Ok, it's late night and I'm having silly thoughts. Some may have noticed my recent posts about my 1994 Ranger being broken down, and my will to get rid of it.

However, it's practically worthless as it stands due to paint in bad shape, lots of rust spots, broken transmission ... it's tired, let's face it. It has 120k so I somehow understand it. I could repair it for 500$ and ditch it for 2-3000$cdn, 4000 tops. I've done so many repairs lately I'm wondering what else can go wrong. I've overhauled the driveshafts and half-shafts, front diff, front brakes and bearings and rear leaf spring hangers, radiator ... those are the only things that come to mind right. Of course I recently got new tires and shocks too.

So here I am, thinking about what I would need to make it good for me.

First off, the auto trans has to go. I can handle the manual conversion, all I need is a trans (800$ ... but I can sell the repaired auto for that price), flywheel (?), clutch, clutch master cylinder, pedal, neutral switch bypass and the proper engine computer. Figure 500$ for all these if found left and right in scrapyards and such? Bit more? Not really sure.

The engine has 120k, but still runs like a charm. Wouldn't tinker with it just yet.

Rejuvinating the suspension is a must, will obviously lift it while I'm there. Tuff Country makes an affordable 4" (400$), but I'm unsure of the extra wheel travel (I need a lot more than right now!). Camburg has a 10" travel (still 4" lift) for 1600$ ... would have to make sure it's worth it!

Annoyingly enough, I have the 3.27 open diffs and the rear is calling for an overhaul... wouldn't hate going to 3.73 lockable or limited slip.

I'd love to widen that stance, maybe the long travel i-beams up front and spacers in the back ... not sure I want to change the whole axle back there.

The body is awful right now. Gay powder blue with silly pinstriping, clearcoat is peeling off on the roof, hood and tailgate are rusted big time. Would love going to a prerunner look with wider fenders, but I'm not ready to shell out 300$/400$ for f/r fiberglass fenders ... especially considering the fenders are the only un-rusted body panels!
Any other option for me out there?
Oh yeah, I need some clear headlights, not the ricer thing, my headlights have turned completely dull with time.
That and a neat charcoal metallic paintjob would get it back looking nice, even if it doesn't sport the prerunner fiberglass fenders ...

Interior ... just need better sound system, nicer steering wheel and nicer seats, but other than the sound, it's ok. I'd love to add electric windows too! I have power seats and power mirrors but no power windows. Weird.

There, you now have the whole picture.

So, should I dump it or spend some $$$ and keep it?

 

How rusty is the frame and underside of the truck? If it's getting pretty rusty, I'd honestly fix it up and sell it, but a newer Ranger, and go from there.

You've already spent a lot in it though, and if it's in good shape other than the tranny, get rid of that thing, lift it, and go from there. Depending on how things go, I'm about to slap on a 9" lift with 35"s on mine. It's a good bit of money for any lift beyond 2" or so though.

Sound system can get expensive. Mine's around a grand, but it sounds absolutely wonderful.

As for the manual swap. You'll need a tranny (obviously) for your engine (bolt patterns are engine specific), driveshaft, new floor panel (or cut the old one), shifter, manual pedal assembly, clutch master cylinder, reservoir, slave cylinder, all lines, clutch, flywheel, flexplate, and bearings. I believe the crossmember is the same for both trannies.

I assume you'll go new for clutch kit, and frankly you'd be stupid to use a used slave cylinder, so I'd say at least $500 for the tranny parts to do the conversion, even using a boneyard as much as possible. Tranny is $800 as you said or so.

The Camburg kit is good, but pricey. What would you do for wheels and tires? Those get expensive quick. Don't forget an alignment! New gears aren't too terribly expensive, especially if you do your own labor. Will require recalibrating the speedometer by changing out the gears, but you'll have the tranny out anyways, so why not?

Keep it and play with it!

 

The frame is rusty, but nothing to entail its integrity IMO. The spring hangers are brand new (as of last week), the body mounts seem to be in surprisingly good shape. That, coupled with the many repairs I've done is what's pushing me to keep it, rather than start over with a new used truck.

About the manual conversion, oddly enough I already have the hole in the floor, with a nice oem plate bolted in, so that's gonna be one easy part.
About the pedals ... is it the same pedal holding bracket thingie? ie, do I just need to go under there and bolt the clutch pedal in, or do I have to change the whole assembly? I could always go and check it tonight ...

