Cant believe im saying this...

[Shran]

I don't know if you saw my '85 build thread... there were lots of obstacles to overcome on that project, namely, mouse nests everywhere, wiring was a mess, blown up A4LD, holes rusted through the gas tank, locked up brakes, engine mechanical issues... if that wasn't enough, I had to replace 1/3 of the floor in the cab. The rust was worse than any other vehicle I've had and it was just a HUGE project overall and it took a couple years but in the end I had a very solid, great running truck. Don't give up.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I don't know if you saw my '85 build thread... there were lots of obstacles to overcome on that project, namely, mouse nests everywhere, wiring was a mess, blown up A4LD, holes rusted through the gas tank, locked up brakes, engine mechanical issues... if that wasn't enough, I had to replace 1/3 of the floor in the cab. The rust was worse than any other vehicle I've had and it was just a HUGE project overall and it took a couple years but in the end I had a very solid, great running truck. Don't give up.

Ill post up some pictures later today. Im sure yall will laugh at me makin a huge deal of this.

Ill be the first to admit i have confidence issues when it comes to treading into new territory. Ive always kinda shyed away from body type work.

I got a plan in my head though...so thats the first step. Im sure itll get tweaked as i go....and im sure im way overthinking this....just like everything else i do with things like this lol.

 

[4.0blue98]

Anything's possible if you have a good frame. Confucius?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Heres some pics i took....

The rest of the back is solid...

Heres a few frame shots...

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Meh, make it a beater bush buggy (B3) Then you don't have to worry about body damage...

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Meh, make it a beater bush buggy (B3) Then you don't have to worry about body damage...

Lol.

I was hoping to daily it atleast for a while.

I was standing there looking at it today and thought to myself itd look really good with a lift and 31's.

 

[pjtoledo]

carpet, lots & lots of carpet. and maybe a gallon of Fluid Film.

isn't there a guy just south of you that works on BIIs?

 

[RobbieD]

That is bad, but not un-fixable.

If you're just looking for a driver or beater, it shouldn't take much to patch it in.


If it were me, I'd get it driveable and then assess what I want to do. You mentioned blowing a brake cylinder; brakes pretty much have to be done anyway when you get a truck this old. If you part it out, brake parts can always move to another RBV. Wiring is just . . . wires; it's not rocket surgery or brain science.

Once you can drive it, on several occasions and distances, you'll have a better feel if it's a truck worth fixing, or just rolling parts.

How well will it run, and drive, when you get to that point?


>>> The truck will speak to you, and you'll know what you want to do.


If it's any consolation, I would have bought the shit out of that B2, whichever way it turns out.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

carpet, lots & lots of carpet. and maybe a gallon of Fluid Film.

isn't there a guy just south of you that works on BIIs?

I believe he moved. Or possibly passed away. Aint aeen him in a very long time.

That is bad, but not un-fixable.

If you're just looking for a driver or beater, it shouldn't take much to patch it in.


If it were me, I'd get it driveable and then assess what I want to do. You mentioned blowing a brake cylinder; brakes pretty much have to be done anyway when you get a truck this old. If you part it out, brake parts can always move to another RBV. Wiring is just . . . wires; it's not rocket surgery or brain science.

Once you can drive it, on several occasions and distances, you'll have a better feel if it's a truck worth fixing, or just rolling parts.

How well will it run, and drive, when you get to that point?


>>> The truck will speak to you, and you'll know what you want to do.


If it's any consolation, I would have bought the shit out of that B2, whichever way it turns out.

I had it running today....i noticed why the fuel pump wouldnt run. The friggin ECM ground was broke off the negative. I got a new cable on order...no one had one locally. Not the factory style....one i had to piece togther from 2 wires...tried that on the ranger and swapped it for a factory style....worked alot better.

Either way....i jammed the ECM in the negative terminal, slapped a piece of tape on it to hold it and it fired up and ran for a good 60 seconds before it flooded and died.

Its the quietest (both exhaust and valvetrain wise)2.9 ive heard in a long time.

Its puffing a greyish smoke that absolutly reeks of fuel. It looked black when i fired it at the kids house. The tailpipe is as sooty as a chimney and the muffler has a crack in the case and you can see the black soot coated around it.

After it stalls i can usually get it to do something by holding it to the floor and cranking the hell out of it.

Its not oil or coolant for sure. Its so rich it burns my eyes after a few seconds.

Theres no fuel in the FPR but it looks ancient and ive read they dont always put fuel in the vac line. Im thinking that or a stuck injector. Once i get the wiring solid ill know more.

Im in this for the haul i reckon

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Oh and i should add i have a gameplan for the rot. Gonna run a piece of angle iron on the rearmost part, bolt it all the way across, take one of those industrial strength L brackets (on top of angle) and bolt into the steel behind the taillight housing and up to around the wheel arch where its solid. Probably use a big stout piece of flatstock up infront of the filler where its also weak, ran the same as the angle in back (i dont think angle will fit between tank and cab floor).

Then finish it off with some good solid steel plate up top. Should be pretty solid. Ugly as sin, but solid.

 

[Uncle Gump]

There is less then 3/4 inch between tank and body.

I had to use 1/2 long bolts to install my fuel pump access panel.

 

[Roert42]

If you had some 16 or 18 gauge and a gas wire welder with some .024, shouldn’t be that hard to rebuild that area.
A little sheet metal brake would make it pretty easy, but not much harder with a hammer and the edge of a work bench.

You just keep cutting and bending until it’s close enough for and nail it down.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

If you had some 16 or 18 gauge and a gas wire welder with some .024, shouldn’t be that hard to rebuild that area.
A little sheet metal brake would make it pretty easy, but not much harder with a hammer and the edge of a work bench.

You just keep cutting and bending until it’s close enough for and nail it down.

No gas welder...i got just a standard wire welder that honestly im not very good with lol.

There is less then 3/4 inch between tank and body.

I had to use 1/2 long bolts to install my fuel pump access panel.

Yeah...i measured up at its tighest point and got that. Behind the big hump and in front of though its pretty roomy. But unfourtantly the one spot where im using the flatstock is in that tight zone

 

[Roert42]

No gas welder...i got just a standard wire welder that honestly im not very good with lol.

Gasless wire welders are harder for someone who’s green to use then one what uses gas. Not as good for sheetmetal either.

They run hotter since you have to run the wire and the flux. With the mig, you’re just burning the wire. Doesn’t put as much heat into the metal.

If your welder will work with gas too, get a bottle. You will not regret it.

I know it’s much more convenient to go to the hardware store and buy a pound of FC then go to weld shop. I know the guy at the counter is going to judge you because you don’t know what you talking about. Trust me. It’s worth the hassle.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Gasless wire welders are harder for someone who’s green to use then one what uses gas. Not as good for sheetmetal either.

They run hotter since you have to run the wire and the flux. With the mig, you’re just burning the wire. Doesn’t put as much heat into the metal.

If your welder will work with gas too, get a bottle. You will not regret it.

I know it’s much more convenient to go to the hardware store and buy a pound of FC then go to weld shop. I know the guy at the counter is going to judge you because you don’t know what you talking about. Trust me. It’s worth the hassle.

Im not sure if i can hook gas to it or not.