87 Ranger Supercab XLT 4X4, aka: Chaffee

[Gunfighter97]

I appreciate guys that so stock shit more with this older stuff. It's not easy.

You've no idea

 

[bobbywalter]

You've no idea

i wouldnt say that.....its why i will use whatever i have to instead of stuff i cant find....

i am lazy like that. often though...i have a powertrain that dictates other options though.

 

[Gunfighter97]

i wouldnt say that.....its why i will use whatever i have to instead of stuff i cant find....

i am lazy like that. often though...i have a powertrain that dictates other options though.

That was more in reference to what I've done to keep this truck alive. We haven't gotten to my short block yet XD

Trade work is sacred to me. I put my hands to something that is or will be someone else's and treat it better than all my own possesions. Machine work on engines is a skill to take pride in. You have the chance to deliver the fruits of your pursuit of perfection to someone. You better damn well stride hard to chase that perfection. . . I could've done a better job assembling this short block with a baker's whisk and a baseball bat!

Here's hoping the bores are round, but I have my doubts. I have an inside dia. mic in the mail and will be doing a full review of the "remanufactured" short block MABBco sent me.

 

[Gunfighter97]

I think it's time I wrote an update for this thread. Having dug into the short block on noticing that three of the conrods were installed backwards, I found that all the cam bearings were scratched to begeesers and the oil galleries weren't alinged. In the interim of getting an original Ford shop manual, progress has slowed way down on the engine and I've shifted focus for a little bit. Not quite ready to update the engine side of the project, as I still need to read up on some things in the manual, and check ring gaps/fix the backwards conrods, but my lovely lady and I have done some good work on the interior, and I have been tidying up some electrical connections before they become electrical issues.
First up I got new battery cables and had a new main hot line made at NAPA. The fuel pump negative wire was sucked into the fan belt at some point in the past and the broken remains of the connector caused a rather interesting failure(story for another time), I tidied it up by crimping in a GM weatherproof connector and crimped new wire directly into the new terminal rather than clamping an open fray to an old crusty terminal like it was:

Cleaned up some various grounds around the negative cable as well, particularly the ones on the core support. Next I added another GM connector to a fog light harness that I had previously built and then partially cut out of the way when I took the truck apart. Next I removed the old rollover switch with its melted plug and unreliable connection that contribited to the previously mentioned failure. I had purchased a switch one model newer(original is obsolete); funny enough the screw pattern ligned up with the original, albeit with the switch mounted backwards, but still upright. The original switch disconected the two wires. The new one is a two way flip flop type deal. Three wires, one positive in, one fuel pump relay out, one other out for the newer trucks, likely going to the computer. I wanted to minimize heat when the circuit was under normal operation, so I un-pinned the "out" wires of the pigtail and swapped them. The smaller gauge wire now is in contact when the switch is tripped. I routed a 16ga wire along the loom to the left hand main plug for the gauge cluster. And am going to find another plug at the junk yard. I will take that pigtail and unpin one wire to splice to the end of mine, and insert it into the positive slot that activates the (currently unused) check engine light. This will then turn the light on if the switch is ever tripped.

Worth noting that you can also set this up as the original two wire set up just fine.
Next up on the floor of the truck, the steel covers for the front cab mounts were disintigrated. Unable to find OE replacements, I found these mid to late 60s mustang covers to be of a convenient size. I drilled some new holes further out from the originals, and made gaskets out of an old inner tube. This arrangement can be seen in the previous pics.
Now for some arts and crafts! Starting off, we peeled off the old saggy blue headliner and foam and replaced it with new in a nice light gray which I think really makes the blue and sparse chrome trim POP:

Once that was done we started on some sound deadening from LMC, using the recommended roller tool and some foil tape to join seams. Alcohol wipe down for optimum adheasion, a red sharpie, tape measure and a straight edge along with a box cutter is all I find is necessary. This is the first time I've done mat like this, I don't find it particularly difficult:

This and a lot of little things. The only other mod I will note for now is my anti-airfilter housing rodent nest grill, made from some 1/4" hardware cloth:


That's all for now, more to come. Just got the last of four NOS cam bearings in the mail

 

[Gunfighter97]

From shoveling debris out of the floorpan to where it is now, Chaffee has come far. With the sound/thermal barrier finished off, I spent some time on the driving experience itself, and removed the brake and clutch pedals. I was originally going to do this with the dash out. It would've been much easier, except for one problem: I forgot. Uppon disassembling I found the clutch side bushing was completely worn through, and in what might be one the most average Ford things ever, due to their design, one bad bushing in the spot that gets the most wear causes both pedals to wobble. With a quick wire wheeling and polish job to the hinge pin, I replaced all of the bushings, including the bushings for the push rods. I also drilled out the spot welds and removed the arm for the clutch pedal safety switch that I could not replace, was inoperable and long since bypassed. Deleting everything to do with the switch actually freed up quite a bit of space behind the dash. With the pedals now ROCK solid, and smoothly traveling, and our brake light switch passing a quick multi meter test, I added a pair of new pedal pads to compliment the new vinyl floor I have yet to install.

Before the floor mat goes in, I've decided to remove the transmission and TC. It will benifit all processes in progress. The sticks will not only be out of the way, but now I can trace the shifter cut out from below. Before I get to that, I need to replace the speedo cable grommet and it has to go on the small end that connects to the TC. In addition the original mount is half gone and causing the whole arrangement to lean to the driver side. It would be difficult to swap out without it mounted to the engine. This is also not conducive to mating to an engine while it dangles from a chain, especially one with a new clutch. . . Nor is it conducive to removing an engine from it. Ask me how I know

The new plan will be to install it back into the rig AFTER the engine, freshly cleaned with a new mount and a new gasket or three. I'll feel a lot better about the safety of the clutch this way.

On topic of the clutch, I finally had the courage to pull the remains of the original slave out in prep to drop the trans. I had aquired an 88 bell housing and front bearing retainer to upgrade to the 88 and up clutch hydraulics, mostly because I didn't expect the hose to survive. I had already aquired a new 87 slave before I found out that the hose is unobtainium. Fortunately despite the fluid looking like it might've been OEM from 1987, the hose is still flexible, shows no evidence of leakage, and the fittings are spotless. I will flush the existing resevoir and master for reuse, and stick with the 87 system for now. When I put a rebuilt trans/TC in down the road, I will use that 88 bell and retainer, along with all new hydraulics.