Rebuilding my 1978 Ford Courier 4x4

[Kommando SS]

As some of you may know, I have a 1978 Ford Courier Brahama 4x4. I need your help to help me what to choose! Please and thank you.
It needs alot of work and they are listed below:
Transmission
Clutch
Brakes
Floorboard (alot of rust holes)-THE BODY NEEDS TO BE REDONE IN GENERAL!
Radiator
New backbed
U joints (I think)
Carbuerator
Winch
Mirrors
Headlights
4x4 locks-etc
Shocks
Fuel Filter
Fuel Pump
and some other things

Basically I am starting over. It has a Ford Ranger motor in it, from what I know, but other than that it was a good truck, still is, and I want it running again and looking nice and can get through a bog hole when needed (but I want my truck to look nice, cause you don't hardly see these things around my area at all).

Here is a side image of it *would have a picture of under the hood but my camera is messed up, basically everything under the hood needs to be redone*:

http://img227.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1003618ar8.jpg

I also have more pictures of it in the "Show your truck forum"

 

[97RangerXLT]

prepare to sink a whole pisspot full of money into this to get it "looking nice"
My advice would be to find another Courier of the same vintage w/ a good body (good luck on that..) and swap the engine and drivetrain components to it. or probably it would be easier to just put a new body on your current frame. I believe that the Mazda B2000 truck used the same body as your Courier up through the mid 80's, so that should give you some more options on body and bed panels.

But seriously, with all the work you need to do on this truck, consider getting a whole different truck and using your truck as a parts truck...'Cause unless this truck has some serious sentimental value (ie belonged to a favorite deceased relative or this was where you first got laid...) It aint worth the money you are going to sink into it.

AJ

 

[predator]

prepare to sink a whole pisspot full of money into this to get it "looking nice"
My advice would be to find another Courier of the same vintage w/ a good body (good luck on that..) and swap the engine and drivetrain components to it. or probably it would be easier to just put a new body on your current frame. I believe that the Mazda B2000 truck used the same body as your Courier up through the mid 80's, so that should give you some more options on body and bed panels.

But seriously, with all the work you need to do on this truck, consider getting a whole different truck and using your truck as a parts truck...'Cause unless this truck has some serious sentimental value (ie belonged to a favorite deceased relative or this was where you first got laid...) It aint worth the money you are going to sink into it.

AJ

+2, hope you won the lottery.....

 

[Mark_88]

Ditto!

I have been 'rebuilding' my 88 Ranger since 2004...so far I've put in about $5,000 and, for that kind of money, I could have bought two or three running vehicles...

It has been an interesting project and I would say go for it on this one if you have extra cash and plenty of patience...

The body does look very similar to the B series Mazda trucks that I've seen in the yards...does it have a four or six cylinder engine?

I got my carb and intake from a 78 Mustang 2.3 so it may be the same setup on yours if your engine is the 2.3...they have a two barrel carb that is sortof triangular at the top...takes two wingnuts to hold the breather on them...I'd post a pic if I knew how...can't seem to just paste one here...

 

[rickcdewitt]

i had a 79 i used for a ranch truck that was a tough little bastard.overheated it a hundred or so times,jumped it,loaded it down with a ton,got rammed by a windstar and the windstar was towed and i drove away.good little trucks.as a bodyman i agree with the rest- get another truck.here in cali there are actually some really good examples that haven't rotted to death

 

[Kommando SS]

Well my dad supposedly gave it to me. It's the only thing I ever gotten from him in my life and yeah I know it's rough looking, it will run but the carbuerator needs to be fixed and I just wanted to add some stuff to it.

I want it to be a project over time, if you know what I mean?

 

[Kommando SS]

Ditto!

I have been 'rebuilding' my 88 Ranger since 2004...so far I've put in about $5,000 and, for that kind of money, I could have bought two or three running vehicles...

It has been an interesting project and I would say go for it on this one if you have extra cash and plenty of patience...

The body does look very similar to the B series Mazda trucks that I've seen in the yards...does it have a four or six cylinder engine?

I got my carb and intake from a 78 Mustang 2.3 so it may be the same setup on yours if your engine is the 2.3...they have a two barrel carb that is sortof triangular at the top...takes two wingnuts to hold the breather on them...I'd post a pic if I knew how...can't seem to just paste one here...

www.imageshack.us and copy the correct url.