'85 Ranger Restomod

[85_Ranger4x4]

He is such a dork, he poses like is all stoic and wise... just ready to all but blow up with excitement at any moment.

I take him to work with me, he knows who will play with him and who wont before they come in the door. He isn't 100% but generally if you have played with him in the past he will be happy to see you. Give him the cold shoulder and he rarely gets up to peek around the corner... he already knows its you.

Wish I could trade you cab corners...

 

[Bird76Mojo]

You can still buy replacement cab corners to weld in. Super easy job. I did both cab corners on my 2001. My first time ever doing corners and I had them cut out and replaced in about 6 hours total.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You can still buy replacement cab corners to weld in. Super easy job. I did both cab corners on my 2001. My first time ever doing corners and I had them cut out and replaced in about 6 hours total.

You can only get the outer shell new, I need the part behind the door too. Just marveling at how clean your truck is is all.

I get those done, slap on a nice box and dig out the nice front fenders and hood I have stashed in the barn and I am ready for paint.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I changed the pickup, it was pretty easy to do. Really glad I went that route rather than changing the distributor.



Also rewired the truck harness to take a normal DS dizzy connector so down the road if need be I can switch pickups without having to change the connector on the pickup. While doing all this I also noticed the distributor wasn't really lose but also wasn't really tight. I could move it by hand which is probably why the timing was a little off, I didn't start it since I didn't have a timing light handy to set it.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

FPR is installed, knocks the pressure down to about 2lbs which is supposed to help while offroading. I got the timing closer, set at 12*... we will see how it goes. I am out of adjustment against the PS pump, not sure about it. Hot starts nice though for what that is worth.





And...



The repercussions it will have on the roundup are unkown...

 

[Uncle Gump]

Congrats... Daddy! Enjoy them while they are young... but be warned... they will be teenagers in a blink of an eye.

Might better reset the distributor.... if it won't give you what you need where it's at.

As for the fuel pressure adjustment... My starting point was always 3 psi. Just ensure you can't run it out of fuel on a WOT pass... call it a day.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Thanks!

I have the thing a tooth off and the wires one click around the cap right now, I need to revisit that. It was getting late and it was running halfway decent so I just backed it back into the garage.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I think if you had to reindex the wires to get it where it is at.... I would try moving it two teeth.

I'm seriously not trying to add to your to do list... but more times then not... the fine details are the break point between fun and frustrating.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I think if you had to reindex the wires to get it where it is at.... I would try moving it two teeth.

I'm seriously not trying to add to your to do list... but more times then not... the fine details are the break point between fun and frustrating.

I need to sit down and figure out which way it needs to go and how far I can go doing what. It is adding to the list but to do it right it needs done.

Same with the stupid t-case that is oozing somewhere between the rear output housing and the PTO cover. It isn't doing it much and the oil is new/clear so it is hard to see exactly what is going on yet... but it also needs dealt with.

 

[Uncle Gump]

It's a clockwise rotation... on the way out the rotor will turn counter clockwise... once it clears the gear... just rotate it more in the counter clockwise direction. It probably won't fully drop in because the oil pump drive isn't lined up... rotate the engine... by hand or taping the key with downward pressure on the distributor and it will drop in when it lines up. To check your work... roll it back to TDC of #1 and ensure the rotor points to where #1 on the cap is suppose to be.

Another detail you really should reconsider... again I swear I'm not trying to add to the list... is getting a good look at the float and ensuring it is positioned correctly. You were 98% of the way there when you had the lid off it the other day.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Would the float levels effect timing?

I did the regulator and blockoff passage thing mainly if I do get this thing to Ohio. For what I do around here this thing did run great before I fiddled with the air cleaner and noticed the pickup wires were frayed. I changed the pickup and went from 8* with a little wiggle room to 12* and no room for adjustment. I did just look up a '85 Mustang (what the dizzy is for) and they are supposed to be set at 12* so it probably will be fine, I would like more wiggle room though.

I have the remote starter deal you hook on the solenoid. I was running out of daylight and had to cook supper since someone else didn't feel like it for some reason so I didn't really delve too deep into what I gotta do with the dizzy.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Congratulations!!

 

[Uncle Gump]

Would the float levels effect timing?

I get what you're saying... point heard loud and clear.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Timing is set, ain't thrilled with it but it runs beautifully. Options are 10* and below or 12* and above. I have it set where it maxes out at 10*. Starts nice, runs nice, shuts off nice. Can't really ask for better but given my druthers I would rather have 10* in the middle of the range. Reset the idle too, bumped the idle up from 700rpm like the emission label says to 800rpm. With my kinda cruddy low/reverse in high it is easier to go over things with a little higher idle, it sounds more "normal" too.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Been picking at it here and there, started cleaning up the t-case skidplate to keep my t-case from damaging rocks. It hasn't been in the truck since the V8 swap because with the stubby C5 the t-case was way too far ahead and it wouldn't fit:





Have also been researching new and innovative ways to plug up die grinders:



Pretty backup lights, they never have worked. I fixed the wiring when I redid the rear wiring last year but the automatic shifter had no place for a switch.



Work on the floor continues. That piece was a PITA to fit, I think the worst is behind us now.