this truck started out as being a project, had 180k miles on it, found out it needed a transmission (no 1gear 4r44e auto) needed a windshield and a few other minor things. body was decent so i thought id pull the bed to make a trailer from it later, put a simple wood flatbed on it, sell it and look for something diffrent. got a few offers, mostly people wanting to trade. one day i took it out for a spin, came home and was thinking about playing out in a field with it. so i go out, start drifting and somehow, someway when i went to turn left and do a powerslide it got a grip and i rolled it onto its roof. motor was still running with it upside down. i went and got a tractor to get it back on its wheels. top of cab was crushed in and had body damage to the right side. it sat for about a month, during which my (very nice) 92 was stolen and i needed another running truck. picked up a rough 94 2.3 longbed, it needed a few things but it was stuff i could take from the rolled 97, cab mounts, fuel tank , rear bumper, ect. after i took off what i needed, i thought id remove the frame from the trans crossmember back and make a trailer. the bed on the 94 wasnt as good as the bed on the 97 so i had already transfered the bed over, but the 94 bed is still good enough to be a trailer. its almost done now, just want to put a toolbox on the front for a saw and gear, give it a little more tounge weight.

the beginning: 1997 3.0 automatic 2wd longbed xlt: ($500)

truck stripped down after rollover, looks like a roadster:

ready to take the sawzall to the frame:

back frame with axle, almost balanced, cut frame right behind trans crossmember:

notched and bent in front frame rails, slid in a 3x3 square steel tube for a tounge, a heavy peice of angle iron as a crossmember and welded together, lincoln electrode arc welder used:

primer grey, let it sit over a week like this:

oddly enough i needed a trailer and this wasnt done yet, so still in primer and not really ready but useable, i bolted down a 3/4 sheet of plywood with eyebolts and did what i needed to do. some magnetic lights on the frame and away it went to pick up a new stove and fridge:

painted frame black, added coil helpers to axle just like i have my other rangers. theres room betweed top of coil and frame so it rides the same, only comes into play when enough weight has compressed stock susupention.:

and bed back on, debating on paint, im going to make my 94 ranger a blue/silver two-tone, not sure if i want to do this trailer to match or make it allis-chalmers orange to my 1942 "C". still going to add a truck box on front of frame for a saw or other gear:

i'll add more pictures later, right now this is where the project is, think its turned out pretty good. i thought about having a surge brake coupler on it hooked ut to the drum brakes on rear axle but but im not sure it would really work all that well with such a light trailer, laoded with wood the tractor would pull it and wouldnt be going very fast.

 

That is one nice piece of a Ranger you got there. LOL


I am thinking you rolled it over just so you could play with your tractor.

 

made it a two-tone paint job today:

 

Sooo, is that like a 4 tone truck now?

 

i plan on doing the running ranger to match, painting top and bottom of the bed dark blue and doing silver in the middle of the door and front fender. might do a middle stripe down the hood and across the roof, havent decided on that. tailgate will match bed/body- be silver in the middle and dark blue top and bottom edge, might stencil " F O R D" on center of tailgate.

 

back bumper on and a matching 2-tone tailgate. bumper is a little bent up but will work as a step and to hold a licence plate. used the back 2 bed mounting bolt location for back bumper mount, about a 10" bolt all the way through bed through both ears of the frame and to the bumper. cut 2 4" peices of pipe to go between upper and lower frame rails, also have a peice of heavy angle on bottom side of frame for support. might someday drag a small spliiter behind trailer when going to the woods for firewood. overkill? yes, but i wont have to worry at all about losing the splitter, and if whole rig were to get stuck, id be more confident in useing back bumper as a spot to hook a chain to.

 

truck with trailer:

 

ready for use again, some fresh paint, floatation tires, toolbox mounted level and with "cushioning" between box & mounting points. and i finally got a licence plate of its own now instead of "stealing" the plate from my box trailer. the ranger trailer is about 750 stripped. ( no toolbox, side racks, rear bumper, tailgate, brake drums & tiny 13" tires) its probly close to 800/850# now.

by https://www.flickr.com/photos/154582078@N03/, on Flickr