'85 Ranger Restomod

[fastpakr]

Jimmy Spychala came to the gathering in Detroit last year that Jim and I went to while were up there for the Ranger demonstration. I was very impressed with it. He made it himself with a cheap welder (110v Harbor Freight rig, as I recall). He's around here on the forums occasionally.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I've seen receiver mounted spares that hinge to fold down..

It would be simpler and probably easier to make stronger. But then I have a tire all sprawled out in front of everything though...

Jimmy Spychala came to the gathering in Detroit last year that Jim and I went to while were up there for the Ranger demonstration. I was very impressed with it. He made it himself with a cheap welder (110v Harbor Freight rig, as I recall). He's around here on the forums occasionally.
View attachment 32121

That is an awesome pic, thanks!

Pretty similar to what I am thinking, I am tempted to leave mine offset so in case I want to add something else to the other side later on I could.

 

[Bird76Mojo]

A fold down unit could always be unpinned and set aside when you're actively using the back of the pickup for camping or tailgating.. Or put stops on it where it folds down level to act as a seat or small table.

You might have to start re-thinking your exhaust and go with an underbed tire carrier.

 

[Ranger850]

Jimmy Spychala came to the gathering in Detroit last year that Jim and I went to while were up there for the Ranger demonstration. I was very impressed with it. He made it himself with a cheap welder (110v Harbor Freight rig, as I recall). He's around here on the forums occasionally.
View attachment 32121

I think he did a build thread on this hitch. If not a stand alone thread, a well written part of another thread.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

A fold down unit could always be unpinned and set aside when you're actively using the back of the pickup for camping or tailgating.. Or put stops on it where it folds down level to act as a seat or small table.

You might have to start re-thinking your exhaust and go with an underbed tire carrier.

I halfway have it worked out in my head already.

A bracket like this:

Tire Carrier Hinge Kit - with DUAL SHEAR Bracket - STANDARD

This kit includes most of the features of our best selling Standard Duty Hinge Kit (Available Here) with the addition of the following: The dual shear bracket ties in the top of the shaft to the bumper. This isolates movement and flex within the hinge assembly allowing it to handle much more...

www.comp4x4.com

A spindle like this:

Tire Carrier Hinge Kit - Dual Shear - Face Mount

This kit is designed to mount onto the face of your bumper at any angle you like. The kit is designed to mount over the top of your bumper. Simply select the height of your bumper at checkout and we we’ll send the length of the bolt and tubing to match. If you are mounting at angles or not using...

www.comp4x4.com

Then I can just drop the bolt out and remove the carrier when not needed. The clamp is on the carrier so it all goes in the back of the corn crib until needed with the rest of it.

 

[Bird76Mojo]

When will you NOT need to carry a spare wheel/tire? I wouldn't ever go without..

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

When will you NOT need to carry a spare wheel/tire? I wouldn't ever go without..

When the carrier isn't needed it can be stored elsewhere. Otherwise the spare can just ride around in the back like it has been. On big trips where I need room for stuff in the back of the truck it eats a lot of space though.

 

[Bird76Mojo]

Your truck is surely an early enough model to have been equipped with the optional bed-mounted spare tire carrier. I've only seen one in the wild before, but I've seen an original NOS bracket on Ebay in the past. Though it sounds like you don't like that option.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Your truck is surely an early enough model to have been equipped with the optional bed-mounted spare tire carrier. I've only seen one in the wild before, but I've seen an original NOS bracket on Ebay in the past. Though it sounds like you don't like that option.

It is, if it had the dual tank option (which I would love...) I think the bed mounted spare was standard. But that wouldn't do anything for the accessibility issue. I would still have to unpack the truck to get to the spare. No idea how well a 31" tire would fit with a OEM one, lots of JC Whitney type places still sell them too.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Stupid diff cover has been perpetually oozing since forever. Tried to reseal it once and it didn't take, it got worse on the trip too.



No idea why the cats find it so fascinating, maybe the funky Ohio mud smells weird? Jeep owner tears? No idea, barn cat horde ain't sayin'



A diamond in the rough...



It is a factory piece for a 13-14 Shelby GT-500 with the track pack. They used to be pretty cheap, I snagged this a year ago +/- for around $60, now they are north of $100. I had to sand down an internal cooling rib to clear the ABS reluctor that my axle has, the sprocket looking thing with the ring gear.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

3 years ago today:

The caption in the video:

The wind noise kinda drowned it out but with the fuel pump disabled it made a pretty dramatic show when the carb bowls ran out of gas. Without hearing that it looked like I just pulled over for no reason, you can kinda see in the front tires the engine trying to come back. Anyway it was all a distraction for what was to come...

And two years ago today:

 

[Curious Hound]

Looks like great memories. Happy anniversary.

 

[1qaz]

Congratulations! Life really changes next month. Rest up. BTW the diff cover looks great.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Kind of a bummer day today. Wife had a holidy party thing in Omaha last night and her work put us up in a hotel. Came home this afternoon and my shop cat was up by the highway, he had been hit. Which is weird because I don't think I have ever seen him off my property and it is a good half mile to the highway.

So I had to bury my buddy, in the rain.

Helping with the axle swap:



Helping keep the evil box from getting me (click on it it is a video)



Role model/parent for kittens that were not his after mama cat disappeared:



And best buds with Boss:

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Sorry bud. Staunch cat person here. Lost my best girl to a hit and run a little over 10 years ago. Still haven't gotten over it.

I'll pour one out for him.