20170819_174541.jpg
127 hits | 36.8 KB | Posted: 8/21/17
Found the rod!
(Posted in: The start)

20170819_201832.jpg
156 hits | 41.61 KB | Posted: 8/21/17
Oop, one still there. This one refuses to come out. I would need to literally cut it out in pieces. Pft, not worth it.
(Posted in: The start)

20170819_201858.jpg
117 hits | 69.84 KB | Posted: 8/21/17
I think that bearing is not supposed to look like that.
(Posted in: The start)

20170819_201924.jpg
167 hits | 47.24 KB | Posted: 8/21/17
So much for that crankshaft.
(Posted in: The start)

20170826_120647.jpg
145 hits | 57.35 KB | Posted: 8/28/17
Counterweights have seen better days.
(Posted in: The start)

20170826_120657.jpg
120 hits | 42.01 KB | Posted: 8/28/17
Cylinder 1 and 4 rod journals.
(Posted in: The start)

20170826_120709.jpg
111 hits | 45.85 KB | Posted: 8/28/17
Cylinder 2 and 5.
(Posted in: The start)

20170826_120726.jpg
124 hits | 60.92 KB | Posted: 8/28/17
Missing the piston skirt(!).
(Posted in: The start)

20170826_120733.jpg
126 hits | 65.26 KB | Posted: 8/28/17
Another shot of the piston and some ruined bearings.
(Posted in: The start)

20170826_123246.jpg
128 hits | 66.88 KB | Posted: 8/28/17
Engine sticker on the replacement engine.
(Posted in: The start)

20170826_123311.jpg
115 hits | 46.08 KB | Posted: 8/28/17
Over 100k and can still clearly see the crosshatch. Someone took real good care of this engine. Some of the main and rod bearings did not even have wear patterns on them yet.
(Posted in: The start)

20170826_123323.jpg
170 hits | 68.67 KB | Posted: 8/28/17
Replacement engine. Clean!
(Posted in: The start)

20170916_111832.jpg
135 hits | 125.09 KB | Posted: 9/19/17
Degreasing and pressure washing.
(Posted in: The start)

20170918_185729.jpg
125 hits | 47.03 KB | Posted: 9/19/17
Fogging the primer.
(Posted in: The start)

20170918_195016.jpg
122 hits | 64.41 KB | Posted: 9/19/17
3 coats of DE1606 Ford Dark Blue. Nice.
(Posted in: The start)

20170922_133817.jpg
131 hits | 72.93 KB | Posted: 9/25/17
That big orange monster behind is next on the list for projects. 6.5 block for the Suburban. I did not realize how physically small this engine is until I had it in front of that block.
(Posted in: The start)

20170922_133831.jpg
103 hits | 71.34 KB | Posted: 9/25/17
Pistons in, timing set on, waiting for paint to dry on the timing cover.
(Posted in: The start)

20170922_133851.jpg
128 hits | 68.36 KB | Posted: 9/25/17
Proper amount of pistons at TDC..Could Ford design an uglier oil pan?
(Posted in: The start)

20180310_133433.jpg
93 hits | 80.75 KB | Posted: 3/12/18
I shall call it, Mini Me!.....cuz it looks like my 302, just mini.
(Posted in: The start)

20180310_133444.jpg
107 hits | 81.54 KB | Posted: 3/12/18
If it is not obvious yet, I like this color scheme for Fords.
(Posted in: The start)

20180317_123133.jpg
119 hits | 88.8 KB | Posted: 3/19/18
There she is, in all her glory. 3.0 liters of fury. With all that crap on there it makes me wonder why I even cleaned and painted...
(Posted in: The start)

20180318_155248.jpg
117 hits | 72.82 KB | Posted: 3/19/18
Well, removing all that vinyl and that stupid hat improved the looks of the truck dramatically. Not to mention just washing it..Next up is buffing the paint, removing the pinstripes and hard tonneau, front bumper, torsion tweak and bigger tires.
(Posted in: The start)