Wheels and tires, probably 32-33", 10.5" wide, no more. I'm a reasonable guy when it comes to tires, I'm not lurking after some 39" Boggers . I wouldn't mind going to 16" wheels (only because it looks better!), but my current 15" will do just fine. I'm not really counting them in the equation because even if I change trucks, I will be getting new and larger tires
I know Camburg is expensive ... but damn are those parts beautiful! I'd leave them in my living room!

What annoys me is that all the money I'll put into it is money right down the drain, I'll never see it again. There again, since I'll do all the job myself, it's just parts.

 

If it's not your only vehicle, and as you say the body is rusting but the frame is structurely sound, I would do:

http://www.classic36pickup.com/

It is my hope for my current one.

 

pics would help but if its only a trans id say fix it then sell it if you want to turn to other things but frankly ( ive been in your shoes) there is a point where it runs out of things that break... my truck is a 99 and has 147K on it and runs like a top i want another 153K out of it at least you have to know what your breaking point is

 

I love it !!!! Have you gone throught the pricing thing?

 

Not yet, because I was going to order the book. I found and missed a couple of old metal bodies so far, and I saw one the other day (gonna go back and look).

 

A '36 Ford conversion on a Ranger frame. What a novel idea. That would be cool!

 

ah! That is pretty cool!!

But I'm more going for a look like this


After seeing this pic, I'm pretty sure everyone is gonna say to go for it ... but I'm getting a bit scared by the price though. An easy 2 grand on suspension + 1000$ for body ... kinda youch.
But at least, I'd have a pick-up, manual and competent offroad. It appears suspension will be the most expensive as a wider stance appears ever more important if I want to stay away from the "stock but lifted" look.
If not, I can dump it and get a TJ instead.

 

Is that your own truck?

 

Dude, if that was my truck, I wouldn't be calling it a POS twice a day, I'd be sitting in it, smiling and eventually licking it clean once in a while
That's just a pic stolen from the interwebz to illustrate what kind of setup I'd love to end up with ...

 

That's a nice looking truck without a doubt. But you say $2000 for suspension and $1000 for body. $3000...I'd double that figure to even go with anything along that level. You're talking all new wheels, tires, brakes, paint, heavy body work to the rear, possible regearing, upgrades to the driveline, cab, etc.

 

I'm on ranger pilots side. The setup you see above is probably at least 10k in parts. Probably another 10k in labor. That truck above would be completely worthless for daily driving. Probably get some looks though. If someoen up here was driving a truck like that, and I saw them, i'd just say what a waste of money. But you have to do what you like. If you look at the flatbed in my gallery, its completely worthless really, besides for moving hay, but its fun to drive!

 

I only mentioned suspension and body ... I know there's far more than 3k in upgrades, but I'm not necesserily going to such a level either, that's just inspiration!
1600$ gets a 10" travel Camburg up front, and another 500$ is a match for the back. It will be PLENTY for the terrain we have (nothing quite as fast as desert). I will never need rear traction bars, for instance!
Body, I said a grand because just the fenders are 700$

You're right about re-gearing ... did I mention it has 3.27 open diffs? . Wish I knew how to look it up when I bought it.



mmmh, I'm starting to think this truck will need far too much money to make this work.

 

If you have a good body, fixing it up wouldn't be an issue, if your body isn't very good, then forget it. How bad is the body? The great thing about projects, is there's no time limit, you can work on it for the rest of your life. A little money and time here, a little money and time there. Things like fenders, hood and bed side is no biggy if thier rusty, cause you can get fiberglass replacemnet parts from a pre-runner shop. The fenders and bedsides are already bulged for bigger tires, so you don't need as much lift. Money doesn't have to be such an issue if you do it over time and not try and do it all at once. You can get the clutch and brake pedal assembly at the bone yard. If you keep it, the first thing you need is a plan, decide exactly what you want to do with the truck, from body, drivetrain and so on. If the truck is your only wheels, then turnning it into a project won't work, unless you pick up something else to drive. I don't even see any info on your truck, did I miss it or what, like what year, engine, 2x4 or 4x4, If I knew more about what your dealing with, I maybe more able to give you some advice.