"Bring It" Project -- 86 Ranger

Ok... The parts chasing is coming to an end -- for now at least. I'm about to finally embark on the Ranger project that has been so long in the waiting/planning stages.

A couple of pics -- yes, I'm really starting to work on this project!

The tow rig... Mama's '03 Trailblazer. 292 hp under the hood, reinforced tranny, tow rating of 6200#. It works and it is nice to drive.

The donor pig... Yuppers -- THIS pig is supplying a lot of the bacon...

Driver's side drop Dana 44 -- soon to get 8 lug, full floater hubs to match the rear. (And yes, the passenger side drop axle, t-case, transmission, etc., are for sale out of the donor!)

The rear Dana 60

The donor motor -- 4.0 liters of butt-kicking power (well, at least it will pull the truck around and be light weight!).

The "not-so-innocent-victim"...

My wife has named this project... When I told her what I was doing, and showed her a picture of what it would be, she just said, "Bring it!" Here it is "dreaming" of bigger and better days!

 

[glfredrick]

I wish I would have done my hoops that way. I like that design a lot. So how were you able to bend that tube like that with the HF bender? I was under the impression that it was near impossible to make bends past 45degrees with that bender.

I have mad skilz... (that is meant to be a joke!)

That is the absolute limit of the HF bender. I achieved that radius by modifying the edges of the die a bit (rounded them to the pipe radius) and by careful placement of the roller wheels (I start wide and move them in as I bend). I also sleeve the roller wheels with larger diameter pieces (cut a 2" pipe in half lengthwise and let the roller wheels rest on it, which makes it more like a more traditional bender).

Otherwise, no filling with sand/water, etc. Just bend it dry.

Additionally, I'm building a Rubicon Express-styled front suspension, not the more typical F150/EB setup. My front flex is unlimited, restricted only by the length of the brake lines, driveshaft movement, track bar, and of course the limit straps that keep everything where I want it.

 

[glfredrick]

Little bit of progress

Driver's side front shock and spring hoop.

 

[glfredrick]

Little bit of forward progress...
Dana 60 disk brake brackets

Donor cab (now, if I could just find about 8 bodies to lift the old off and drop the new on! :lol: )

Seats compliments of MOAB Off-Road THANKS Jeremy!

Front suspension coming together

This week the old cab gets lifted off, the frame rails painted and prepared for the new motor, and the motor dropped into place. I'll also have to fabricate a transmission mount, firm up the crossmembers, and start planning the sliders and exo cage for the new cab.

 

[FROADER]

Do they only make rangers and explorers with red interior in Kentucky, or is it personal preference? :

Looking good, Guy. I see this turning out 'similar' to WHITE RHINO's rig on PBB. I love the x-tra cab on a std cab frame.

 

[glfredrick]

Last weekend -- not too much progress, but moving forward.
The new motor is finally home, in the garage. The old cab is stripped off and ready for the salvage yard. Also took some time to clean up the garage before all the installing starts happening.

Couple of pics:
BBK/Edelbrock Throttle Body -- Thank you very much! ;D Gotta have sharp eyes while shopping Pull-A-Part!

Couple of frame shots -- it will look different once it is all ground down and painted.

And finally, the old cab, with its friendly reminder to all the Jeep guys out there... ;D

 

[JMan689]

Do they only make rangers and explorers with red interior in Kentucky, or is it personal preference? :

Funny you say that, my friend bought a 93 (i think) off another friend with a red interior. And i once test drove a Ranger with a red interior (but it had a 302 which made up for it)

Last weekend -- not too much progress, but moving forward.
The new motor is finally home, in the garage. The old cab is stripped off and ready for the salvage yard. Also took some time to clean up the garage before all the installing starts happening.

It's looking good, but whens it going to be done. With what you did with the Explorer and not getting crazy with it im dying to see what the Ranger will do.

Any thoughts on your bumpers yet?

 

[glfredrick]

Funny you say that, my friend bought a 93 (i think) off another friend with a red interior. And i once test drove a Ranger with a red interior (but it had a 302 which made up for it)

The red was just a fluke... I'll likely change it, as it won't work at all with my new exterior color scheme. I'm thinking about the some of the hammer-tone paint for the inside, if I can find vinyl dye to match. Floor boards will likely be Line-X.

It's looking good, but whens it going to be done. With what you did with the Explorer and not getting crazy with it im dying to see what the Ranger will do.

Progress has slowed in the past couple of weeks for a few different reasons. Between work (almost doubling my hours right now), dissertation season (I edit and format doctoral papers for students as a side-line income) and a blown transmission in the Trailblazer, I've got my hands full without working on the truck, but it is coming along.

The new motor is sitting on the floor next to a bare frame -- all ready to stuff in and fab up the new crossmembers for the transmission.

Some additional money is now coming in, so a doubler may also be back on the table.

Otherwise, about all I have to get are the disk brake rotors, front bearing hubs, a couple of steering links, and I can start slamming it together for real. The axles will be built within the next week or so, so they'll be done and ready to roll. The frame will be finished in the next 2 weeks also.

Will it be a radical ride? It had better be... Phase 1 sees 18" of suspension travel on all 4 corners, 44" long arm front suspension, a brand new crate motor with a BBK, JET chip, headers, a 99 intake, and a few other goodies pushing a modified C4.

The cool thing is that I'm building this project for about $2000 total investment. I may get over that if I go doubler, but not by more than an additional $500 or so. I even picked up a tow rig project truck for $300 to go with it. Camper Special Chevy truck, only needs a used 350 and it is all set.

