Explorerhavoks Ranger Build Phase 1

[explorerhavok]

I figured that since I have started going to this site more and more often I would make a thread for my 94 Ranger project. Originally I was going to build an Explorer and a friend and I rebuilt the engine in it. Then a pretty bad rain storm let me know just how bad the roof was, pretty much it got flooded and ruined the wiring. I picked this Ranger up for $1000, not running. Probably paid too much but everything in Hawaii costs a lot. The guy I bought it from had tried to fix it, but no fuel and no spark was too much for him. He tried to troubleshoot them as seperate faults and ended up replacing the battery and the starter and a couple other things. After I bought it I realized it had to be something that would effect both, so with minimal troubleshooting and help from TRS members I discovered the ECM was not grounded. The ECM had some burnt components but I was able to get it fixed by a place in Texas. I then installed the ECM grounded it and the truck fired up. Once I got it running the next process was to swap in the rebuilt engine from my Explorer and clean it up. Not many pictures from this phase as I was just trying to get it running. Here is what I started with:

And the Exploder after I was done with it:

I really wish I had kept the D35 but I had no place to store anything at the time

 

[explorerhavok]

Interior after cleaning and making the 60/40 seats into buckets. The steering wheel and some of the dash came from the Exploder

 

[explorerhavok]

I drove it that way for about 3 months but it needed work to get it legal for inspection. The tint was illegal, the parking prakes don't work, the 3" body lift, clear front corners and tail lights won't pass inspection here in Hawaii. During that 3 months I added a Gibson Cat back exhaust. Other things I wanted to fix included replacing the bed as the passenger side and tailgate were badly dented. Recently I ordered body mounts and stock cab bolts so I could take care of removing the body lift. While searching the local junkyard I came across a 97 Ranger that had an engine fire. So I proceeded to get everything I could. I basically got the complete interior, the bed, chrome front and rear bumpers, pop out windows, bucket seats and the center console all for $350.

 

[explorerhavok]

So this is how she sits right now, ready to take the body lift out.

New Bed came with all the diamond plate, the blue ranger is what I'm driving right now

 

[explorerhavok]

The plan is now to take the body lift out this weekend, fix the parking brakes, put the bumpers on and get it inspected. After I get it inspected I will get the interior back together and then do some other minor stuff. Once its back together the blue Ranger is going up for sale so I can move on to the next phase. Plans call for a Skyjacker CL 2 6" lift, 33's, manual hubs, explorer rear axle, and manual T-case if I can find one here. If not it can wait till I get back to the mainland. My goal is a cross between the trucks of metalmacguyver, compleckz, and TRS-2. I'm going to start taking more pics as the work progresses.

 

[CJREX]

That's looking good!

You're going to have a nice truck for minimal $$$ investment, just a bit of time and love.

 

[explorerhavok]

After what seems like forever I finally got my parking brake working and got everything together to pass inspection. Turned out the parking brake pedal was missing the tooth that locks into the gear. Wish I had noticed before I replaced all the cables.

Here she is all stock for inspection:

Did some other stuff as you can probably tell by the pics. Changed out the grille and headlights, added the chrome bumpers, added a Flexilite electric fan kit, and started changing my interior to the new stuff I picked up.

Pic of the fan:

Interior progressing with buckets:

Now that everything is good and its back on the road I will be saving up for my lift.

 

[rngr4x4beast]

wud you wanna sell those wheels in the first pics of the truck

 

[ranger_runner]

nice truck, keep up the work. and keep us up to date.

 

[explorerhavok]

I swapped them with the stockers from my 96 so I could pass inspection. Others are going back on.

 

[explorerhavok]

So my plans have changed and I am going to keep this truck instead of my '96 now. The '96 transmission is pretty much dead and I am not going to replace it with another 4R55E, if I could get everything here to swap to manual I would keep it. New plan is to carry on where I left off with the truck 9 months ago and to swap everything from the 96 onto this that I can.


Pics of how its sat for the last 9 months:

Todays progress, gutted the interior, will be replacing it with the 96 interior.

 

[explorerhavok]

Update for today. Installed the JET chip that I already had, pulled the headliner out, and painted some interior stuff black. Interior is going to be blue and black once its done. I'll post some pics tomorrow, couldn't seem to upload tonight.

 

[explorerhavok]

Still having some issues with the pics, got the after pics of some of the cab pieces to post. No progress today, got called into work, damn on call bs

 

[explorerhavok]

Haven't made too much progress in the last few days, been working. I took the old beat up headliner and recovered it, probably could have done better but it was the first time I've tried to do a headliner. Put the headliner in with a few rhings holding it up and added a 3 bulb dome light. Plan for the weekend is to get the body lift on and put most of the interior back in.

Headliner before:

And After:

 

[86 slo-vo]

lookin good