Well since the turbo ranger is 99.9% complete and is daily service I figure why not jump right into the next project!

Back in the spring I picked up my replacement for my Bronco2 and I just unloaded it off the trailer this weekend. I got another long bed Ranger but a 1st year 1983 with get this....31k miles on it. Its almost as clean as my 88.Bought it as a cab and chassis only.


Plan is take my efi 5.0/c4 from the Bronco2 and drop it in the 83 and rewire whole truck. Building an all tube bed for the truck with spare tire,toolbox and radiator all mounted in bed. I also picked up a rolling 78 F150 chassis for the full width d44 and 9in axles. ranger will be 6" wider than the B2 was over all.I have King 12" coilovers for the front and I will be running my 35"KM2's.
Got a lot of cool ideas for this truck and my plan is to use as my bad weather daily driver once finished.

This weekend I got it on the ground and cleaned up.

Then I cut all brackets off the 9in,cleaned it and painted it then rolled it under the 83 with my SKyjacker 4" SoftRide leafs.




Updates will be coming fast and furious!

 

Jesus, do work son!

Cant wait to see what you have in store, still liked the bronk thou. :(

 

Hell yeah!

 

Man you never rest do you?

 

this is going to be freaking sweet. where the hell do you get these clean square bodies?

 

Sweet project!

 

Its funny that up until last summer I have always been in some kind of relationship and was even engaged last summer to a woman I had dated for almost 3 years. When things fell apart I told myself no more women controlling my life and vowed that this year I would finish every project I had planned before the end of 2012. So far so good! Im 40 years old and single and this past year has been the most fun I have ever had!

Yeah I couldnt believe it when I found my clean 88 Ranger with 39k on it. I left the house going to pick up a set of 4.10 gears I found of Craigslist and after talkin with the seller he told me he had heard stories of my old turbo 87 Ranger from 10 years ago.He then tells me a buddy of his has a brother with a Ranger that he wanted to turn into a drag truck but hadnt touched it in 7 years. Phone calls were made and I end up at buddys brothers house face to face with the 88. After some chatting I end up bringing the 88 home for 500.00 !!

When the Bronco2 got hit last year I found another guy on the web selling some Ranger fenders and a hood and went to go buy them to fix my B2. When I get there he has 2 clean 83 Rangers he wants to restore. One will be a dropped mini while the other will be a 2wd PreRunner he says.I end up becoming friends with the guy and do some work for him so he decides to sell me one of his Rangers when he realizes he bit off more than he could chew with two projects.He then sells me this 83 that came from Arizona dirt cheap....like 300bux cheap!

 

You lucky son of a gun

 

Nice find! That thing is clean!

 

I can't believe you found that in Michigan.

 

It MUST have just sat in a garage somewhere.

 

going to be an awesome truck

 

Todays progress.

Cut off old reciever from hitch to use and lopped off 7.5" off rear of frame.

Added a 4" beam for my rear crossmember/bumper then welded up the reciever.



Got the Bronco2 gas tank mocked up with its skid plate and looks like it will all fix perfect.


And got all my 2" tubing for the base of my new bed.

Removed the junk bumper and tried to get front level with rear but dont have a big enough jack.lol Rear frame is 33" off the ground.


I was planning to change out the whole interior but Im a sucker for old Ford Porno Red interiors and it looks like a little bit of cleaning and I could just leave it original.

 

It's a Shame your tearing into something so clean and beautiful.

 

I wouldnt say that its a shame.... Last owner had already sold the bed and it was just a lonely 2.0 4speed truck. I would say its lucky to be in my hands! Trust me though...this one will be treated way better than my B2 ever seen.

 

Wocka Flocka Ranger.

 

That thing is soooooooo clean!

 

For a 83 its shocking how clean it is.........but did you see my 88?

 

Is that hitch going to hold? The welds look good but with a good yank I could see it getting ripped off maybe.

 

Not a chance. Its burned in real good at 4 spots and I still have to add a brace to it yet after I figure out my mount for the gas tank.

 

Gotcha, I wasn't sure if you were planning to brace it or not.

 

Subscribed.

This looks awesome! Very nice find.

 

Got a little more done today. 2" frame for bed is finished,but not welded to chassis yet. Flared it out near rthe cab to make room for a wide thin radiator.Thinkin about using a 90's F150 radiator.Had to many problems washing mud out of the thick 3 core I had in the B2 so Im thinking a wide 1 core will be easy to flush out to keep core clean and still cool plenty good. Will be mounted with bottem kicked back and dual fans blowing down thru it.
Getting a sheet of #9 expanded metal for the floor of the bed.


Toolbox will get mounted here behind the rad.


Finishing the gas tank mount in morn then starting the 2" body lift.

 

Coming along nicely!

 

This will be sweet when its finished! When are you expecting it to be done? Few months?