Brad's 1997 Ranger Build Thread

[Bwad]

So, finally since I've gotten enough progress completed that I can post a build thread, I will. It's come a long way, and working part time making no more than 9/hr hasn't aided in getting this truck looking the way I would like it to.
Anyways, on with the pichers:
My dad bought me Truk in July of 2007. Modding didn't begin until midway through 2008 after I got my first job.
Closest to Stock I can find:

Then I put a system in it. 2 15"s.

Tinted windows:

Then my Grandpa helped me flip my shackles:

De-mudflapped

Added a tonneau cover: (soon later took it off because i didnt like it)

HID's

New headlights

Billet grill

Tinted front windows:

Niteshaded taillights:

Depinstriped:

$20 Flowmaster:

06 tails:

Then threw a coat of niteshade on them:

Painted grill black:

Black euro headlights:

Painted rear bumper:

Sold the 06 taillights because I'm an idiot:

more cool shots:

Bought 01 taillights:

Badges:

Added a fog valence:

Traded system for stang wheels:

Mock up:

Junkyard steal! 100 bucks for Dream Beams with spindles

Lowering in process:

All done:

Painted my current wheels black:

Shimmed my carrier bearing

Pancake bumpstops

Here's some progress for all you guys.
Belltech shocks

And my new exhaust:

With some scrape marks (oops)

And a random pic of some beast Dodge I found:

Last picture with the Bullitts on

And the beginning of pictures of Truk with these!

Spacers needed to clear the hubs

And finally!

Mini-mod day:
Before:

And After:

Then swapped a 98 bumper on and hated it

Progress:
New exhaust tip

Then I got my '06 tails back

And niteshaded them again:

Then got rid of billet

Then this came in!

All finished! Hand painted by yours truly

New grill:

Moar lower.

Wheels clean:

All done:

 

[Bwad]

Got some new tires and figured I would take some pics.
$100 a tire =

Anyway:

And pics from our last meet this past weekend

all this fool thinks about is lowering..

Well, that's all for now. Any further progress will probably just be maintenance, or drastic, as in a 5.0 swap or 2.3T swap.

 

[Demon]

YES!!!!! pure *** man.

 

[Bwad]

Thanks dude!

 

[Justincredible]

This truck is more beautiful in person

 

[Bwad]

Same with yours man! I really wish my donut could have gotten into the meet video. :/

The only thing more awesome than pictures of my truck is pictures of my truck sideways, lol.

 

[cookiemonster]

One of the cleanest looking trucks i've seen in a long time. You have very good taste and your truck is perfect. You have my aplaud.:notworthy:

 

[Hooligan]

That looks great man! The 01-03 front bumper and new headlights really set that truck off!

 

[Bwad]

Thanks you guys! Yeah, cleanliness and tastefulness is what I was shooting for and I think I've finally achieved it!

 

[mcdonald58]

awesome truck cleanest third gen ive ever seen. now how did you do that grille? i want a honeycomb so bad for my truck.

 

[Bwad]

Ahh, the grill was a pain in the dick to make.

I had to sawzall the center portion out, lay fiberglass over the cutout parts to reinstate the curvature of the side portions. Then after the fiberglass, it needs bondo, sanding, primer, more sanding, paint, then clear.

I will NEVER make another one, lol.

Pics, I don't have a picture of the cutouts, but you can understand you need to remove the raised portion where the center bar comes across and smooth it out so it looks flush with the rest of the grill.

 

[Demon]

i love how the grill turned out. that grill has been on 4 diff rangers and now urs lol

 

[Bwad]

Lmao. And not to confuse anyone, the honeycomb part is what Charles is talking about. My grill in it's entirety is custom made by me.

 

[Demon]

Lmao. And not to confuse anyone, the honeycomb part is what Charles is talking about. My grill in it's entirety is custom made by me.

exactly srry forgot to add that in there lol

 

[mcdonald58]

wow seems complicated. but it sounds a lot easier than doing a whole 01-03 front end conversion on these trucks. i would love to do it though. thanks for the info i might have to do this sometime. it came out great though, good job.

 

[Bwad]

Thanks man. It's a hard task, so don't start it unless you have the motivation enough to keep you going. Because I wanted to huck mine in the trash a couple times lol.

 

[mcdonald58]

yea it seems like it. i would go to a jy and get one so if i screwed it up i would still have an extra. im still confused as to how you attached the actual grille to the surround. did you fiberglass over it?

 

[Bwad]

Ahh, no sorry I forgot to mention that. I used plumber's tape. I tapped a screw into the plastic of the grill behind where I was to put the honeycomb, then wrapped the plumbers tape around a slot on the honeycomb, and fastened both ends to the screw. I used 3 points to secure it in place.

 

[mcdonald58]

alright thanks man i think i might go with the mesh behind the grille.that grille is awesome though. great job. looks like all that hard work payed off.

 

[Diabolical Ranger]

Great job, Truck is awesome and I was never a fan of lowered trucks but man it's got character. I might have to change the way I view them now.