Darlin, a 69 Ranger SWB

[FreakysFords]

Just some old Freak.

[FreakysFords]

1st BAD bump day

This morning, I had a Freightliner (sprinter / mercedes) to work on first thing and decided to drive Darlin. As per usual, she fired right up and was chompin at the bit to roll. Headed off to the job enjoying the drive and just down right being proud of my old Ford.

Got to the job without incident. While I was there, I diagnosed his problem and managed to sell him on a secondary isolated charging system for his inverter only (he's powering a roof air from an inverter). His vehicle was once an ambulance and has the bracket for a second alternator. I crawled under and found that a 3g would mount easily, so I got measurements for wire, belt and prices (going to run a fully isolated secondary charging system via a relay that he can switch off if needed). Nice sell, blower motor, glow plugs, glow plug controller, VC reseal and possibly a couple other minor repairs.

I was feeling pretty good about how the day was starting out as I had the customer sign his invoice and headed back to Darlin. Darlin had help me make a sell and life was good

Fired the old gal up and eased off the clutch at idle as I always do, eased my way down the alley behind the customer's house and headed off to one of those places that turn folding money into flammable corn squeezins. Feeling good and feeling extremely proud of Darlin, she had made a sell and she was turnin a couple heads here and there at low revs, just toolin down the road.

Stopped in at the station, fed her a lil juice and headed back out. Pulled out onto the highway, shifted into second a little early (which I tend to do when just cruisin with no real need to even do the speed limit). Got down on the skinny pedal for a second to take the smile off of the face of a feller laughing and pointing at my pride and joy. She broke loose and sounded off like a FORD. Face went slack, pointing finer fell limp along with the arm it was attached to. I'd achieved my goal and backed out of the throttle and slid her back to 3rd gear.

Ahead, the traffic light was red and I was preparing to downshift back to second when it turned green. The truck at the light took off harsh and squatted his lil chevy bumper to the pavement. The truck was an 05 (ish) chevy 2500 work truck, with a ladder rack, a pile of garbage plumbing in the back and a big ole toilet sign on the side and tail gate. As he throttled off, I realized he was going to be leaving fast enough for me to not have to downshift.

I just kept her right off idle and drove through the light. Right as I crossed under the light, a four foot length of white PVC (4" sch 80........... YES, 80!) bounced out of the chevy, hit the pavement on end and immediately sprung into the air in a high speed cart-wheel. I hit the brakes and got her down to 2nd gear, ready to take the turf lane if needed as this droning chunk of white PVC found it's way back to earth. It hit the ground right in front of me, then went right back up into the air. As it passed over me, I wasn't able to track it, but could hear the collision as itcame down behind me in the adjacent lane, and landed smack onto the hood and windshield of a late challenger. The challenger was in the next lane, traveling the same direction as me and it caught the worst of what a flying sewer pipe could likely do. Unknown to me at this point is where the pipe is, or what it's doing.

Sadly I found out. The pipe landed YET AGAIN right in front of the truck, this time tracing the grill as it went to the pavement. What happened from that point to the next I can't say. Even if I had x-ray vision, I doubt I could fathom what happened. The pipe came up UNDER the hood, into the fan. The fan bent outward and drew a 1 inch deep smile into the radiator. How it got from there to it's next point of attack, I don't know, but it managed to get it's self wedged in between my exhaust and steering shaft.

The steering shaft bent harshly and tore the rag joint as if it were rice paper. Now I have steam all over the windshield and no steering. Luckily by this point, I couldn't have been doing 5mph. I stopped her there in the road, popped the hood and stood there a second, dumb founded by the sight of the horror under my hood.

Once I got my wits about me, I decided to wrap a 4000lb test pull tape around the knuckle end of the steering shaft and it's mating buddy to the steering gear. After a couple inches of layered wrap, I tried the wheel and sure enough I could steer. I had about a full round of "slack" but I could get her out of the road. I then went back to the engine bay and bent the fan back away from the radiator (man these critters are tough stuff. it didn't have any desire what so ever,, to return to anything closer to the engine).

Closed the hood and tried to fire her back up. "Click" ............ loudest sound in the world! (fellow gun people know the reference). Didn't even bother to check it out. I climbed back out, and started pushing her, got up a little speed, jumped in held the clutch, yanked her in gear and popped the clutch. Music! She lives!

