Rebuilding a rig instead of buying new
- Thread starter Chama Grande
- Start date
Redmt
Well-known member
Is that one of the aluminum body trucks?
No. That started in 2015.Is that one of the aluminum body trucks?
Redmt
Well-known member
Wasn't sure of the years. My neighbor has an aluminum truck. It surprisingly doesn't have any dents. He drives by braille sometimes.
Has a wind wrinkled door and a firewood dent.
Both are pinstriped from brush.
They had a bath a couple weeks ago. LOL
The front bumpers got wrecked by snow and mud,lights falling out.
The LED lights are great. Linked to high beams by toggle.
The lumber rack was made for the Tacoma and I modified it for Ford. Has a 2500lb Warne on it for loads.
Redmt
Well-known member
Wind wrinkled door? Holy smokes! Everything else is pretty normal.
Yanked out of my hand,taking a leak on a side road. Had a body guy get it working.
I've never had an accident...or a ticket. Knock on my wooden head...
Redmt
Well-known member
I'm hoping that it was the door that got yanked out of your hand right?
I knew just what you meant. Damn wind can put the hurt on you in different ways.
Yep, learned early never let loose of the hose.
Found 2 hats the other day, lost last year. Or Dotti found them.
elkduds
Well-known member
Lately shopping for something 4x4 to leave at my summer cabin. Desired specifications: cheap, real 4wd (Ridgeline I got from Dad is awd, lacks low range), durable, cheap, easy to repair with zip ties and/or duct tape, decent fuel efficiency because it is far from a gas pump, parts available to keep it rolling, working heater, spare and jack, low purchase price so any needed shop repairs don't get skipped, reputation for reliability at high mileage. Anything else would be gravy.
Around here I found lots of Wranglers, some Liberties, many old Cherokees. 200K+ miles, rusty, high ratio of duct tape to factory parts. A few fully depreciated Samis, Trackers, even a couple Dihatsu Rockys. Toyotas with 300K+ miles. Lots of POSs in the $3-5K range. It was so futile I considered upping my initial investment beyond 5. If it was to be another pickup, it needed to be without back seats.
It turns out that little bitty Canon City, where I live when not at the cabin, is the retirement home for a few brands of vehicle. One is the PT Cruiser, no help there. Another is old Ford Ranger trucks. Seems like there is one or more on every block, usually in the weeds behind the garage or barn. I had a Ranger BITD, it wasn't bad. It was a '96, extra cab 4x4 with 4L v6. I bought it go go under a mini-truck sized cabover camper I grabbed from a neighbor's moving sale, wound up putting adjustable air bags in the rear suspension to try to keep the camper from tipping the Ranger over. It was so tippy Mrs. Duds wouldn't ride in it so we replaced the cabover with a vintage bumper pull camper I found in Albuquerque Craigslist. Found a nice topper for the Ranger.
I had mostly good luck w the old Ranger, so that started to be an option to consider.
Last month I saw this w a For Sale sign, parked a few blocks from my house.
The faux step side did not impress, it makes the bed 46" wide, how awkward is that? Still, I took it for a test drive. XLT interior was intact except for a blown seam on the edge of driver's seat. 60/40 seats, fold down armrest console lid was not good. It had 4wd with switch for shifting transfer case. Zero rust anywhere, no dents, nonsalvage clear CO title in seller's name, all electrics worked, heater and even the AC. The automatic transmission slipped a little, that was the major concern. 222.6K on the odo, more than I prefer. Between that, the iffy tranny, broken driver door handle, nonfunctioning fuel gauge, weak brakes, coolant system leak, dead oil pressure gauge and driver side patina, it seemed like a potential bargain. Or an oily spot on the pavement to throw $ into. I decided to roll the dice.
$2000 changed hands, we loaded the 4 original rims w worn tires into the bed and I drove it home.
About the patina: 45 rpm records on juke boxes have the hit song on side A, and another by same artist on side B. This truck has a definite B side.
Under the peeling clear coat on the rear fender were the faint remains of a factory decal; this truck came with the Offroad option package: bigger wheels/tires, skid plates, lower 4.10 gearing. It has the boringly durable 3 liter v6, now rocking a new oil pressure sending unit along w oil and air filter change, and Youtube zip tie adjustment for stretched throttle cable slack. Brakes were bled and adjusted, no repairs needed. Gas gauge woke up when I added a few gallons of unleaded. This engine also accepts E85 if I can ever find some. The tranny condition was the big gamble. Flushed it, cleaned filter, refilled with synthetic ATF, it works great. The radio and single disc CD player work fine, on the low end of hi fi. The driver's door handle was broken, new one from Amazon went in easily, since it was previously repaired with bolts instead of factory rivets. Matching size spare, factory jack and tire change tools in place. This edition of Rangers is basically the same from 1996-2004, so parts are available. No tech besides power locks and windows. It has an antenna on front fender, chrome metal bumpers, and behind the regular doors are 2 suicide doors to access the wayback. Back there with the jack and such were ridiculous folding jump seats that could only punish children or restrain drunks.
