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Project for an Iowa winter, '77 Ranger

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renrag

Jr. Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2017
Messages
85
Loc.
Eastern Iowa
Chromium plated, fully illuminated, completely welded, genuine accessory Bronco body. (some adjectives may be embellishments)

One month, to the day, after we laid down the front floor section, I have the body welded together. Lost a week around the holidays, but have mostly been working on this full time. Dad quickly left me to this project, and went about getting the rest of the stuff cleaned and painted. I'd guess it around 150hrs. I could cut that in half if I were building a wheeling rig I knew was gonna get beat up. I just decided to see how good I could do. All gaps are 3/16" with the exception of the passenger rocker/door gap and the tailgate. I just couldn't get that rocker to play nice. The rockers are convex, and the bottom of the door is concave along the bottom, so there was a lot of massaging of the door. When the skins are crimped onto the shell, the whole thing puckers and pulls the edges towards the center of the truck. You can see this in almost any picture of a (glossy) Bronco. I did my best to get rid of that. As for the tailgate, I made those gaps 1/4" since the latch, hinge arrangement is sloppier. I hope that keeps the edges from chipping.

Anyone know what the bracket I am holding goes to? I can't find one like it on my old body. The angle matches the angle of the firewall to floor pan transition. TIA
 

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renrag

Jr. Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2017
Messages
85
Loc.
Eastern Iowa
You can see from the pictures, Dad has had his fair share of challenges as well. Living in the midwest is so awesome....
 

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renrag

Jr. Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2017
Messages
85
Loc.
Eastern Iowa
Progress continues.
 

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Rocko1012

Full Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2016
Messages
225
filler neck

Where do you plan on sourcing new fuel fill neck? Have same rusted out issue on 77. Need skid plate also.
Thank. Looking good
 
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renrag

Jr. Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2017
Messages
85
Loc.
Eastern Iowa
Where do you plan on sourcing new fuel fill neck? Have same rusted out issue on 77. Need skid plate also.
Thank. Looking good

We rebuilt the ones in the pics. The part the cap attaches to is soldered on. Loosened that to get it off, then cut the tubes down where the metal was good. I then had a two pieces of exhaust tubing expanded just enough to fit inside the filler tube, and the soldered on cap retainer. I welded it to the filler tube, and Dad soldered the cap retainer back on. You must remove all of the aluminum from the pipe for decent welds, and any possibility of the solder working.

Did that make sense? When I read it, I feel like I am not great at explaining.
 
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renrag

Jr. Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2017
Messages
85
Loc.
Eastern Iowa
Nice! What are your axle tube to bottom of frame rail measurements as it sits?

I will try and remember to measure tomorrow. Right now the shocks that came with the lift are the limiting strap....

Might be a good time to measure driveshaft max length.
 
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renrag

Jr. Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2017
Messages
85
Loc.
Eastern Iowa
Right side Fresh air with Vintage Air

I am adding Vintage Air to this rig, and we decided that the hoses through the plastic box look hokey. We drilled some holes in the far right side of the firewall, and I was planning on leaving the plastic plenum in place to retain a more stock like appearance. Dad decided it might as well be functional, and made a little door for where it passes through the kick panel. I like it.
 

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Mikesimp70

Full Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2017
Messages
341
Rear with shocks fully extended. 12.5"

Front, shocks not fully extended, 13"

Both are from the top of axle tube to bottom of frame directly above.

Thanks. Mine are similar w/ 2.5” SL installed.
 
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renrag

Jr. Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2017
Messages
85
Loc.
Eastern Iowa
Color! Raptor Liner underneath and inside of the fenders.
 

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renrag

Jr. Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2017
Messages
85
Loc.
Eastern Iowa
No off roading when that ones' done :)

Please tell me that is a joke, not a comment on the quality of Raptor? I don't plan on crossing the Rubicon, but see it bopping around CO mountains or Moab trails like Hell's or White Rim. Unless someone makes a stupid offer on it.
 
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