What did YOU do today?

[Lefty]

Put the bumper and winch back on the Ranger and painted the grill. Just need to paint all the new stuff around the lights. That will come with warmer weather. But hopefully before I get into the salty sea air at Outer Banks later in March.

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I rather like the look of this: four square, strong, and ready for just about everything and anything.

 

[Rick W]

If your vehicle defines how much of a man you are, you need to reevaluate your priorites, what drives your self image, and life choices.

Wow. Do you really think that what you drive can define you? I didn’t consider that….

 

[Lefty]

I rather like the look of this: four square, strong, and ready for just about everything and anything.

I also like restomod, especially when it goes so far as not to be a Ranger anymore, a truck with a personality all its own.

 

[Blmpkn]

Wow. Do you really think that what you drive can define you? I didn’t consider that….

You were born too early to catch this new fangled simpleton-itis.. or is it simpleton-osis? Either way... be glad

 

[sgtsandman]

Wow. Do you really think that what you drive can define you? I didn’t consider that….

Me, no. Apparently, some people do think what they drives defines them. Odd concept, no?

I used to get given a hard time by some of the people I worked with because of that thinking. When the fuel prices started to sky rocket, the razzing dwindled away to nothing.

 

[Curious Hound]

What I drive doesn't define who I am. It's a reflection of who I am. There is a difference.

 

[racsan]

Was going to do a little body work on the newest escape (rear fender area) but instead cleaned out the chicken house, hadnt been done since november, just kept putting down more pine shavings, think I had about 3 bales worth in there. only took 3/4 of a bale one all the old was cleaned out. The asparagus is either going to grow really well this year or not all.

 

[pjtoledo]

dismantling a bed.
not sure if I can salvage much. it's from the rolled '99 I bought a few years ago.
removing the fenders to make a test jig for mounting flares on a styleside.
it looked a lot better from the top thanks to arch moldings and a liner.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Today went to the local farm store since they're having a sale, everything is going up in price anymore which apparently includes water softener salt, could have swore it was $6/bag last year now it's almost $9 but they had it on sale for $7 if you bought 10, so 400lb of that, then walked by their clearance table (as you do) and saw buckets of the generic cheap tractor fluid that turned out to be $16.30 instead of $50, called my brother who has a bunch of old tractors and got 6 of those... the ol '97 Ranger got a workout on the way home, those 1250lb springs squatted a bit

 

[Rick W]

I got to the Pull-A-Part when it opened at eight this morning to make sure I got a golf cart. For the eight dollars an hour, it’s the best thing that ever happened to these tired old bones.

I had to go get a couple of the trim pieces that cover the carpet just inside the door saddle for the Road Ranger. I’m positive I have them from when I , but I can’t find them, and it’s holding a progress on that project.

I also grabbed up another 15 lug nuts, the ones with the little flange that holds the center caps. I’m pretty sure now I have enough.

I also found one of the right center caps, so I grabbed that. At this point, I have some extras, but I know when I originally put it together two or three of them were kind of funky. I’ll go through all of them before I go to nationals this year at some point.

I also grabbed up a handful of Ranger and Lincoln emblems, part for inventory, and I needed a couple of “T“s for what I’m doing right now

Finally, I looked at every Lincoln they had, and could not find the matching stars I want to put on the tail lights. I got three pretty ugly messed up and disgusting center caps from a Lincoln aviator. The Lincoln star symbol from the center is a little bit taller, I hope it doesn’t upset all the people who have converted their Ranger bed trailer into a Lincoln knock off….

The stars were ultrasonic welded to the center caps. I ground that off from the back, popped them out and then cleaned them up with a Brillo pad, and they look like new.

I’m only lacking one more emblem (4x4s) for what I want to do. They’re supposed to be here in a couple days, but I think I’m going to start putting it all together right now.

EDIT: I also picked up a driver side mirror for the ‘97 Road Ranger. I want to take it apart and see how I can put bigger mirrors on the truck without it looking totally cobbled up. Once I figure out how to make a bracket from that existing mirror mount to the top of the door, it’s easy enough to make mirrors for it.

