1947 ford ranger...

[joem83]

Jul 14, 2020 19:40:49 GMT Dez said:

The issue more than anything is having something to attach a headliner to. There is the remnants of a few faced cardboard trims to close gaps in the interior, but there not much of them left so I don’t really know where they go or what shape they would be.

That's what I wasn't sure about.

I suppose there is nothing stopping you raptor coating the cab roof on the inside either

[Zelandeth]

That's an interesting idea... I'd not thought about potential sound deadening properties of rubberised surface treatments. I might need to give that some thought myself.

One of the things I'm trying to incorporate into one of my cars is some additional sound deadening (there is currently none whatsoever). The front bulkhead being a roughly three by two foot square of fibreglass which acts as a huge bass drum definitely doesn't help, but there's also a CVT belt drive about an inch away from the fibreglass cover behind the seat...some carpeting will be getting added on the interior sides, but something like this on the outside might be worth a try. I'd rather not start messing around with things like Dynamat because aside from being expensive it's also heavy...and as I've only got 20bhp to play with I'd rather not add too much more weight if I can avoid it.

In my case it could improve the cosmetics in a few areas anyway...the whole inside of the roof is unfinished fibreglass as it is...a smoothish rubbery finish would be a definite step up!

[norniron]

Jul 14, 2020 19:09:54 GMT Dez said:

but won’t be able to do the roof skin unless I devise some sort of headlining.

How about a spray sound deadener, e.g. Second Skin Spectrum, which is overpaintable?

[Dez]

Zelandeth
It definitely works from my previous experiences. Maybe not so well on a totally flat panel though. But it does improve the look of the rough side of fibreglass too so would probably be suitable for you. How much you thin it and how much you put on makes a lot of difference to the result you get.

Jul 14, 2020 20:09:28 GMT norniron said:

Jul 14, 2020 19:09:54 GMT Dez said:

but won’t be able to do the roof skin unless I devise some sort of headlining.

How about a spray sound deadener, e.g. Second Skin Spectrum, which is overpaintable?

Not heard of that stuff, I’ll go take a look.

[varelse]

I can't remember if you have, or will be doing welding work to the roof, but if you are, and thus the roof is going to be attacked with a welder/grinder anyway..

Could you weld on some low profile ribs to the underside to stiffen it up a bit?

[Dez]

Jul 15, 2020 2:33:16 GMT varelse said:

I can't remember if you have, or will be doing welding work to the roof, but if you are, and thus the roof is going to be attacked with a welder/grinder anyway..

Could you weld on some low profile ribs to the underside to stiffen it up a bit?

No welding on roof unless I decide to chop it. Which I promised myself I wouldn’t...

[melle]

Jul 15, 2020 22:02:56 GMT Dez said:

No welding on roof unless I decide to chop it. Which I promised myself I wouldn’t...

OK, so when are you starting the roof chop?

[Dez]

Jul 16, 2020 18:46:49 GMT melle said:

Jul 15, 2020 22:02:56 GMT Dez said:

No welding on roof unless I decide to chop it. Which I promised myself I wouldn’t...

OK, so when are you starting the roof chop?

Tbh I’m not really a fan of them on this body style. I’ve only ever seen one or two that I think work. I’ve got 3 or 4 other chopped cars, so I’m gunna go with this stock height.

[melle]

Do whatever you please, it's your car and it usually makes for entertaining reading no matter what! I'm probably the only one who prefers the Ranger body over the one you're replacing it with, but it's great to follow along regardless.

[Dez]

George has been at it again. After I helped him put the cab right way up this morning, then hoovered it again, he seam sealered any bits that required it, then remasked it and set to with the epoxy and the bedliner again.

Turns out it was cobra brand he used-


The results are rather awesome.










It’s really taken the truck from being an ‘as found’ example something that’s obviously been sympathetically ‘worked on’, without being too in yer face. It does a good job of blending the old with the new (like the tunnel and the enlarged transmission hole), and should hopefully protect everything nicely too.

The worst bit? It takes 3 days to go off properly so I’ve got to wait til next week to put it back on the chassis!

[johnthesparky]

Liked, but not for the wait

[varelse]

Quick, grab some dead flies from the window sill and stick them in the liner for that genuine trapped in amber aged look!

Looks good, it really does blend the work in.

Interesting that they are suggesting to coat the entire outside of your offroader in it on the can...

[07lilredwagon]

a big thumbs up on the bedliner result!


JP

[Dez]

Jul 16, 2020 23:36:47 GMT varelse said:

Quick, grab some dead flies from the window sill and stick them in the liner for that genuine trapped in amber aged look!

Looks good, it really does blend the work in.

Interesting that they are suggesting to coat the entire outside of your offroader in it on the can...

It’s more common than you think. Google ‘raptor paint jobs’ or similar and there’s a lot of off roaders get fully coated in it.

[Dez]

Jul 17, 2020 16:39:51 GMT 07lilredwagon said:

a big thumbs up on the bedliner result!


JP

Yep, I’m very pleased with it. Looking forward to dropping it on the chassis on Monday.

[Dez]

So, it’s Monday. That means it’s dry enough to manhandle the bed onto the chassis.

First it was moved over from the booth over George’s side of the yard, on its back on a pallet. Then stood up on the edge of the pallet and a couple of wooden blocks so it’s the right way up.




Then this thing comes into play. I made this gantry crane a few years back, and it’s probably one of the most useful things I’ve ever made. Could only be more useful if it was a little taller, but then I wouldn’t be able to get it inside, so it would be less useful....


Then the chassis is introduced to the equation.


I new I wasnt going to be able to get the chassis high enough with the gantry crane, so once the cab was strung up with a strap as high as possible, the wheels where removed off the chassis, along with the rad and framework, and this allows the chassis to go low enough for the cab to swing over- just!


The chassis was then jacked back up into place, actually much easier then lowering the cab on the crane as it doesn’t wobble about. With only minor jiggling and poking the cab was in place and the wheels back on, along with the rad frame.


I had already bolted the rear wooden cab blocks into place beforehand, but then I had to slide underneath and put the rubber pads in too. They go here between the blocks and the chassis.


They’re the original 70 year old blocks! Still in pretty good condition so no need to replace them.

The longer front blocks and runners were also slid in.


I then bolted the rear mounts down with only minor jiggling with a punch to line them up.


The rear mounts had been marked through the holes in the body onto the chassis before removal, so I knew they’d line up. The fronts were not done like this, they were measured for width and length off the bottom off the cab when it was upside down, using the rears as a reference, then drilled and welded in. So I was pretty pleased when the bolts dropped straight in to the new mount holes.




Yes there’s a bit of bedliner touch up needed there, but it’s because you can’t get a schultz gun into that space, so it’ll have to be brushed in afterwards.

With that excitement over and the cab properly bolted down at 4 corners, i refitted the seat and doors. These have been in and out a few times so just dropped into place.




With the rad frame and engine bay side frame refitted, it’s starting to look fairly complete again.





I then decided as it’s outside for a bit, I’ll bolt on all the front sheetmetal too in case it rains.


Including the bonnet. Unsurprisingly as I’ve been through all this previously it all lines up really well and is fairly quick to refit.






You will no doubt notice it getting progressively lower as more weight is added. The torsion bars are wound all the way out after reassembly at the mo, once it’s got the motor and that back in I’ll reset them properly, but this so about intended ride height. It’s only actually about 4” of lowering on the chassis.
Sits well I think.

[The Rascal King]

So good!

[joem83]

Awesome

[fer4l]

Looking great!!!

[stealthstylz]

Not sure about the janky grille but rest is spot on as always.