My little Iron Ranger {Part 2}

[Prostreet Ranger]

My plan is have my truck running by mid May too. For my radiator, I found some vibration dampeners from Grainger that seemed to work (just another way to do the same thing).

 

[Iron Ranger]

Yeah, I just spent 2 hours refining the mounts to work. The bolts were pulling the radiator down so it was resting on the steel core support instead of the rubber pads I set.

Now I have to fight the mustang wiring harness. It seems there's a lot of interior slack that has to go somewhere. I'll get the heat gun and work on that problem tomorrow.

 

[PaleBlue90]

One what? Truck, R/C car, or the slave bracket?

Truck: Can't have it!!! MINE!!!

R/C Car: E-bay has them cheap. All the ones I bought were junk and I restored them.

Slave bracket: I have the prints for that machined block if you want them.

Either way, Thanks!!

I ment your truck lol.

 

[Iron Ranger]

I ment your truck lol.

Oh, I see..............STILL CAN'T HAVE IT!!!


Anyway, here's my new crossmember in all her glory. The factory threads on the tranny were so shot I just tightened down the bolt untill she pulled completly through.

I do what I can to make it work.

 

[Iron Ranger]

Well, a few more little things were accomplished. I got the slave cylinder bracket painted and mounted, got that factory "dynamat" stuff ripped off the floor and repainted.

My brother started the new coolant "tree" of the intake. The nipple is for the heater hose and the fitting is for and Autometer coolant temp. gauge. Looking pretty nice to me!

The clearance between the water pump nose and the radiator is 2 7/8", plenty of room for a puller fan. Now I just got to save up a ton of money to get one...........

Attempted to fix the seat mounting hole in the floor, but there's something there that limits my welding. I tried to put a small patch of sheetmetal over it, but there's like this factory metallic rock-hard putty that's inbetween the sheetmetal floor and the cab's subframe.

Before the seats go back in, I'll have to fill the open areas with silicon to prevent outside whatevers from getting under the carpet.

An Autometer oil temp. gauge is on the way and we are also tackling the fuel lines for fitment.

 

[Iron Ranger]

It's shifter time!!!

As you may know, I'm a big fan of building something rather than spending good money on it, so it's time to tackle the shifter.

Had some 1/2" round bar hanging around that would be perfect for this. I also used the old "pre-boot" to help seal the new hole and a Mr Gasket shifter boot will go over that one.

Also cut a new hole in the floor and am planning on covering the old one with a center console, (at least now I'll have drink holders, goodbye window holders!!!)

An my brother went to town on the fuel lines. His skills as an electrition for the mines have come in very handy for the labeling and running of the lines, and for the wiring harness fitment. Couldn't do it without him.

The seat's not all the way forward, but that doesn't bother me as I'm 6'1" and 280lbs. The seat is about 1/3 of the way back to accomidate ME

What? Only one driving this truck is me,................................. and my brother for helping me.

 

[Kyle M.]

Looks good, but I think I would make the shifter out of something a little beefier. I know how I drive and I would bend that thing in no time unless you are making it really short.

Anyway, Like I said before, everything looks great, keep up the good work!!

 

[Iron Ranger]

Looks good, but I think I would make the shifter out of something a little beefier. I know how I drive and I would bend that thing in no time unless you are making it really short.

Anyway, Like I said before, everything looks great, keep up the good work!!

Thanks!!

The shifter is now the same height as the arm rest when it's flipped down, so it's alot shorter than in the first pics, it's also super stiff. I also went to O'reilly's and bought a B&M shifter handle.

This thing looks absolutely old-school. I put in one more bend so that the handle is more towards me now.

Time for me to warm up the camera..............

 

[Iron Ranger]

Dun,dun,dun.........................

Well, got the handle screwed on, stops right on the spot. Painted the handle and put the seat back in, for good.

Some of you may think that 1/2" rod is too flimsy, take it from me, to bend this you'd have to be really, really angry or just .