 

[racsan]

got the plates switched to the “new” escape, thought about using the previous front plate from the other escape since they are nearly identical (who checks vin’s anyways?) but couldn’t find where I put it so just paid the $6 transfer fee & bolted it on the back hatch. Got the spare out from underneath it, winch wouldn’t work so cut the cable end with a angle grinder, spare was only 10 pounds low, put air in it & tossed it in the back. Washed it, waxed the hood. Its a weird color- T9-monterey mettalic. I thought it was sort of blueish but guess its a grey of some sort, the other escape is a dark grey (think its called charcoal mettalic). they are similar but different. for reference the 2011 has the grille guard, the 09 does not

 

[DRanger024]

Went to the junk yard and got half a set of JKS quick disconnects off of a Grand Cherokee. I need to go back with a cut off wheel to get the top half.

 

[JoshT]

I delivered a parts truck to it's new owner, the metal recycler. Only $150 back in my pocket. I paid $500 for it several years ago to put the engine in my '99. Was worth it for the few years of use it gave, but it's about to get swapped for a V8. Kept the rear axle, leaf springs, and several odd and end parts. About the only heavy item left in the truck was the transmission. Considering the use I got, the parts we saved, and the weight removed, I don't think that was a bad deal. If I'm being honest I almost would have given it to them just to have it out of my parent's yard.

With that done I loaded the compressor we've been fixing at their house on the same trailer the truck left on. Looked almost comical having the compressor strapped down on that large trailer. It's in my shed now though. . Just need to pick up a 220 breaker and get an outlet installed to power it. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have a decent supply of compressed air. I already have an idea of the first thing I'm going to do with it, but that'll have to wait for that day's post.

With all that done and some daylight left I starrted messing with one of my 5.0L's getting it ready to load up and move to the planned swap work space. This is one of the reasons I used the oversized trailer to haul the compressor hom. Dad has a 1/2 crane set up to mount on that particular trailer which will be particularly handy for picking up and moving that engine since I can't use an engine hoist very well on that surface. Anyhow, the engine was fully dressed and attached to a transmission. To pick it up and get it loaded I need ti undress it and remove the tranny. (there's a dirty joke in there somewhere) Being 25 years old I was expecting to fight bolts. I was pleasently surprised when every bolt I touched turned right loose. They were tight, but none were stuck. Full acessory drive removed, transmission bellhousing bolts loose, exhaust manifold bolts loose, upper plenum bolts loose. Need to get it lifted some so I can remove the starter, but for that I've got to go back and get the chains and spreader bar I forgot to grab before heading home. I want to do some cleaning, then this thing will be ready to move to the trailer. Might do a quick rattle can rebuild to dress it up a little too, depends on how the weather cooperates.

I just wish I could remember if this engine has a double sump pan or the explorer pan. I was prepping it to go in a first gen Ranger and can't remember if I changed the pan or not. Things aren;t conducive to looking under it at the moment, but I should be able to tell once I get it lifted up.

 

[Blmpkn]

After many many years of wanting to.. I finally started a stockpile of apocalypse food lol

Bought a #10 can of Mountain House biscuits & gravy and a #10 can of their granola & blueberries.

About 35$ a piece right now on sale.. total came to just about 50$ off regular price.

So.. as long as the apocalypse lasts less than like 3 days I think we'll be alright hopefully it'll hold off until I can buy a case of their ice cream sammiches though.. mmmmmmm...

 

[Rick W]

After many many years of wanting to.. I finally started a stockpile of apocalypse food lol

Bought a #10 can of Mountain House biscuits & gravy and a #10 can of their granola & blueberries.

About 35$ a piece right now on sale.. total came to just about 50$ off regular price.

So.. as long as the apocalypse lasts less than like 3 days I think we'll be alright hopefully it'll hold off until I can buy a case of their ice cream sammiches though.. mmmmmmm...

Not funny, vote right…