ROAD TEST!!! Before I get to far I wanted to see how much the new body parts rattled or puckered. This was the first time I had ever driving with ear plugs too... The wheel wells were open and created a lot of noise.



Couldn't resist photo-shopping a finished product.



The bed appears to twist quite a bit, although the rear cab mounts are not connected. This was a problem I thought I would have. With the frame flexing about an inch I worry it will tweek the cab. I may build a pivoting body mount for this.






All in all, everything handled well. None of the panels puckered or popped while driving. Now its onto finishing the wheel wells!

 

Love this thread, get it done! looks great!!!!!

 

Damn.....

This thread freakin delivers!!!!!

 

i noticed on the original truck you had the rack on the bed shell.....are u going to be putting one on the roof or no?

 

Nice!

 

very nice its gonna be awesome once its done

 

This week mostly consisted of cleaning the shop. So nothing major took place on the Ranger. I did start working up some designs for the interior and work out more of the trip route.

One major item was purchased this week however... I've been on the prowl for a donor vehicle for 4x4 parts and I found one, 1996 Ford Explorer XLT.





I pictured a beat up old suv with a functioning drivetrain when I talked to the guy on the phone. Needless to say, the Explorer was in way too good of a condition to rip apart. Even the interior, blue it may be, was in good shape. I think we have the making of MX3 down the road :D

Some details: 1996 Ford Explorer 4x4, Miles: 133000, Motor: 4.0L V6, Trans: 3 Speed Automatic, A/C Works as if new!

For now I'll be using this as a daily driver and a parts runner.

 

Just get rid of those Pep Boys fog lamps and you got yourself a good looking car.

 

Aw, really? I kind of liked them.....hahaha....kidding. That, the pin stripes and the ground effects will be the first to go...

 

man, this is a serious project, looks great so far

 

how much of a budget do you have.. seems like you getting everything you want!!

 

Travis u do amazing work man can't wait to see it all finished up!

 

Nice project.

 

A very tight one.... I've been doing research for a while on where to buy materials at the best prices. The Explorer was completely a right place right time kind of deal. After I complete the build I'll writeup a cost sheet showing how much was spent on the Ranger (MX2) build. As of right now I've only spend a couple hundred on the Ranger parts/materials.

 

# 10: 'You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.


Please do not move next door to me.

Sweet work.

 

Wow, just spent an hour reading the entire thread. This is a seriously badass project! Nice work!

 

never realized you came over here. Great to see you join up!!


used to seeing you on expeditionportal

http://expeditionportal.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=15891


Keep up the work!!

ScottG

 

Hows things coming on this project?

 

This looks to be an awesome truck. Can't wait to see it completed. Are you going to just have solid windows on the extension or will the windows remove/roll down???

 

might I suggest you stiffen the frame so that the body doesnt flex so much under stress?

 

how would you do that? weld on some extra cross members?

 

updates?/

 

Those last couple pics it looks like theres alot of flex(more than normal), I wonder because you shortend the bed its flexing in a spot thats not as strong on the frame.

Something you might wanna look into and strenghten...

 

looks like it is coming along nicely!! cant wait to see the finished product!!

 

So, I've been a little side tracked the past few weeks. First I deep cleaned the shop to make the build easier. And made some extra space to work around.





Then played with the new toy....just a little....