NC Bro-lite build

Dylan W.

Dylan W.

lone resident of Bro-Lite Island
Joined
Mar 17, 2007
Location
Mocksville NC
Ok so I guess we are going to try this deal. Plan is to make it to the first race in Maysville WV in Sept.
More info on Bro-Lite racing can be found on Facebook at Bro-Lite racing. Check it out. I'll post the rules up here in a bit, but for now...

This is what 450.00 buys if you scan the back alleys of craigslist and are willing to paddle faster than the banjo music. I picked up this jewel from deep within a hollar, somewhere about 38 miles down a single track goat path in the backwoods of the Virginia mountains.

93 Ford Ranger xlt with either 142k,or242k,342k.. who knows? Its a 4 bangin' 5 speed,1 tire melting monster that's what it is....

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The truck came with 8 spare aluminum wheels,plus the ones that are on it. Also came with an aluminum tool box.(tool box is for sale)
I sold a few parts here and there and have managed to recoup about 200 dollars. Add that to the junk metal we have removed and maybe I'll only have around 100 bucks in this truck before the build.:D
 
I've been talking with Scott at MetalWerx for a while. He's got a pretty good resume and I just like the old fart. Plus he agreed to build the truck for three beers and a box of crayons. Oh yeah...I promised him I would win all the races and never break the truck...not even one scratch.
100_7728.jpg We drove the truck into the shop at 5:00 Friday evening and started pulling parts. The front end was the first to go. Here is my trusty friend Gotwood. He's probably making sure I didn't cut all the wires when I sawzawed the inner fenders off. Todd Stopped in and helped unplug all the wires, then Jim stopped in for a few hours and pulled the engine and tranny out. I think he left around 11 pm...said something like''I had to work a real job today..i'm all tired'' some crap like that. Either way, I could not have done this with out him. So I was happy to see this greasy pos on the engine stand. We wheeled it over to the end door where it would await a next day pick up, and a ride to the engine doctor. This motor ran decent, until I decided to do a quality test. I think I dropped a valve or something. More about that later...
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After Jim and everyone had left, I decided to go just a bit further and start taking off some more stuff that we didn't need. Did you know that the weather stripping alone weighs around 15 lbs on a truck this small? Anyways...I went a little bit farther and then I'd take a step back and start to clean up...then in true Forest Gump fashion..I'd say ''well I ran this far, might as well keep on running..

The next thing you know..I ran clear across the great state of Alabama''...err. I mean, I stripped the whole truck apart. It had taken me all night, but with every Metalwerx tool at my disposal, the shop to myself.. a six pack of Ice cold Mt.Dews...and no need for any of the parts we removed...I did it.

That's the morning light in the back ground. It kind of sneaked up on me. It was now 8 am. I went to eat at the nearby Waffle House..I guess all that greasy goodness got the best of me..I woke up sometime around 11 am, laying on carpet padding that was in my van..in the shop floor. Scott's dog was laying beside me , there was a jeep driven in and parked right beside me, Scott was welding and grinding...Nobody even bothered to wake me up. I woke up with full on fabrimacation business going on all around meo_O
 

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This is all of the stuff that we had left over..some junk and some metal that I'll sell.
 

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The plans are to rebuild the engine,add a new clutch, Fox 2.0 remote resi 10'' front and 12 '' rear travel shocks. A Metalwerx cage, fuel cell,window nets, new mounts for everything(springs,body..) corbeau seat and harness,steering quickener and possibly my old 8.8 out of my jeep. It has 4;88's and a locker. We'll just have to see about that. Still not sure on a tire choice. Maybe end up with a couple of tire choices at the track.


Earlier..I mentioned possibly hurting the motor while performing a quality check..Keep in mind that I am an idiot,this truck was cheap, and one of my buddies who is also a policeman, was on the scene to see if I could pop the tire. (he took off walking home before I was through saying he needed to not be there when the cops showed up:D) I may have gone a lil far..but listen at the end of the video, I can clearly hear the motor start missing. That's when the damage happened. Like I said, I am an idiot. Look closely and you'll see a clutch test. I shift to 2nd,then as the motor bogs, I slam it back in first gear to keep up the smoke.
 
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I was thinking about jumping in but I want to get back to family trail riding.. the travel of the series is what I did not want to deal with
 
Hmm....I have an 85 S10 with a 2.5/4spd.... I'm intrigued!


EDIT: I see you're limited to the 83-97 4 cylinder/5 speed Rangers...boooo! Although, if I was to beat the piss out of a truck and hopefully blow it up, I'd probably pick a Ford :D



http://www.broliteracing.com/
 
The big idea was to get several folks around here to build trucks so we could race locally at URE and the Flats or DPG. I know that'll take a while, so for now I'm headed up that way. Maybe I can get them to travel south too.
 
Nothing to add, but this is awesome & its making me miss my old '94 Ranger
 
I thought about building one of these trucks the entire time I was at work today....
 
A few Notes, & a Question! The Ranger on the trailer didn't have a broken windshield, but in the Shop, it is broken.WHY? You lost $$! All the sheet metal, loaded in the trailer, IS valuable to someone, as is the Tail lights, if not broken.
A friend of mine has had 2 Rangers, & there are Millions of them still on the road. You want find any good tail lights, or tail gates, in the Pull-a-parts!
 
Ranger parts arent worth dick. You'll spend more time talking to tweakers on the phone than would ever be made up for by the $20 they'll give you for the tailgate. Not to mention that the jackhole will want you to meet him in an Applebee's parking lot 30 miles away to make the exchange.

A brand new tailgate will set you back $65. A brand new tail lamp assembly costs $20.79.
 
shawn said:
Ranger parts arent worth dick. You'll spend more time talking to tweakers on the phone than would ever be made up for by the $20 they'll give you for the tailgate. Not to mention that the jackhole will want you to meet him in an Applebee's parking lot 30 miles away to make the exchange.

A brand new tailgate will set you back $65. A brand new tail lamp assembly costs $20.79.
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I was goin to say the same thing but didn't want to be "that guy" thanks Shawn!!
 
I put up a few things on craigslist but I am not holding my breath.

The windshield was too thin and couldn't take the pressure I guess.
 
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