What did you do to your Ranger today? (Part Deux!)

[Rick W]

I love Craigslist. I found these right around the corner from where I had to go for sweet pea’s Christmas present. Two brand new step bumper receivers, one 5000 pound 8 inch drop receiver with a 2 inch ball, and one adjustable height hitch. $25.00

The “pin” on the Road Ranger is actually a hitch with a 6 inch drop. This 8 inch gives me flexibility on a coupling the trailer if I want to adjust the height a little bit. I already had the 3 1/2 and 4 inch ones.

I’m thinking the adjustable one will be perfect for the receiver that I have installed in the face of the upper deck on that trailer. That will let me level a trailer that I might be carrying on top of the trailer.

All just cool toys, but the last business day before Christmas is one of the best shopping/scavenging days of the year!

When I’m done with the next two or three projects, I’m sure I’ll sell the spares for what I paid for all the stuff originally.

 

[ben_2_go]

Installed new upper control arms on the Strangler today. Steering feels way better. Alignment, rotate and balance on Tuesday if nothing happens.

 

[4.0blue98]

Changed oil. Old stuff was as black as my soul... Actually not that bad. Crawled around underneath to see if the rust had gotten any worse but looking pretty good. I see more welding in my near future.

 

[rubydist]

Crown Vic Steering Wheel

I've been wanting to do this to my Ranger for a while now but still can't find a wheel (Blue but black will do).
No luck w/the Lincoln - Mercury either (Then I'd need a Ford horn button).
The ones I did find ('8x - '89) were in to bad of shape &/or the horn button was missing. I found the diameter is ok
& I think the dish depth will work as well. Comparing the backsides looks like it will work too.
It doesn't need to have the leather but it does need the cruise buttons.
Anyone know where I can Get 1 ?

@SCOTTY - be aware that the Crown Vic / Mercury / Lincoln wheels from the late 80s had the double-D hole, and the trucks have the splined hole, so you have to change more than just the steering wheel.

 

[Rick W]

Minor Craigslist score. I picked up six 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 8‘ brandy new perforated angles, about 1/8” thick for $60. They’re the perfect support pieces and braces for my Rube Goldberg machines, the only reason I paid so much (Home Depot wanted 50 bucks a stick.)

 

[SCOTTY]

@SCOTTY - be aware that the Crown Vic / Mercury / Lincoln wheels from the late 80s had the double-D hole, and the trucks have the splined hole, so you have to change more than just the steering wheel.

Strange, I compared the 2 online & they look the same, front & back.

 

[rubydist]

Grant shows adapter #4288 for the Ranger - it has splines. Grant shows adapter #3289 for the cars - it has the double-D hole.

 

[powerstrokekid]

I was going to swap the foam from this red seat to my gray but I didn’t realize it was held in with hog rings. I instead kinda patched up mine with some foam from this Jetta seat. Forgot to take pics but seems to be better than it was lol. Also put a bend in my shifter so I can reach without leaning forward.

 

[powerstrokekid]

Merry Christmas everyone

 

[SCOTTY]

I was going to swap the foam from this red seat to my gray but I didn’t realize it was held in with hog rings. I instead kinda patched up mine with some foam from this Jetta seat. Forgot to take pics but seems to be better than it was lol. Also put a bend in my shifter so I can reach without leaning forward. View attachment 103587View attachment 103588View attachment 103589

Don't know how you feel about buckets, but I went to PAP & got 2 right side ones (Deep type) & replaced the 60/40
with them. Gave me some more leg room as well. Then I got a console from a 1st gen Exploder.
I like it a lot better.

 

[ben_2_go]

All this talk about sets reminds me, I need a complete seat frame that bolts to the floor on the passenger side for my 2001. I don't know how or why, but the bracket rusted away where it bolts to the floor next to the passenger side door.

 

[Rick W]

All this talk about sets reminds me, I need a complete seat frame that bolts to the floor on the passenger side for my 2001. I don't know how or why, but the bracket rusted away where it bolts to the floor next to the passenger side door.

Rustoleum will cover that up

 

[JoshT]

All this talk about sets reminds me, I need a complete seat frame that bolts to the floor on the passenger side for my 2001. I don't know how or why, but the bracket rusted away where it bolts to the floor next to the passenger side door.

Extended cab? Can you send me a pic of exactly what you need? I've got parts truck I maybe able to get a bracket from for you. If I do have it, you can have it for cost of shipping.

 

[tw205]

Upgraded the status from revived to daily driver. My old BII daily has been feeling low powered, to put it lightly. Did a quick compression check and failed miserably. I knew it was coming. So the new old Ranger has stepped up to be the new daily driver. I’ve been puttin around in her for a couple weeks and she hasn’t skipped a beat. Fresh oils and filters is all I’ve done so far. She has been neglected so I’m in a hurry to do all the maintenance. I think she looks low in the front. I’m an 1 1/4”lower than ideal on ride high. Most likely ball joints as I do have some movement and camber is a little off. More RBV fun for TW. I gotta say I’ve enjoyed bombing around this this beat up truck.

 

[sgtsandman]

Oh wise ones….

Lord knows, I already have enough projects to carry me through most of this year, but I had a vision for another radical like The Road Ranger. I’ll probably never get it done, but that’s what I said about the Road Ranger a while back. If I can focus in on what I need, and keep my eyes on craigslist, that’s how I’ve done it before…

I’m not going to describe my project in detail, because I don’t want anyone to steal the idea. Imagine a small truck cut down to half its width, but it’s not cut down the middle: save the sides, and save the center (to hold the drivetrain), but cut out the section that runs right under the driver seat and right under the passenger seat. That’s not what I’m doing, but that will help explain what I’m looking for.

Ideally, I’d like a Ranger, but any small truck or car, complete with a title, could work. I’m looking for a complete car or truck, so I have all the components and I’ll just be rearranging them, I won’t have to worry about computers or stuff like that.

Like all my projects, this will be a bottom dollar build. To create this narrow vehicle, I need a narrow engine. I’m thinking an in-line four or an in-line six, the smaller everything is, the better. So the four is preferred, but I’m also going to need something like 90 - 100 hp. This is not being designed to be powerful or fast, but I think I’ll need that much horsepower to move it around comfortably.

I’m looking for something where they made a zillion of them so I could just buy a used vehicle cheap without modification to the engine/trans. Let me emphasize suggestions of going to custom shops, and parts houses is not the idea. Reliable, not fancy or hot, easily available parts.

What old ranger trucks might work for something like this? Which engines?

I also need a very narrow rear end, or a rear end that can be cut shorter, very simply, with easily available parts. The rear end does not have to be from the same vehicle. I like the sturdiness of using the Ranger in the front, but I could use a different rear end in the back, as long as it was sturdy enough that the Ranger drivetrain wouldn’t yank it apart. Again, no hot ridding, but nor do I want it flimsy

Please put your thinking hats on and let me know what you think might work.

EDIT: body design is academic, very little will be saved from the body.

no suggestions to wild, look at what I drive now

What about a Daihatsu Hijet?