Redrock

[rockin86ranger]

Well got a few more pictures, these are a little old. I have since installed the starter and finally swapped the surpentine pulley on the alternator for a vbelt pulley (after 5years) and got it installed. I also put a new positive cable on it because it appears the one that was on it was the original one from 1986 (still had motorcraft stamped into it)
Tommorow I will try to get the wiring harness rebuild (it got tangled up in the steering collum during one of its moves and tore it to heck) If i can get a soldering iron that actually works i should be able to completely rewire the harness tommorow and maybe get it installed. Still need to figure out the distributor though, there should be 3 wires in it but i only have 2 so i need to figure out what happened to the 3rd and figure out where it goes.

Got an electric fan installed, it opens up a lot of room and takes away some rotating mass. The fan was one i pulled off of a car before i crushed it so it was free! It also fits rather well, hopefully it will clear the grille (whenever i get one) without to many issues.

Also still in desperate need of a 2 barrel carburetor, either a factory one or Holley/Motorcraft in the 300-350CFM range for cheap. Don't care to rebuild one if it is complete.

 

[rockin86ranger]

Also I wasn't paying attention when i was putting the starter on but it appears the oil pan has oil seeping around a couple of bolts (Odd since it isn't even full of oil) which reminded me that i got distracted while i was putting the pan and i don't know if i ever rechecked all the bolts. Unfortunately a few of them are right behind the starter so i will have to pull it back off to recheck the bolts.

 

[rockin86ranger]

Well got most of the harness done (Only have a straight piece that needs to be put into the tubing/conduit and taped up) Hopefully everything works properly. Me and dad sat down and took all the plugs and wire out that we could tell were never hooked up, then used process of elimination to get rid of other stuff that shouldn't be needed. I was going to check to make sure everything worked properly before putting it all in the conduit but i didn't have a battery with a charge and it was getting late so i brought it home and finished it up. Probably took about half the harness out with everything we have done.

Hopefully tommorow I will be able to get all the electrics working and have fire to the plugs. Then all I need is to get a carb for it, if everything goes properly tommorow I will probably just slap the old on it until i can get one that i like.

 

[rockin86ranger]

Well made a lot of progress today, got the custom wiring harness in and found out I didn't have any power from the cab. After about 2 minutes of digging around I found the main power wire for the cab had a bad connection at one of the connectors, cleaned it up and got a good connection and everything works! Got it full of oil, put the distributor in, ran plug wires (have spark to all plugs), Installed drivers inner fender (Before i did the harness), got most of the shifter done (need to find something i can use for a decent filler that is sandable to make it look its best) got the shifter in and all the panels bolted down, installed overflow line and the coolant line to the intake, cleaned the bed and tool box out.

I also got an electric fan wiring kit this afternoon, will install it tommorow. Ordered a plug so i can get rid of an unneeded vaccum port on the intake to clean it up, it will be in tommorow. Also going to try to finish the shifter if i can find something that is halfway workable but yet strong and able to hold up to vibrations. Still need to clean up and install the passenger inner fender and need to fill it full of antifreeze.

Might have a lead on a carb but won't know until thursday, also might be selling my moped so I might be able to get one off the internet that I have been eyeballing.

 

[rockin86ranger]

FINALLY found a suitable carb for the truck, $36 shipped to me. It will need a rebuild but it beats the heck out of $200 for one, since the rebuild kit should be like $20-25

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Sweet! Get that thing rebuilt ASAP so you can post pics! Oh maybe even a step by step rebuild thread for your carb! Just a idea

 

[rockin86ranger]

Lol I was going to do step by step for the motor but I get in to big of hurry and just want to finish it instead of taking pictures. Happens everytime I say I am going to make a pictorial of something, take like 5 pictures then forget about it and get to working.

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Yeah I know exactly how that goes! I do the same darn thing ha ha!

 

[rockin86ranger]

Well went to the junkyard today, Got some small parts from a 1st gen ranger they out there (it was a 302 swap with a decent body, don't know why they put it in the yard). I finally after 4+ years have a handle to open the hood with (no need for vicegrips now), and the old latch was worn down to the poin you had to pull the lever to get the hood to shut, I also got a grille for it (Not the best but not bad, some of the tabs are broken), and a set of beauty rings since my others one were plastic and dog pee has eaten the "chrome" off of them.

All that I am waiting on is to get the grille painted and put in, then need to come up with a new dipstick tube, and put one wire in for the electric fan still, then need finish the shifter, and rebuild the carb and put it on (It should be in tommorow or saturday according to the site), and i need to fill it full of antifreeze. That is all that I found left after a close examination, I should be able to drive her again soon.

 

[rockin86ranger]

Well I finished the rebuild on the carb, rather simple for the carb I ordered (Hopefully I can get it dialed in without to many issues). Finally got the measurements for what size spacer I needed for it and got it ordered today (it should be in by thursday). Now I just need to find a new dipstick tube for it, going to have swing by the dealership tommorow and see if they can get me one for a reasonable price.

But this beast should be mobile by the weekend, stilll need to take the shifter back off and reseal the mounting plate. I keep hoping the stuff I need to finish it up will come in so I don't have to take it back off in a week and reseal it again.

 

[rockin86ranger]

Got the final wire done for the electric fan, got a dipstick rigged up until I can find a new one (I will put it in on the first oil change). I am now just waiting on the carb spacer to arrive, can't fabricate anything else for the carb until I get it in. But it should be here on/by thursday according to the shipping estimate, so by Friday I am hoping to have it on the road. There is a car show Saturday so I might get to make it to it.

But for now I am playing the waiting game.

Anybody have a good way to polish/restore stainless steel. I have a set of beauty rings that could use some work, also need to polish the center caps.

 

[rockin86ranger]

Well I ordered the carb spacer on sunday and it was supposed to be here today, unfortunately it didn't get shipped until last night. Looks like it will be tuesday before I even get it in, since labor day will have the mail shut down I imagine. Also ordered a flip kit for the rearend, will have to cut the coils on the front to match for now. Unfortunately I will miss the car show this weekend since the truck isn't running, but we have a hurricane coming through so I don't think turn out would be that good anyways.

 

[rockin86ranger]

Well i got my carb spacer in (not happy about it at all, had to modify a lot on it to make it work). the only thing left is now I need to build a throttle cable bracket and choke cable, I will probably have to order new ones since the choke cable it to short and throttle cable is about 7-8inches to long.

Luckily the truck is still here, we had a tornado touch down about a mile and half from the shop and tore the airport to pieces. Looks like about $5million dollars in lost planes at a minimum and destroyed all the hangers. I haven't heard of any injuries or fatalities so we got lucky there. Then about 5 minutes later we had a tornado touch down about 2-3miles from the house, didn't get to check for damages before it got dark but will in the morning.

We still have one band coming through so hopefully it will decide to play nice and just rain.

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Holly crap! Good luck ha ha. We have to deal with liberals out here and you've got tornadoes out there. Hmmm I've got an idea! Wanna trade? You take our liberals and we'll take the tornadoes!

 

[rockin86ranger]

Lol unfortunately I am in college so I have to deal with both, but might not be living here too much longer. Might be headed to Texas again!