Corey and Elise's 1983 V8 Ranger build - aka - Project Interceptor

[pjtoledo]

thanks for the heads up on the Torsen.
I'm aware the Explorer axles are wider, I don't have one.
the part numbers for the Level II axle shafts seem to be elusive, and they are what I need for my 2011 axle. all 2011s came with big bearing tubes and bearings, but only 28 splines at the diff. getting a 31 spline diff is easy, but I can't seem to pin down the correct numbers for 31 spline big bearing shafts in the standard Ranger lengths. that is if they are the standard Ranger length.
did you get the VIN from the axles donor? that way we could look up Ford part numbers without using someones real VIN.

 

[CoreyTilton]

thanks for the heads up on the Torsen.
I'm aware the Explorer axles are wider, I don't have one.
the part numbers for the Level II axle shafts seem to be elusive, and they are what I need for my 2011 axle. all 2011s came with big bearing tubes and bearings, but only 28 splines at the diff. getting a 31 spline diff is easy, but I can't seem to pin down the correct numbers for 31 spline big bearing shafts in the standard Ranger lengths. that is if they are the standard Ranger length.
did you get the VIN from the axles donor? that way we could look up Ford part numbers without using someones real VIN.

yeah the vin number on this parts vehicle is 1FTZR45E07PA14989

some free vin look-up sites show FX4 LevelII Supercab , some just FX4 LVII, some just say xlt, some don't say much of anythng beyond extended cab Ranger.

the seller assured me it was from a levelII fx4, and i'm inclined to believe them, or else im gonna be pissed when i go to cram a new 31 spline differential. hahaha.

 

[beerhunter]

Just binge-read this whole thread - love it! Hats off to you.

 

[CoreyTilton]

Just binge-read this whole thread - love it! Hats off to you.

Thanks man!

just started getting back after it the other night. we've been getting snow off and on here in MA and just miserable cold weather for the past month or two now. trying to finish the interior paint and get the new seats in so it can cruise this spring.

 

[rangerenthiusiast]

Hey, you two.

Just wanted to stop by to say that I think it’s really cool that you’re taking on this project as a couple. I had a 2wd 1983 Ranger with a 2.8 over a decade ago and it was one of the best little trucks I ever owned. Always wanted to put a 302 in it, so in a way, I’m doing it vicariously through you now.

Best of luck with your project, and most importantly, enjoy it!!

 

[CoreyTilton]

Hey, you two.

Just wanted to stop by to say that I think it’s really cool that you’re taking on this project as a couple. I had a 2wd 1983 Ranger with a 2.8 over a decade ago and it was one of the best little trucks I ever owned. Always wanted to put a 302 in it, so in a way, I’m doing it vicariously through you now.

Best of luck with your project, and most importantly, enjoy it!!

thanks Man!
yeah we've been having a good time with it. some headaches. but cruising around in it together is a blast. and the engine yank and drop of the new one were pretty funny bonding moments. hahaha

 

[ProTouringRanger]

If you were closer i've got 2-8.8s 3.73Ls, 59.5 wide compared to the 56.5 Ranger

 

[CoreyTilton]

just noticed none of our pictures are up on this anymore.
use PostImage for image hosting, and it looks like they are down.
www.postimage.org

hopefully this isnt a permanent thing.

i'd hate to have to try and re-upload 3 years of pictures using a different hosting and then try and relink them all here.

 

[rangerenthiusiast]

They still show up on my end!

 

[CoreyTilton]

just finished going through every single post, updating every single picture link. so i THINK they should all be working again.
i'd like to thank postimg.org for apparently changing to postimage.org , and not setting up anykind of imbedded forwarding or anything like that.

ughhhh.

if i missed any image links, and now have dead images, or just blank stuff.... i apologize.

point it out to me and i'll attempt to find it and fix it.

also.... weather was nice today for the first time in a while. we had snow last week.
so anything near 50 is super nice.
spent the day starting up the ranger for the first time in about 2 months, and starting to fabricate new mounting tabs for the new mustang seats going in.

- corey

 

[CoreyTilton]

had some good weather, so i'm trying to get this floor and these seats finished up and everything back in the truck for spring cruising.

here's the floor, as finished as i'm gonna be with it.

i'm hopping that the additional POR15 and roll in bed liner is the last of the weight that i have to ADD to this truck, until i add a 4-link setup to the rear end.

trying to get this thing as light as possible, and adding 10 pounds of paint product to the floor and underbelly is really counter productive hahahaha

 

[CoreyTilton]

so what i ended up doing for seat tracks/mounts for these mustangii seats, is i found a pair of early 90s explorer front tracks. the frames were the correct width, i just had to drill 2 new holes in the back to to bolt the seats to.
i assumed the tabs wouldnt line up with the ranger floor and i'd have to do some modifications.
i didnt realize how much they wouldnt line up.

when i went to put the seats and tracks in the ranger cab, it was comically high.
i couldnt sit in the seat without my head cocked to the side.
i was up against the roof, bad.

so i trimmed some height off the bottoms, and some more, till my head wasnt touching, then i trimmed even more and more to try and get head clearance for any other friends who i might take out in it. (i'm 6ft and about 185 pounds. have a few friends who are in the 6-3" range)

finally i hacked them down to the point where the track slider JUST clears hitting the floor, and i had room up top for my head, and a helmet if i ever need one in here.

i then spent a ton of time laying out where they sit best on the floor, where i have the most range of motion forwards and back on the slider, and marked them all out with white tape.
then i started cutting and laying out the tabs for new mounting locations.

once i had them layed out perfectly i welded the crap out of them with my cheapo fluxcore.
not the prettiest welds, but they penetrated deep and are solid. i'll be ripping through the floor before the welds break.

i then marked hole locations with grey primer and, drilled holes, and checked fitment with the seats

then i took them all apart, and painted them up

just waiting for another rain-less day to throw down the carpet,
poke some holes where the holes in the floor are, and throw these in with the new seat belts, and shifter boot

 

[Jim Oaks]

Looking good

 

[CoreyTilton]

last night i had some time after work to lay down the carpet and start cutting holes, which is moderately stressful hahahaha.

the hole in the floor for the shifter is still a little big, and i was worried i was going to have to go to a "large" shifter boot to cover it and catch sheetmetal with the screws.
luckily this little hurst indy boot Just caught all 4 screws

after that i took the razor knife to all the holes for the seats and seatbelts ( 12 in total) and cut holes in the carpet to line up.
lined up the seats, got the bolts through, which were a little tight going in, but i got them all in there. tightened them down.
and the seats are finally in.

gotta do the seatbelts next.

 

[1qaz]

Nice!