My little Iron Ranger {Part 2}

[Iron Ranger]

i wish i could build a ranger like yours....id show my buddy (chebbie lover) how us blue oval guys do it

You could build one, you just need some startup $$$, a place to work on it, some buddy connections, and a lot of patience.

If I had a choice to do this different, I would've built a super-custom flatbed on a 4x4 model.

I don't know why, but I've had the itch to buy an older 4x4 ranger with a decent cab and a rotted box so I can rip it off and build a flatbed.

Maybe in the future......................

 

[PaleBlue90]

You could build one, you just need some startup $$$, a place to work on it, some buddy connections, and a lot of patience.

If I had a choice to do this different, I would've built a super-custom flatbed on a 4x4 model.

I don't know why, but I've had the itch to buy an older 4x4 ranger with a decent cab and a rotted box so I can rip it off and build a flatbed.

Maybe in the future......................

knowing the luck i have id start then id run outta money or something would go wrong then id have to sell it or put it on hold

 

[fordxranger]

Yeah......sure............ this is a kick in the butt.

The body lift is the quick fix for everything to clear properly. It's the best and cheapest insurance that everything will clear without a lot of headache.

Trust me, when you sink as much time and money into something like this, and time's a factor, the easiest way is sometimes the best.

It may look a little "odd" to some people, but it looks a lot better than it did before, I hated the squatted look anyway.

It may look goofy, but this goofy rig will also be able to run with the big dogs


If I get ambitious in the future, maybe I'll remove the lift, but that's in the distant future.

I know how a project like this is, I plucked the tired v6 out of my buick regal in high school and dropped in a mildly built small block chevy for my senior project. Save the "well your problem was the chevy" comments . I have no brand loyalty. It took a while cause I ripped everything out first and didn't gather all the parts and built as I went. By the time we got the engine in I was so eager to get it running I cut corners just to get it on the road. Needless to say every place a corner was cut a problem came up and bit me in the ass. To make an already long story short, the car is now under a carport with a wiring problem, a bent flexplate, bad carb, and a bunch of other things I now need to fix. IMO a project of this magnitude shouldn't be rushed in the least bit and done right the first time so there won't be any problems down the road. So that thought combined with my hatred for body lifts made me post. Your doing a hell of a job, and it would be a shame for this to sit with problems like mine now has to. Glad to see the problems you have so far have pretty minor and it shouldn't be to long before you get to run the hell out of it.

 

[Iron Ranger]

My brother reminded me and I just realized that not a lot of you have seen the full view of the truck. Well, after a good wash(mit went from orange color to black from all the grinding dust), she's shining like a diamond.

Just need to re-install the front valiance and my brother will install the 19lb injectors, hopefully that'll fix the rich running conditions.

Here's the pics:

The exhaust stickers will come off in time. I also took off the hitch receiver, going to sell it and use the funds to build a more discrete one.

 

[Iron Ranger]

Oh yeah, almost forgot this one..................

My brother has done all the wiring on this truck and all the advanced mechanics. Everything is pretty much operational and functional.

Now I have a question:

What is this switch, that he installed, for?

Give up?

ELECTRIC DUMPS, BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Duggo]

Um.. How to put this... THAT RULES!

 

[mn_smokeater]

amazing truck! gotta take a trip to cook one of these days il have my eye out for it when i pass through hibbing.

 

[Iron Ranger]

amazing truck! gotta take a trip to cook one of these days il have my eye out for it when i pass through hibbing.

Hibbing is where I work, I live in the Virginia area.

 

[mn_smokeater]

ahh thats a pretty good drive to work an back

 

[Iron Ranger]

ahh thats a pretty good drive to work an back

That's what the Cobalt's for



Well, the new 19lb injectors showed up today.

My brother will be installing them when he gets home from work. Hopefully, he'll take it for a test drive, too.

 

[mn_smokeater]

that is true! yes it should run alot better.

 

[Rifleman]

I spent two whole hours reading this thread and examining all the pictures closely from beginning to end and it's not done yet?!?

Patience for such things aren't my strong suit. Better man than I... Kudos to you man! VERY nice build.

 

[DRIFTGOD187]

the truck looks awesome !!!

 

[Iron Ranger]

Well, I finally got to take the truck out for a spin. Ooo, ooo, ooo what a ride that was!!!!


The throttle is so responsive and I have sooooooooooooooooo much more power at my disposal, it's nice to do 0-65 in no time. With the 4-banger, you were lucky to get up to 65 within 2 miles.

There's an oil leak at the rear main seal, I think some stop-leak will be in order. But it seems the liquid gasket over the tranny cap fixed the leak, hopefully it holds.

I'll have to do more runs this week before I finally get to take it to work(weather permitting)

The clutch is new, and I have to get out of my "feathering" habit or I risk putting burn marks on it.

Forward isn't so bad, it's reverse that I have a hard time with.

 

[Iron Ranger]

Well, I put 150 miles on the new drivetrain, and with all the urathane replacements, she handles and feels like a caddy. There's a constant whine in the tranny(I think it's the imput shaft), but everything else is functioning properly.

Now I just got to put the front valiance back on and put a post up in "Show off your truck" for a chance at becoming a STOTM, I hope.

This is just one more shred of proof that will some time, research, friends, and $$$, you can accomplish something that either no one or not a lot have done before.