86 4x4 frame off resto-cab swap

[Boggin]

so i bought a 86 2.9 4x4 a4ld ranger yesterday. she dont start and needs a cab, other than that she has $1900 worth of new parts
and i already have a 88 2.9 2wd ranger good shape 3"BL
I am going to park both of them side by side in my garden. and strip off both cabs, all gas lines, gas tank, all hoses and lines and everything that can come off the frame. i think im going to leave the motor as it is. im going to sand and paint the frame of the 4x4 and put all the good lines, pump/filters and everything from the 2wd back on the 4x4 and then put the good cab back on the 4x4. i also have a bunch of extra parts ive been saving up which i will get pics of including:

FM145 5spd 4X4 trans
Roll bar
Brush Guard
(possibly) Gen 2 swap parts
3" body lift
245/85/16 Dayton Timberline MudTerrains
CB Radio
Bucket Seats
Doors with the swing open vent window

and most of that should work out all to be my dream truck
im really determined to keep this project going and not back out like most of the time. I will post pics of the progress and the spare parts as soon as i get a chance. the project will probably be starting monday, or as soon as i can bring the new ranger back home to the 2wd ranger and my shed so i can get them side by side and start stripping them.

here is the 2wd that will be donating the cab and lots of other parts:

the 4x4:

holyfords truck will be a big inspiration:

this will be a 56K, long, interesting, frustrating, build thread

 

[fordman4x492]

hurry the hell up i wanna see it DONE!!!!

LOL

 

[Boggin]

also, all the wiring under the hood is all different in the 86. so all the wiring from the 88 will be coming with the cab. there will be nothing original on the 4x4 besides the frame and axles. i know i can do all the wiring harness swap because ive had to deal with all the before due to fires and shit lol

 

[jhammel85]

Looks like a good build, Good Luck!

 

[Ranger Kip]

Cool! like it!

 

[Boggin]

thanks guys, i cant wait to start

 

[ozziemo27]

looks like its gonna be a fun project!

 

[Boggin]

Can i use the wiring harness from the 88 2wd onto the 86 4x4? im thinking yes since its all the same, and the 4x4 does have a manual tcase. and its both manual windows, locks, and all that junk

 

[holyford86]

so i bought a 86 2.9 4x4 a4ld ranger yesterday. she dont start and needs a cab, other than that she has $1900 worth of new parts
and i already have a 88 2.9 2wd ranger good shape 3"BL
I am going to park both of them side by side in my garden. and strip off both cabs, all gas lines, gas tank, all hoses and lines and everything that can come off the frame. i think im going to leave the motor as it is. im going to sand and paint the frame of the 4x4 and put all the good lines, pump/filters and everything from the 2wd back on the 4x4 and then put the good cab back on the 4x4. i also have a bunch of extra parts ive been saving up which i will get pics of including:

FM145 5spd 4X4 trans
Roll bar
Brush Guard
(possibly) Gen 2 swap parts
3" body lift
245/85/16 Dayton Timberline MudTerrains
CB Radio
Bucket Seats
Doors with the swing open vent window

and most of that should work out all to be my dream truck
im really determined to keep this project going and not back out like most of the time. I will post pics of the progress and the spare parts as soon as i get a chance. the project will probably be starting monday, or as soon as i can bring the new ranger back home to the 2wd ranger and my shed so i can get them side by side and start stripping them.

here is the 2wd that will be donating the cab and lots of other parts:

the 4x4:

holyfords truck will be a big inspiration:

this will be a 56K, long, interesting, frustrating, build thread

I did the same thing actually, my cab was shot when I bought the truck, swapped it for an 87 cab soon after buying it.

 

[Boggin]

cool. i gotta question for ya then. for your steering linkage, did you just unscrew that one bolt by the firewall and it just slid apart then? or is there more to it than that?

 

[Boggin]

Think im gonna order this sometime soon:
http://www.suicidedoors.com/crossmembers/ford-ranger-transmission

trans crossmember, so then i can fab up some extended rad arms. i can make the mounts and ill probably tack the arms together myself and get them welded by a pro since im only a beginner yet. but i might be able to do it myself when the time comes

 

[holyford86]

cool. i gotta question for ya then. for your steering linkage, did you just unscrew that one bolt by the firewall and it just slid apart then? or is there more to it than that?

yep, just undo the one bolt there and it slides off. The wiring harness will work too but it may be easier to swap the 86 wiring into the 88 cab so you dont get any surprise missing plugs.

 

[Boggin]

ok thanks alot bud. but im gonna try to use the 2wd harness cause its so clean and simple theres like barely any wires lol and i know for sure that one works and the one in the 86(the 4x4) she wont start she dont get any power to the fuel pump and no spark and misc other things and the wiring in the 86-87s are different than the 88s, i think the 88s are much more simplier so ill probably use that one. thanks again

 

[Boggin]

no updates yet, still waiting for saturday to roll around. but just a special BIRTHDAY WISH to holyford, the whole inspiration for me of buying another ranger and the build. have a good one bud

 

[holyford86]

Thanks for the birthday wishes, I appreciate it. I'll have to get some new pictures up so you can see what the truck looks like now, there are some updates from the ones you have. I'll have to find one of my truck when I first started messing with it, way back in 2003...

Here is near where I started...