and so it began- 1997 ranger, 4 cyl, stick...he just got his temps, bought it with his own savings- not expensive, but needed some rust repairs... as we got into it found much more. a few little patches needed to the underside of bed, easiest just to pop it off...
rear sheetmetal crossmember/spare tire support was swiss cheese after hitting with wirewheel, made a 'origami version' just bent up from flat sheetmetal:
cut out a few thin spots from the bed, fresh eastwood rust ncapsulator (ospho/POR15/tie coat primer first for welded areas)
then upon dropping the tank, pulled handfuls of frame out...had no idea rangers c-channel frames would rust like this, usually the fate of salted box style frames. the front crossmember where front tank strap hooks had roadgrime built up in it, just pulled the thing out along with frame bottom. this and the rear shock mounts are a really idiotic design, as they are open on top/blocked at the bottom- built to collect salt/no way to rinse out without pulling the bed. I drilled holes in the shock mount bottoms so at least now water can flow thru at car washings
replaced fuel/brake lines, exh hangers, painted floorpan underside...hes spent near two months messing around underneath. next is a rusty radius arm, inspect/redo brakes, replace core support.
just cleaned up rear bumper last night(por-15 backside) and remounted it and the bed... looks like a truck again. My best friend had a extra set of forged ranger wheels off his sons truck, gave them to Mike...new 15" tires came today. will get some before/after pics in the coming days.
A note of caution to salt belt folks with rangers- suggest drilling at least 1/2" holes in the bottom/inside corners of those shock mount stampings so you can wash the crap out of them- reading, see quite a few having rust/crack issues from inside-out corrosion... the way they are made they simply cannot be flushed out.
Worst part about all the repairs, told him up front the truck is never to be sold- has to be scrapped or cut up if he ever gets rid of it...extensive frame repairs will eventually give way to rust too, if we have it, we can keep a eye on it, if sold liabilities are too much these days...we built a new frame for a 65 galaxie 500 ten yrs ago, told kids same thing- if anything ever happens to me the car is to be cut/not sold out of the family
I figure as a first vehicle if he gets a few years out of it, we'll go from there. Hope with all the work hes put in it, he will take better care of it than most kids who are just given a car to drive. He and my 17 yr old spent all summer last year rebuilding a mark VII Lincoln, turned out a very nice car for very little money- and the older son is really taking great care of his vehicles. He has been working enough to also buy a 99 expedition from California, he spent all summer under it POR-ing the frame, filling seams, getting it ready for a minimal damage winter...its seriously one of the cleanest vehicles Ive ever seen, and was dirt cheap- but its killing him in gas
anyone interested in more rust/repair/projects, heres a few other things weve messed with:
http://www.fordmuscleforums.com/gala...ong-story.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8323217...7634916492409/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8323217...7632965570909/