Midnight Blue 2.0. My 86 resto begins

[RSPD505]

My Ranger story began Feb 14 1986 when I drove my first new vehicle off the lot of Earl Floyd Ford. I’d ordered it after seeing one at another dealer only in a short bed version. I couldn’t agree on a price there so I ordered one from Earl Floyd. After I picked it up and was on my way home I made $20 pulling someone out of a ditch! I then went 4 wheeling on an old logging road and put the first scratch on all before getting it to the house! My story almost ended in 88 when I had my eyes on a new Mustang GT. I put a deposit down on one that was ordered, but when it came time to trade in the Ranger they weren’t giving me what I thought I should’ve got, so I walked. I used the down payment money to buy those turbine wheels.
I drove it stock for a little while and started saving money for some tires. First set was 31x10.50. I wanted to go bigger but a lift would be needed. Next up was a 6” SkyJacker lift. Here’s a pic after the lift with a friends stock wheels and tires. Then I added a custom 4” body lift (my ex worked at a plastics moulding place and it was made to my specs) Then I got a set of 35x12.50 BFG ATs a year or so later I scattered the 5 speed. I’d already been planning to do a V8 swap and had been reading articles in magazines about the process. For you young-uns, that’s how we used to do it before the internet and YouTube! I made several long distance calls to Advance Adapters from a landline phone (no cell phones either) and finally got what I needed.
A friend built my 302 and the C4 was sourced from an old Ford truck from behind his house. We finally got it in and had a blast. Went to several shows at Indy 4wheel and Off-road jamborees. Then a few years later while out playing in the mud I lost spark to the Unilite distributor. While trying to fix that issue I discovered missing teeth of the flywheel. So I dropped the trans and tried to find a replacement flexplate. Everyone I tried was too big. Even Ford parts guy at the dealer couldn’t figure out what I needed. So it sat. This was 1995. Life happened and it got pushed to the bottom of the list.
I wasn’t until a few years ago that I discovered that a 141 tooth flexplate was used ONLY on 76-77 Mustang Cobras. It was a two year only part. I didn’t know when it was put in that that setup was perfect for the Ranger. Sheer dumb luck, but also a curse.
Which brings me to the current. A few years ago my daughter wanted me to drag the Ranger out of the back and get it going. It got closer to the house but that’s about it, until a few weeks ago. I pulled it up to the garage. Now the process of fixing what happened 30 years ago, plus 30 years of neglect, begins. So I’ll try to document the process as it goes.
Stay tuned. Rick

 

[RobbieD]

Great story!

Good luck with the "resurrection", and thanks for the post.

 

[superj]

that is pretty awesome that you are the original owner of that truck. i think i have met two or three original owners of 80s model vehicles in my whole life, so far.

my favorite was a dude with a fully loaded jeep comanche. it had the factory roll bar and all the lights. he bought it in 85 or 87

 

[RSPD505]

I got the truck up to the garage and started assessing the damage 30 years of sitting had caused. There’s obvious rust in a few places but overall it’s in pretty decent shape. The interior looked to be in decent shape, however the floors underneath were a different story.

Once I pulled the carpet back on the drivers side I was hoping only to have to patch a few holes. Wrong. I needed a whole pan.

A quick search for floor pans led to me luckily finding a set on FB marketplace that wasn’t to far away and got both sides for less than the cost of one new.

So I got to cuttin’

After cleaning up the braces and some rust converter I welded in the new pan.

I’ve still got a little patch work to do but at least it’s solid again.

 

[superj]

i miss the days of velour seats. they were always so comfortable

 

[RSPD505]

i miss the days of velour seats. they were always so comfortable

Yes they are! I had these made after a million candlepower spot light I left on face down on the originals. Anyway I had the upholstery guy two tone it to match the truck and add the Ford logo in the backs

 

[RSPD505]

Got a little more done on the floors over the last couple days. I had to patch a spot behind the driver seat at the door jamb.

I would highly recommend purchasing a shrinker/stretcher if you do any curved flanges. I finally got one and worked amazing for this patch panel.

Next I worked on the door jamb corner. I’d started making this patch before my new purchase, so I had to make relief cuts for the curved flange.

I also had to patch the floor and flange in the center of the door opening. A metal break comes in real handy.

Now I jest need to finish up a small patch to finish out the door jamb.

That’ll give me something to do tomorrow.