Working on my 1984 Ranger

[1984Ranger]

I was given a Ranger about 6 years ago. It ran (not in years), but had no keys, flat tires (One was a 14' donut. The other three were flat 205/75/16s), broken accessory lightings, nonworking KC lights on the front, no stereo, no seat belts, about a ton of garbage in the back, and is a manual (I never got taught how to drive stick). Needless to say, I wasn't too thrilled.

But 2011 has been a tricky year. After finding out I was going to be a father in December, I decided it was time to get that truck running. I found an ignition with a key and another vehicle, and hooked it up along with a 75 battery I was given. Now I could see if the old girl has any potential. A friend and I got her running strongly after a bottle of heet, 4 quarts of oil, and a can of starting fluid.

Because the truck had sat there so long, the tires had sunken into the ground. It took a couple hours, and a few jacks, but we got it up high enough to change over the donut. After we got through with changing the spare, we move it around.

I took it for a spin, and she's still a great truck. Soon, I got working seatbelts in her (Taken from a 88' Mazda B2600). Also, I put a set of 205/65/16s on her, and got new bulbs for the tail lights.

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[1984Ranger]

Today, I was working on the KC lights. I tossed in new bulbs, and had to completely rewire them up.

I ripped out a cord from inside the cab that was connected to the battery. It had a fuse in it. And strung it up to the driver's side into the cab. Then I did the same with the wire from the KC lights. I then hooked it up to an actual light switch, not having a toggle switch yet.

The cords are hidden in front of the radiator.
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Come out here, and go into the cab.
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Run up here, and into the light switch.
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And I flipped the switch.

Now, I am hoping to switch out the 4-speed tranny for a 5-speed, and the v6 engine for a v8.

 

[jhammel85]

Thanks for bringing one more 1st gen back from the dead!

 

[1984Ranger]

Haha. I love this truck. I don't just want to bring her back from the dead, I want to completely revamp her.