Solid as a rock

I really like where it sits now, feels like a muscle car. But it only suits it since it'll be a muscle truck soon..............

Here I'm pretending it's all done and I'm on the highway tearing it up.............

I wanted a Hurst handle, but this B&M will do just fine.

Also, the new gauges came in

I can't wait untill these babies are installed!!!

 

[bobbywalter]

one thing i guessed wrong was the body lift.


i figured for sure once you got into it a little bit you would shitcan the crap they sent you and send it back, and then build your own 1.75-2.25 extensions on the existing frame mounts to fit the aftermarket bushings. that gives you the precise room you want, and will save your already comprimised cab mount/support. but something tells me you thought about it but figured it an upgrade at another time.


i saythat judging by the other stuff you have done...

the radiators is bad ass, i dont do them like that, i prefer the fill to be in the hose or a remote can, but your solution is tits.


the tranny mount is awesome as well. the shifter

cant wait till your first trip ripping through the gears reports...

 

[Iron Ranger]

one thing i guessed wrong was the body lift.


i figured for sure once you got into it a little bit you would shitcan the crap they sent you and send it back, and then build your own 1.75-2.25 extensions on the existing frame mounts to fit the aftermarket bushings. that gives you the precise room you want, and will save your already comprimised cab mount/support. but something tells me you thought about it but figured it an upgrade at another time.


i saythat judging by the other stuff you have done...

the radiators is bad ass, i dont do them like that, i prefer the fill to be in the hose or a remote can, but your solution is tits.


the tranny mount is awesome as well. the shifter

cant wait till your first trip ripping through the gears reports...

Thanks!!

I was really surprised the shifter came out as nice as it did. Usually when I work on something, I either have to scrap it, start over, or spend countless hours trying to fix it. This one was going my way from the start.

That radiator from Allstar was not setup for, well, anything!! Not a car, truck, nothin'!! So I took it to work and made it fit my truck and only my truck. Puts a little tear in my eye......

With the 3" lift, everything lines up exactly the way I want it. Didn't even have to bend back the seam on the firewall for tranny clearance.

I can almost smell the exhaust from the first start-up

 

[Iron Ranger]

Well, got the slave cylinder hooked up and bled, she seems to work super-good!!

Next on the list is getting the gauges set in place and drilling out the hold-down bolts in the box for the body lift and the 9 inch.............

 

[metalmacguyver]

I am liking this build alot...... Alot of good fab work.

 

[Iron Ranger]

I am liking this build alot...... Alot of good fab work.

Thanks!!

Not as exact and elagant as your build, but I do what I can to the extent of my abilities. Anything past that, I ask lots of questions.

 

[Iron Ranger]

Pics a-plenty!!!

Lots more was accomplished in a few days. I'm now on long weekend so I'll be getting even more done.

First off: The slave is installed and works very nicely. Didn't have any issues with this one
(except the older brother almost go soaked with fluid when we were bleeding it!!)

Then, the old man pointed out that the radiator outlet was facing the wrong way(pointed up instead of straight or down), so I took it to work, cut the tube off, changed the angle, and TIG'ed it back on.

Before:

After:

Also started to find good spots for the gauges. This "fake" vent is a prime spot for a 2 1/16" gauge.
(if you have a 4X4, this is where your engage buttons are)

My brother started on a wood frame that will serve base for a fiberglass custom mount for the water temp and the tachometer. It's turning out really well.

I couldn't find a good spot to mount the oil filter external bracket, so I went with Alaskan155's idea to mount it where the charcoal canister used to be, looks pretty slick!

The aluminum plates might be overkill, but I had alot of it laying around and didn't want it to move.........

And, finally, an updated pic of the motor. She's starting to come together slowly but surely. I had to ditch the 45 degree water neck for a 90 degree one off of ebay.

My brother hates the blue I painted it, but the engine bay needs SOME color..........

I'm going to retrieve the 9" and start to tear it down and clean it up. Hopefully that will go somewhat smooth.