2000 Ranger frontend swap to a tube strut frontend

Thanks Guys

Got the tubing today to go from the roll cage down to the chassis for the upper strut mount one of my brother's friends had some left over from his old Panel Wagon up grade. That save me from having to order the tubing nobody around here stocks roll cage tubing. My heim joints for the rack should be here tomorrow I am going to use heim joints instead of tie rod ends. Going to try to finish all my welding this weekend on it. I got a eye Doctor appointment Thursday to find out when they going to remove the cataract off my right eye I have lost almost all sight in my right eye so it time to get rid of it. The Doctor said I didn't need to do any welding after he removes the cataract for about 3 weeks to let the eye heal. I have had enough trouble out of it so I am going to do what he tells me to do. So I am trying to get the welding done before I have the surgery on it.

got the up right cut one in place finish the other side and weld them in tonight.

Got the up rights in now time to get the rack set up and get the steering hookup to the steering wheel. May have to change the mount under the dash some and change the angle it comes. Going to try to get the rack finished this weekend and paint the chassis up to the front cross member. I still have to get the cell mounts and bumper mounts welded on but that will be after I get the engine set in and rad mounted back in.

Looking good man

Well got the frontend taken apart and painted tonight it has 2 different colors but hard to see in the pics the roll bars are lighter than the chassis. I will go out and repaint the chassis in the morning before I go to work you can see in the pics the over spray from the bars. I left the front cxm half painted I still got to add mounting brackets for the fuel pumps and fuel cells and one brace for the grill. I will add them once the engine is back in for I can get everything place right after the front fenders and grill back on. I start put the frontend back under it tomorrow night when I get off.

Looking good Jim

Engine back in working to get the steering work out I get back on it Monday night got work night shift all weekend. I will have to rebuild my headers but that is OK as I wanted to change them to exit the fenders any how plus the will be lighter for some more weight loss.

I think you want to get back on the track! Good progress!   

Trying to get all the welding done got to have eye surgery Monday and the doc told me no welding for 6 to 8 weeks. I give it a couple of weeks then if I need to weld something I use my patch and weld with one eye.     

 

69F100 wrote:Trying to get all the welding done got to have eye surgery Monday and the doc told me no welding for 6 to 8 weeks. I give it a couple of weeks then if I need to weld something I use my patch and weld with one eye.     

you better do what the doc tells you!   

I should have the welding done Saturday except for the headers going to get a new header kit to build the new set plus I need some CJ flanges. I did get the radiator in, fenders back on, grill in and start on the bumper. The bumper bracket has been a pain in the rear to get them mounted right. First my regulator on torch  decide to go crazy finally got it half way working and cut the brackets off the old frontend and trimmed and ready to weld on.

Looking good Jim, one thing that always annoyed me was the front wheel wells are so dammed big I seriously thought of closing them up a little.

Is that a Harbor Freight aluminum jack in the foreground? If so how do you like it?

Yes it is a HF and I like it light and easy to move around I also bought the alum jack stands to. I have lifted my Tahoe with it and my f250 with the 7.3 pick both up with ease. I may never buy another steel floor jack it easy on the back loading it in the truck for race days. I move my front tires back 1'' it helps the look a little, I wish now when I bought the front runners I would have went with 26s instead of 25''.

Got the front bump brackets welded on and the fuel cell brackets mounted. I get the primer plus fuel cell and pumps mount tomorrow and finish the steering Saturday. I will start buttoning the engine compartment up while my eye is healing and paint the front of the chassis. Should be able to start back on it Wed and get everything done except for the new fender exit headers

 

Looking good!

Without the core support, how are you attaching the headlight buckets and grill?

Not Jim, but there is a fiberglass piece that goes all the way across the fenders it tucks up inside the grill real nice.

Jim I had 26's on mine and was seriously considering 28's just to fill the wheel well better, but I had already set all the suspension up with the 26's.

Alen I got the grill back out I try to think and get a pic of it and post

I have 5 bolts that holds the grill and head assy. 2 on each sides that goes into the fenders and 1 that goes in the center to a peace of 3/4x3/4 angle iron that is welded to the chassis. Got all the brackets welded on and painted tonight tomorrow I will pull the drivers fender back off and start hooking the rack to the steering wheel.

here is a pic of the grill assy.






the pegs you see is what hold the radiator on the bottom

We got the steering column figured out yesterday Rick came over and between both of us we figured it out it will only have 1 u-joint. I cut out all of the old column I got to pick up a peace of 3/4''x48'' chromoly tubing to finish it. When I get the tubing I'll get a friend down the road he is 91 years old to make a bushing for it that I can bolt in instead of welding it.

My brother came by and gave me a new toy it be my pit bike

Thanks for posting the grill pictures.

No problem if you have any questions on the front end swap just let me know I will answer the best I can.