Very Mild '03 Ranger

[nb11]

Not even sure if this could be considered a build thread, but I'm making it anyway

So I got the keys to a 2003 Ranger xl for my 16th birthday. Its a regular cab short bed, 2wd, 2.3l, manual everything. Looks like a typical Napa parts delivery truck.

This is with 235/75 Yokohama Geolandar's, don't even have pics with the stock 225/70's.

I got tired of the faded gray grille and bumpers, so I trotted down to the parts store to get some spray paint.

Front bumper

Grille (painted black)

Bumper skirt (painted black)

Fresh-looking front end

Did the same on the back

After a couple months of it looking like this, I saw this:

Grille from a 2003 Edge. So I got one for cheap off eBay, and after some paint:

Well, its a crappy pic but I like the look of the black honeycomb.

While in the parts store getting some more paint for the Edge grille, I saw some VHT Nite Shades. I'd heard of people on TRS using it, so I decided to give it a try myself. (Note: the key to getting it to look right is a VERY light coat. Its easy to go too heavy and have the paint turn out all crackly and bad.)
I kept the reverse lenses clear

Lights on

Lights off

They look a lot darker than they really are. It was overcast when I took the pictures and I don't have the best camera.



Well that's about it for now. Like I said, its a very mild build. I'm on a pretty tight budget, so this is all I can really afford for now. However, in the near future I hope to install some outer mirrors from a 2006+ Ranger, then a level kit, new wheels, and 31's. Then I'll probably want new gears, so it'll never end lol. But it'll all come in time.

 

[MountainMike]

Leveling kit will make a huge difference by itself. Looks good so far man

 

[jhammel85]

Looks great! I have a friend with the same truck (well..an 01). Even had your wheels before the American Racing Torqlites. Sorry for the blur..

 

[nb11]

Hey thanks! My front springs are pretty saggy, so it looks even more nose-down than it did from the factory And yea I don't like my stock wheels at all lol. I'm thinking about going with some Ion Alloy 174's and Treadwight's. I'm not looking to make my truck anything super special, I just want it to give the "hey that's a sharp looking little truck" effect when people walk by.

 

[4.0B2]

still a nice truck.. those small touches change the look majorly.
keep it up. the tight budget thing sucks, but look what i came up with on my tight budget. planning sas and 8.8 swap now, i'm proof that a broke college kid and do some mods, just make sure you eat at taco bell for like $3.48 lol.
i was about to say you should get some black rims with chrome lips like the ones i got, then i googled your rim choice-- NICE!
keep it up sir, keep us posted!

 

[nb11]

+1 for taco bell haha. And I'll keep my thread up to date for sure. Next thing I'll get will be a toolbox (black of course) for keeping my books/work clothes/random junk in. Not much room in that regular cab.

 

[84stealthranger]

i vote lower it just in the back level with the front.

 

[kris97ranger]

id be lifting the front to get it even with the back. then lift the back more

 

[multiranger]

Good lookin truck ya got there!

 

[nb11]

Haha, thanks guys. And kris97, I like the way you think!

 

[nb11]

Just ordered some Doetsh spacers! Which, I can't really afford new shocks and an alignment right now lol, but I'll at least have the spacers to sit on the table and taunt me into getting more done to my truck.

 

[MountainMike]

You shouldn't really need new shocks, your truck should be just fine with the spacers. I know the 4x4's can handle a t-bar twist so I think you will be all good on that front

 

[nb11]

My Doetsch spacers came in the mail today! I've heard that the whateverkindof plastic coil spacers don't hold up, but these seem pretty nicely made. Hopefully I can get them installed this weekend and get an alignment done Monday. Then I'll see about getting new shocks if I need them, but after looking at these spacers, they're only about an inch thick so they should provide about 1.5-2" of lift. And my stock shocks will probably hold up for a little while.

 

[nb11]

Finally got the coil spacers installed!! I'll admit, it was a little more difficult than I expected. But after doing the first side, I knew what I was doing so the second side wasn't as hard. I just kept the stock shocks for now, but I'll probably get some new ones soon. It just seems like the front end feels a little bouncy, which I guess would be a result of the shocks being at the end of their travel. And even though there's no obvious signs of bad camber, and even though it doesn't pull to one side badly while driving, I guess I'll need to get an alignment sometime this week too. It wouldn't hurt anyway, since I've never had one done in the 70,000 miles I've put on the truck (had about 70k when I got it).

Anyway, this is how it sat before. There's another good pic at the top of the first post.

These are the Doetsch coil spacers. At first, I was afraid they'd be way too thick, but the spring goes up into the spacer about until the tapered edge near the top (where the side goes from straight up to angled).

And here's a few after shots. I really wish I had a better camera, and I'll try to take some more pics when its lighter outside, because its hard to tell where the tire ends and where the wheel well begins.

That's all I have for now, but I hope to soon get a black toolbox to throw all my crap in and some new wheels, but that won't come until probably summer. Thanks for viewing!

 

[kris97ranger]

looks good i just hope they dont crush down