"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!

 

[revenantdead]

nevermind... this post is OLD

 

[glfredrick]

Actually, I'm just about to revive it... Spring has sprung and I'm back in the garage!

Gotta get this project done.

Currently welding up the shaved engine crossmember and building the suspension mounts for the front axle. I started prepping the rear axle also, but decided to scrap it and find another one, so I'm hunting now for a decent Dana 60 rear with 35 spline axles. (My current axle can't accept 35 spline shafts.)

 

[glfredrick]

Update -- Finally back at it!

Yup -- after a LONG hiatus, I'm finally back at the Bring It project Ranger.

I've been busy since my last post -- I've made most of the purchases needed to get this thing on the trails and now I'm welding every night after work!

What's new? I'm building the rest of the suspension, and have most of the rear done now. The teaser shot below is before doing a lot of cutting and welding. Now that ride height is set (No Lift!) I can set the ride height for the front and get the front spring and shock hoops bent and welded in place.

I also have a BRAND NEW 4.0 crate motor (94) with a 99 intake setup, a completely rebuilt C4, all bolted up and ready to fire (complete with headers!), a B&M Quick Silver shifter, two full-support off-road seats, and perhaps the biggest addition, a 1993 extended cab to rest on my frame rails. With the cab, I get the new wiring harness already installed, an updated look, bigger front fenders for the 38s, and already set up for air conditioning (yup -- I'm setting this up for a/c).

This project will come together fairly quickly now that I have virtually every part on hand and ready to assemble, so watch for updates.

Here is the newest teaser photo -- more to come as soon as I have time to download.

 

[glfredrick]

I've been out in the shop...
Couple of pics:

 

[FROADER]

Nice work Guy.

Is the bed going back on, or are you making a tube bed?

 

[glfredrick]

It will be all tube work, with poly rear fenders (street legal) and in addition, the radiator, batteries, coolers, spare tire, etc., will all go out back.

The winch mounts up front where the radiator once sat.

I'm trying to get a 50/50 weight balance.

Oh, and it is evident that I'm doing this "junk-yard dog" style. Low buck but functional. Wish I could just spring for a fab shop, but half the fun is engineering and building the thing with scrap parts and hardly any $$$ invested. Once everything is ground down and painted, it should look better.

So far, I have very little invested in this project. Brand new motor/tranny/headers/wire harness & computer - $750 (yes - NEW - crate motor, rebuilt c-4, etc - one man's loss is another man's gain). Axles - free. Gears and bearings - $400 - set up free (I helped move a shop). All 4 tires, $135. 4 wheels $100 - shocks - free - springs - free - Rubicon Express weld-on kit -- I helped build a deck. Radiator, A/C, battery, misc, items - I made $700 by parting out annother Explorer. Tube - free. I even got the wire and the gas for the welder for free... Truck was mine, paid off since 1990.

 

[glfredrick]

Couple more pics - its on the rear tires now...

 

[section525]

Those shocks are radioactive!! : The camera can't even focus on them!

 

[colindo94]

At droop are the shocks going to kiss the frame?

 

[glfredrick]

At droop are the shocks going to kiss the frame?

No, the tabs aren't welded on yet -- they'll clear fine. Just there to mock up and give a visual.

Those shocks are radioactive!! The camera can't even focus on them!

Just a hint of the final color scheme... :

 

[Burns]

Just a hint of the final color scheme... :

I must say that it is a mighty fine color.


Nice work also

 

[glfredrick]

I must say that it is a mighty fine color.


Nice work also

I figured that you might like the color. I'm not doing the whole truck that way though. You've already staked out that territory.

Just some accents on an otherwise black setup.

 

[glfredrick]

More updates

I worked on getting the front axle situated tonight -- and sort of have it figured out.

It is kicked forward about 6" from stock. The steering box is reloacated to the end of the frame rail (clears everything for low height + uptravel) and the track bar will fit easy.

Here are a couple of pics:

 

[Burns]

What coils are those?

 

[glfredrick]

What coils are those?

I'm not exactly sure, but I believe that they are Jeep XJ 4" lift coils (could even be 6" - they are tall!) likely from Rubicon Express. I'd have to ask my kiddo. He rescued them from a pile at his shop. (low-buck effort ongoing!)

I've got about 10 sets of assorted coil springs laying around, and those looked the best for the job at hand. If not, I have more to try.

 

[glfredrick]

Couple of pics of the front end work ongoing...
Motor mount shaving -- reinforced with welded tube edge. Plenty of room for up-travel.

Proposed steering box re-locate mock-up. Needs final adjustment after axle is positioned. Also will be braced. Box is being moved to the very end of the frame rail for foward axle position. Wheelbase is going to be 121".

Front axle lower links and frame brackets:

 

[colindo94]

Your making good progress. Me like

 

[glfredrick]

Small update -- been working out the front spring hangers. Pictures of the driver's side -- I have the other side finished, but ran out of argon before I got it welded to the frame.
This is my version of dealing with full-width coil springs. I still have some triangulating pieces to fab in, but I wanted to get it set in place so I can finally hang the axle.

Eventlually, there will be a tie-bar across the top of the engine compartment (with flanges so it can unbolt) that ties both hoops together, and they will also tie to the exo. I used this design to get around the funky frame on the driver's side, which is different from the passenger side. I could adjust the hoops to fit each side with the straight pieces that tie it to the frame.

 

[Dannyboy]

Looks great, I'm liking the hoops and pushing the coils outbound. I can't think of anybody running custom coil buckets, most guys are leafs or early bronco coil buckets that I can recall.

 

[colindo94]

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.