

You should bring it over to play with my Airco! Playdate!!!

View attachment 57571

If I had that thing in my garage I wouldn't have room for my truck lol.

I do hope to get something around 200A for a "forever" welder though. I can have the little guy running flux off 110 I can use down in the barn or whatever if I can't move something, the Lincoln for big stuff outside in the wind and then the big Mig with gas I can do purty stuff inside with.

Someday...