Family Heirloom: The chronicles of Sarah's Ranger

[Saddle Tramp]

Sarah clears the air about the Ranger before it goes off the rails.

And I am very impressed with how she inventoried every nut and bolt.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

Getting into the nitty gritty. (Sorry for the delay)

 

[Saddle Tramp]

It's getting closer to being finished.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

Sarah pulls her hair out trying to get the Ranger started.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

The Ranger gets its face back on.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

In this episode Sarah mentions The Ranger Station!

She also does a few minor things like put a new old stock bumper on, bleed the brakes, retighten some things, and take it for a test drive.

 

[Lefty]

I wish she would come over and help me to get my Ranger started. Hers is looking pretty damn good.

She's done a wonderful job, but if I could comment on one thing, I would avoid using a heat gun to restore old plastic. It's a last resort measure. It warps stuff, especially things like the fender wells.

The best and easiest way is to apply boiled linseed oil. Let it sit for a while, and then wipe it clean. Remove all the oil with rubbing alcohol, and finish with something like ceramic tire coating.

 

[Jim Oaks]

She's done an amazing job on that Ranger.

 

[Lefty]

She's done an amazing job on that Ranger.

No doubt the nicest Ranger restoration anywhere.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

If I ever win the lottery, I would pay to have my Ranger restored like that.

 

[Lefty]

If I ever win the lottery, I would pay to have my Ranger restored like that.

I probably have spent $20,000. Then again it's like driving a brand new truck. And it was a lot cheaper than getting a new one.

Sarah's friend Charley said that a restoration like hers would cost $40,000-$50,000. I'm never going to get to that level, but I have still plenty to do.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

I admire your dedication and thriftiness.

I've thought the same thing. Restoration is now the more cost effective alternative.

 

[Lefty]

I admire your dedication and thriftiness.

I've thought the same thing. Restoration is now the more cost effective alternative.

Sarah has spent most of her time on simple restoration techniques: removing dirt and rust, replacing worn and broken parts, repainting, replating, powder coating, cleaning the interior.

Sarah has made a few simple changes. I believe she installed new Bilstein shocks and a beefed up sway bar, but she has not done the upgrades that are so popular here on the The Ranger Station. She has not installed a high flow air filter or rear disk brakes. She hasn't lifted or lowered, added custom seats, or put in a new electric fan. She did no engine work at all. She merely pulled it and repainted it. She did put in ceramic coated headers and a few other things. Even the paint job is just the OEM Calypso green.

She has mostly focussed on restoration, rather than expensive customizing or upgrading, faithfully returning the Ranger to new condition. This is all boring work, but the results are stunning. A full fledged restoration, especially a rust free body and frame, is what makes the project special, and well worth the while. I'm sure her grand mom's truck could be a real crowd pleaser at a car show.

If there is a lesson to be learned here, it might be, "Fix the rust first, make it new again. Add your favorite parts after you are done."

 

[ekrampitzjr]

If the Wikipedia production figures are correct, Ford sold over 2 million of the "square" Rangers through 1993 and nearly 4 million of the 1994–2011/2012 models. The entire production run over 30 years was way over 2 million.

Where I am, because of the relative lack of rust in this area, I can't walk down the street without tripping over Rangers, many of them in pretty good condition as I'm trying to keep mine. I don't know where Sarah is based, but that rusty original frame on her Ranger was horrible to see.

 

[Ranger850]

In this episode Sarah mentions The Ranger Station!

She also does a few minor things like put a new old stock bumper on, bleed the brakes, retighten some things, and take it for a test drive.

@ Time stamp 8:27