Any thoughts on your bumpers yet?

All tube... Everything is going to be tube work, with a complete exo-cage. I like what I did on the Exploder, but this has a different look and purpose. It will also be as tucked in as I can make it. As it stands right now, the front tires are about 3" out in front of the rest of the truck, so I'm looking to keep it at about that place. Even the winch will be under the hood (in place of the stock radiator, which gets relocated to behind the cab).

 

[JMan689]

What a monster, and i know this will sound cheap, but Dupli color engine spray paint works good on interior trim, surprisingly.

 

[FROADER]

Too long between updates Mr. Fredrick, too long.

Updates!?!?

 

[glfredrick]

Too long between updates Mr. Fredrick, too long.

Updates!?!?

You're telling me!

I'm back to living in Kentucky and working in Wisconsin... If everything goes well, this project gets to move one more time before it gets finished. Sucks for the project, but really good for life.

I'm up for a MAJOR promotion with my company, from a manager of grounds to the general manager of an entire university campus facilities with multiple managers working under me. I'll finally be able to afford that tow rig and to get this project on the road.

But, alas, no time right now to work on the project at all... I'm working 20 hour days, living out or a suitcase at a Super 8, and only getting to see my bride once every 2 weeks.

I should know by the end of this week.

 

[FROADER]

Well congrats to you with the job!! I definitely know there are more important things in life than a truck. Take care of yours and update when you can, but hurry. :

 

[little x]

That's looking real nice so far. I can't imagine how much of a PITA it would be to move a project like that to a different state to finish it. You don't still happen to have that NP435 do you?

 

[glfredrick]

Update...

I didn't end up getting the job, so me, truck, etc., are all still in Loisville. I'm back working on it and should have some more project shots coming up soon.

Right now, I'm dropping in the motor to trial fit it and figure out the transmission mount. I'm making a tubluar one that tucks up into the frame as much as possible. I'll also be running a piece of UHMW as a belly pan.



Sorry, I don't have the NP435. It sold earlier in the year.

 

[SVO]

That is the absolute limit of the HF bender. I achieved that radius by modifying the edges of the die a bit (rounded them to the pipe radius) and by careful placement of the roller wheels (I start wide and move them in as I bend). I also sleeve the roller wheels with larger diameter pieces (cut a 2" pipe in half lengthwise and let the roller wheels rest on it, which makes it more like a more traditional bender).

Otherwise, no filling with sand/water, etc. Just bend it dry.

Could you take some pictures of this HF Bender mod you have done, you have me very curious, and also would you mind sowing the placement of the rollers as you make the bends, THANKYOUVERYMUCH!



Jeff - :navajo:

 

[jordan1948]

Subscribing for sure.

 

[glfredrick]

Update...

Got a little bit done today.

Here are some pics from the engine/transmission trial fit. This is a 1999 4.0 liter crate motor with headers, and a few 1994 parts swapped on to make it work with the 94 computer and wiring harness I'm using. It will also get a BBK throttle body.

Note the C4 setup... Everything tucks up into the frame rails also. Only the drop of the t-case will sit below the rails. I'll be making the crossmember this week.

Had one area of frame interference -- quickly cleared up with the Ford wrench (torch). Header was going to hit the frame rail.

For those of you asking about the Harbor Freight pipe bender, I promise I'm not doing anything magical -- just bending pipe (rusty old pipe at that!).

Here are a few pics:

Mounted to a motor stand -- makes it easier to use.

In action

Marks on the bender for a repeat bend. Note the placement of the rollers -- offset to one side. Seems to make a tighter bend for me. I play around as I bend, then find what works (typically the wider the better, except for the very end of a bend when they get pushed in).

Here's the real trick... Just a piece of larger pipe, sliced in half. It goes between the bent pipe and the rollers. Makes it bend much better. No kinking of the tube at the bend.

And the slight radius I ground onto the die -- not much, but enough to stop it from kinking at the bend. I've also softened the edges of the die some so it doesn't dig in.

That's it... And I'm getting some good bends with it. Not up to pro standards, but I've only got $65 invested in this setup. I'm building my entire project for under $2000 as it sits right now! Careful planning, scrounging for parts and steel, making everything myself, trading for parts, etc., etc., etc., and I get a real budget project.

 

[Four0Sport]

honestly.. if it were me.. i would have built the J10. : )

 

[glfredrick]

honestly.. if it were me.. i would have built the J10. : )

I like the way the J trucks look, but my donor was a rust bucket. It would have taken a LOT of work -- more than the Ranger build -- and even when it was done, it would have been too heavy and too big for the wheeling we typically do in our area.

The guy I bought the truck from had one built -- we wheeled along side it often. My 'Sploder would walk all over that truck except in deep mud. My Ranger build, with its lighter weight and suspension balance will make Tom's J20 look silly on our trails.

 

[JMan689]

My 'Sploder would walk all over that truck except in deep mud.

Must be that southern mud, it does fine up here so long as i don't hit any deep ruts

 

[glfredrick]

Must be that southern mud, it does fine up here so long as i don't hit any deep ruts

The J20 was running 40s. At some point, the 'Sploder is just under water and the big dogs are still running... When you gonna come south and wheel with us?

Oh, and I'm working on building a crate for your stuff... You can see my C4 setup in the pics above. They're nice for off-road use. Stronger, lighter, and tuck in nicely. Only drawback is no OD. No problem for off-road use. Might be a problem with fuel economy on the road, but the stuff we're building shouldn't matter much on the highway, other than to get from point A to point B without a trailer once in a while.