20170501_175310 - Copy.jpg
124 hits | 79.35 KB | Posted: 8/21/17
(Posted in: Bringing It Home)

20170501_175333 - Copy.jpg
178 hits | 95.53 KB | Posted: 8/21/17
(Posted in: Bringing It Home)

20180323_194231.jpg
112 hits | 48.3 KB | Posted: 3/26/18
Now that the mechanical is done, let us work on the aesthetic.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180323_194302.jpg
98 hits | 53.4 KB | Posted: 3/26/18
Never did like pinstripes on single tone.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180325_181007.jpg
93 hits | 99.76 KB | Posted: 3/26/18
Muuuuuch better; can not say that for the wheels and tires though, can I? Originally I put the fronts on to pass NCSI but the rears are just as bad as the fronts I took off, so four new tires it is.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180325_181040.jpg
84 hits | 91.27 KB | Posted: 3/26/18
Just a different angle. The torsion bars are cranked 5.25 turns. Sits just a bit tall in the front as is evident in the previous picture. Hopefully .05 turn /- will take care of that. Would you believe it actually rides better? At least in my opinio...
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180320_100335.jpg
111 hits | 46.98 KB | Posted: 3/26/18
So we are going to use this nifty thing to erase the pinstripes.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180414_130645.jpg
102 hits | 82.91 KB | Posted: 4/14/18
What a difference. Antares SMT A7 tires in 265/70R16 flavor. Chosen since Bridgestone does not make the Dueler A/T (non Revo) in that size.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180414_130707.jpg
109 hits | 83.21 KB | Posted: 4/14/18
Really need to do something about that dent in the door.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180414_130621.jpg
170 hits | 85.52 KB | Posted: 4/14/18
Front bumper is pretty messed up. Does not look bad in this picture but it is falling apart.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180414_153630.jpg
104 hits | 108.73 KB | Posted: 4/14/18
Trying to straighten out the front bumper. Note to self: paint that grill.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180414_190727.jpg
326 hits | 83.34 KB | Posted: 4/14/18
Done! Looks a lot better. Had I known that the factory bumper was textured and not smooth as it looked, I would have painted this one before it went on.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180414_190758.jpg
96 hits | 79.74 KB | Posted: 4/14/18
I am going to need to paint those flares; thinking matte black...
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180512_122044.jpg
104 hits | 72.61 KB | Posted: 5/14/18
Yeah, that is...wait, whose headlights are on my truck?
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180512_122052.jpg
80 hits | 55.29 KB | Posted: 5/14/18
What happened to my truck?!
10 bolts across the top and 6 clips on the bottom and the front end comes off. Probably not completely necessary for the headlights to come off but being as this was the first time I have pulled this generation Ranger apar...
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180512_122108.jpg
85 hits | 69.15 KB | Posted: 5/14/18
What is going on here....
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180512_133212.jpg
84 hits | 61.93 KB | Posted: 5/14/18
Ok, I am intrigued.
No masking paper or newspaper? Try shopping bags. Easier to work with around corners/bends too.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180512_150917.jpg
89 hits | 47.8 KB | Posted: 5/14/18
Hmmm.
Sidenote: The honeycomb grille CAN be separated from the whole unit but I chose to just mask instead of risking breaking anything.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180512_151747.jpg
109 hits | 125.52 KB | Posted: 5/14/18
Looking good.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180512_172248.jpg
93 hits | 79.32 KB | Posted: 5/14/18
Freaking awesome; SO much better than the blotchy, patchy faded gray factory color.
3 coats of primer and 4 coats of Duplicolor Low Gloss black later. 20 minutes between each coat and 1 hour of baking in the sun on a 90* day.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20180521_181039.jpg
471 hits | 114.37 KB | Posted: 5/22/18
Just because.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20190506_130841.jpg
133 hits | 34.56 KB | Posted: 5/10/19
Let us find out if these cheap Chinese things will work in my driving lights or not.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)

20190506_130850.jpg
123 hits | 52.21 KB | Posted: 5/10/19
Nothing extravagant.
(Posted in: Aesthetics)