Now it is all wide open spaces back there. I believe it is ready for it's next assignment: In June, drive 90 miles to the cabin. From there, daily trips to the adjacent national forest and wilderness areas. Back to town about Halloween '25. About 4000 miles/year, 90% on forest service roads.
Around here I found lots of Wranglers, some Liberties, many old Cherokees. 200K+ miles, rusty, high ratio of duct tape to factory parts. A few fully depreciated Samis, Trackers, even a couple Dihatsu Rockys. Toyotas with 300K+ miles. Lots of POSs in the $3-5K range. It was so futile I considered upping my initial investment beyond 5. If it was to be another pickup, it needed to be without back seats.
It turns out that little bitty Canon City, where I live when not at the cabin, is the retirement home for a few brands of vehicle. One is the PT Cruiser, no help there. Another is old Ford Ranger trucks. Seems like there is one or more on every block, usually in the weeds behind the garage or barn. I had a Ranger BITD, it wasn't bad. It was a '96, extra cab 4x4 with 4L v6. I bought it go go under a mini-truck sized cabover camper I grabbed from a neighbor's moving sale, wound up putting adjustable air bags in the rear suspension to try to keep the camper from tipping the Ranger over. It was so tippy Mrs. Duds wouldn't ride in it so we replaced the cabover with a vintage bumper pull camper I found in Albuquerque Craigslist. Found a nice topper for the Ranger.
I had mostly good luck w the old Ranger, so that started to be an option to consider.
Last month I saw this w a For Sale sign, parked a few blocks from my house.
The faux step side did not impress, it makes the bed 46" wide, how awkward is that? Still, I took it for a test drive. XLT interior was intact except for a blown seam on the edge of driver's seat. 60/40 seats, fold down armrest console lid was not good. It had 4wd with switch for shifting transfer case. Zero rust anywhere, no dents, nonsalvage clear CO title in seller's name, all electrics worked, heater and even the AC. The automatic transmission slipped a little, that was the major concern. 222.6K on the odo, more than I prefer. Between that, the iffy tranny, broken driver door handle, nonfunctioning fuel gauge, weak brakes, coolant system leak, dead oil pressure gauge and driver side patina, it seemed like a potential bargain. Or an oily spot on the pavement to throw $ into. I decided to roll the dice.
$2000 changed hands, we loaded the 4 original rims w worn tires into the bed and I drove it home.
About the patina: 45 rpm records on juke boxes have the hit song on side A, and another by same artist on side B. This truck has a definite B side.
Under the peeling clear coat on the rear fender were the faint remains of a factory decal; this truck came with the Offroad option package: bigger wheels/tires, skid plates, lower 4.10 gearing. It has the boringly durable 3 liter v6, now rocking a new oil pressure sending unit along w oil and air filter change, and Youtube zip tie adjustment for stretched throttle cable slack. Brakes were bled and adjusted, no repairs needed. Gas gauge woke up when I added a few gallons of unleaded. This engine also accepts E85 if I can ever find some. The tranny condition was the big gamble. Flushed it, cleaned filter, refilled with synthetic ATF, it works great. The radio and single disc CD player work fine, on the low end of hi fi. The driver's door handle was broken, new one from Amazon went in easily, since it was previously repaired with bolts instead of factory rivets. Matching size spare, factory jack and tire change tools in place. This edition of Rangers is basically the same from 1996-2004, so parts are available. No tech besides power locks and windows. It has an antenna on front fender, chrome metal bumpers, and behind the regular doors are 2 suicide doors to access the wayback. Back there with the jack and such were ridiculous folding jump seats that could only punish children or restrain drunks.
Now it is all wide open spaces back there. I believe it is ready for it's next assignment: In June, drive 90 miles to the cabin. From there, daily trips to the adjacent national forest and wilderness areas. Back to town about Halloween '25. About 4000 miles/year, 90% on forest service roads.
Last edited:
Addicting
Well-known member
For those of you considering body work and paint as part of this you need to check prices. Materials have skyrocketed and so has labor. You should budget 10k + if you can find a shop to do it.
Macco around us has all but disappeared. They are not a good option anyway.
Macco around us has all but disappeared. They are not a good option anyway.
Redmt
Well-known member
FYI, I was quoted $2000.00 just to repaint the hood, failing clear coat, and the roof of my 2000 f350. No body work, just prep and spray.
The hood, cab and shell tops were faded and I paid $2875 to the guy painting my mech.s tow rig. Half the Tacoma. I thought it was pricey.
The Ford door fix was $500 to get it closing again.
So a paint job costs $10k for Q&D?
Always liked the old Rangers.
Rancher buddy had one he drove local and had over a million on it.
My neighbor has a new offroad one and mice just ate a bunch of wires. Again.
Addicting
Well-known member
Shop rate is near 200 an hour now. I paid 180 an hour last week. The paint cost for good automotive paint is quite expensive. To get the Burban done quotes were all over 10k to paint it factory color, without taking the glass out, and not doing the jambs.
Redmt
Well-known member
9 mpg? Damn, I'll quit whining about my 12.6 on my 2000 Powerstroke. That's on CA's excuse for diesel. It gets close to 20 on out of state fuel.
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