( cracks nuckles ) everyone sit down, screw your wig on tight, its story time, one I'm sure will answer some questions as to the ' origins of D. ' .

A while back, I came in contact with a guy from Alabama. It was on Generationedge ( the original one ). We gabbed in the forums and he found out I was running a bottle.

I blew up 2 motors before I talked with him ( Yes *I* blew them up with stupidity, the nitrous was employed wrong.. well.. kinda.. ). We started gabbing and Jason Allen started trash talking about his eaton setup..

One day, this guy posts a new thread ' Come ye, Come all to the 300rwhp challenge '. About 5 or 6 of us started getting into it and going at it.

The Gentlemans name is Doug Studdard as in Doug from BamaChips.

Over the years, he and I gabbed quite a lot ( his wife and I gabbed as well, shes one fiesty redhead! ).

We all sorta wasted engines. Doug had an OHV with a paxton he did something to, I burned some pistons and grenaded quite a few manifolds.. Jason.. well.. he never did get his detonation issues resolved..

Doug came up with a solution for my A/F problems. Without saying anything, he just mailed me a return-style fuel system. Just out of nowhere. It resolved my issues and I made the 300hp level AFTER being banned from GE LOL!

Doug was starting to hit the v6fc ( V6 Ford Challenge ) events. Him and Jimmy ( 8 sec splash ) were having fun. Doug picked up a sponsor from whipple and started to build another truck besides his white one with the 4.0.

He needed a set of flares and a front vailience.

So.. I drove to a friend from RPS'es house just outside of syracuse NY, grabbed a front bumper/vailience and packed them with my fender flares and just sent them to him. I can't remember if I told him before hand or not ( it was like.. 3 or 4 years ago! ) but he needed/wanted them, I had no use for them.. why not get them out of the way and make room for something else?

I did the same with a bumper, some factory blocks and everything else I don't need.. I just get rid of it. Its doing no good collecting dust and taking up space, might as well have someone putting them to use.

I haven't spoken to Doug since Katrina. I heard from him in Email, he let me know his wife, HER cats and his persons were ok and safe, but he was going to be VERY busy for quite a while. I hope to make it to Bama sometime and kick back and laugh with him for a while before my time passes.

I *know* Doug and it's kinda why I try and stay out of the vendors areas when people complain about his services. Hes been 100% and then some on reliability for everything he has ever helped me with and even moreso, hes been a great friend over the years. Spent too many nights BS'ing with him on the tele to think anything bad of him.

But , thats the story of the Fender Flares.

 

Can't wait to put you in lingerie on the hood of it!

 

no thinking needed shawna. pics only lol

 

Umm.. No. Well.. in all practacality, I'm not doing anything to the engine thats in it.

 

Can I post the pics?

 

post them or PM them

 

No chic-pix.

I put something back on as I had to take some measurements for what I'm planning to start tomorrow. Everything out back is so nice and clean ( except the leaf springs, their being replaced anyway, why bother with them..

 

rear disk brakes?

 

I've had discs for.. 2 years now?

 

new leaf springs?

thats all i see in the pic D lol

(side note, 04 EDGEb has had many beerrs tonight)

 

Its back on its own rear feet again. Needed the axle fully mounted and sitting with the pressure on the suspension for the next part. Some of the next part is done already, just waiting on Brian to stop by on Saturday to help with what I'll be doing. Hes also bringing part of what all will be going in as well so.. I can't really do anything till he stops by LOL!. The pinion angle was corrected as well.

I'm sending my wheels out to be bead blasted and powder coated along with a fresh set of tires. The ones on there right now are kinda.. ' worn ' to say the least, their down to 4/32nd's left, won't even pass a state inspection ( requires 5/32nds tread depth. ).

 

At 200$ a tire.. I WISH it was 2/32nds here! I roast 2 full sets of tires a year.

 

If you saw the 2 I have for the front.. you would think differently. The whole center section is VERY worn.

Too many launches on them.

 

Nope. Their the same size at all 4 corners. I usually buy tires in pairs. I rotate the front to the back and put the fresh ones on the front. The camber issues up front tend to give the tires an uneven wear so they are a bit tweaked even before they see the back..

Have to hate a torsion bar lowering! Thus, I'm scrapping those ******* next! ( after I'm done out back )

What exhaust tips? The pipes themselves? Why bother, they are only going to rust to **** as well.

The Eco-terrorists that used to own this state thought it was a great idea to use mega amounts of sodium ( salt ) in the winters. Instead of using some form of a cholride or sand, they use a corrosive element. Take a look at ANY member from NY's frame, If they haven't painted it or went over it every spring, it will look like mine did after its first or second winter. Undercoating only goes so far.

 

Thats another reason for doing what I am. I figure, this truck just turned 5 from the day I picked it up ( March 2nd, 2003 ). Its on its 5th or 6th motor, second tranny ( the T5 has been rebuilt twice ) and now third axle. The rest of the truck outside of the drivetrain needs some attention if I plan on having it around for another 5 years.

Most of the 1999-2002 rangers I see on a daily basis are.. trashed. Some have body cancer and ALL of them have frames that look WORSE then mine did. Most have tailgates where the bottom edge is all rusted ( sometimes theres even holes there ).

Endless something is done to fight the oxidation and rust.. I wouldn't give too many vehicles a 8+year life in this area and having it ' presentable ' ( IMO that is ).

Theres several states where is a ' Southern ' truck/car is brought up, they get big-bux for them. I know of a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee that had 130k miles from florida that was bought for 6 grand. The outside plastics are UV faded, but the body and undercarrige is solid, no rust. One winter here.. its going to start rotting bigtime endless its coated with bedliner or something.