Drove the ole gal into the Kangaroo parking lot, shut her down and called for a wrecker. To add insult to injury, I have two tow trucks and access to seven more, but no means to get to a single one of them. I had to let someone else hall my precious Darlin. This is the first time she's ever been on a wrecker for anything other than hauling her to where I was dropping off my wrecker, so I could drive her back home.

My beer's salty and watered down, my heart's broken, but she's not totaled and I managed to avoid getting into a collision with another vehicle.
I don't have a spare radiator as I'd just donated my only spare to another's build. Guess I'll have to drive 48 miles to "borrow" one from the F350.
I do have a complete steering setup as I'd just yesterday swapped the column from the 70 into Darlin. I'll have to put her original, half dead column back in. Just need to get another new rag joint. I don't yet know the condition of the steering gear, but luckily, the 70 still has one.
I don't have a fan, and was planning an electric swap, so I guess that got moved up on the time line.

Trouble is, I'm flat broke and I'm going to have to let my precious sit

Frank

[robroy]

Good evening Frank,

Gosh, I'm sorry to hear about this accident! That sounds like it was a truly quirky situation.

I liked your home-brewed rag joint made to get you out of the road!

That definitely qualifies as a bad Bump day.

Robroy

[FreakysFords]

Thanks Robroy,

Well I did have a productive bump day for what little time I had to work on the ole gal. I found a fan I'd forgotten having and replaced my mangled one.
Traced down a mangled spot in my harness and got it repaired. Grabbed the column I'd just replaced and put it back in, with a new rag joint.

Fired her up and realized the water pump shaft was slightly bent, so I replaced it with a spare.

THEN I went redneck on it and coat hangered in a Volvo 244 radiator, so I could check things out. Steering pump pulley's bent a little, but that's not a problem, I should have a couple spares. Steering is GOOD.......... YEAH>>>

Drove her down our dead end street and back just to make sure. Disaster averted!

Now I've just got to buy a new radiator (the F350's was junk) and she'll be road worthy again!

Frank

[BiggDogg]

Man, you are a good writer! I could envision your entire story as if I were there. Sorry you and Darlin' had such a rough day.

[FreakysFords]

Thank you BiggDogg.

Now if I can only get Darlin to the point that she can tell her own story

[basketcase0302]

Frank,
Sorry about Darlin' man. You're a much better man than me cause I'd have been running after the guys in the chebby throwing whatever was close at them!
Hope she has a fast recovery!

[FreakysFords]

Thanks man.

You have NO idea bud. I chased down the company and had some words on the phone. All I got was "I'm sorry sir, but I can't talk about the incident".

Drove to Fort Payne to their office and had a few more words! Turns out the guy had been fired from the company the day before, but stole the truck later the same night and went joy riding. Still not happy with them as they're trying to skirt ANY responsibility, but I'm better off than the lady who was driving the Challenger, her's is totaled!

I didn't realize at the time that she'd ran into the curb during the impact, but looking at the bottom of her car today, yup, it's totaled.






How's work going bud?
Frank

[FreakysFords]

Finally managed to come up with enough cash to replace Darlin's radiator.

I'm planning on staying stock, and don't want plastic tanks. Looking at local places (NAPA, O'riely's, Autozone and Advance), any suggestions?

Who's used what and who likes what?

This is all assuming that a re-core doesn't happen instead.

Gotta hurry up and get one before the cash gremlins find out I have some!

Frank

[robroy]

Good afternoon Frank!

I've heard that the best value in stock radiators is Modine/Proliance, which are made either in Mexico or the US. They have models made out of the same materials as Ford originally used (non-plastic tanks)!

I put a Proliance Ready-Rad 436002 in #50, and paid $335 to NPD for it. I've heard from others that there are other sources for these same radiators for significantly less money, so that would be worth investigation!

Convincor mentioned in this post that Advance Auto and 1-800-RADIATORS have the same part for about $100 less!

Here's the there wherein I was guided to this particular Proliance model: Could ya'll help me pick out the best Proliance radiator? The thread also contains detailed photos of the 436002!

Frank, let me know if you have any questions about this radiator and I'll try to provide the best information I can!

Robroy

[FreakysFords]

, I'm actually leaning that way because of your topic.

I'm still not certain though. I might be able to get down the the radiator shop Monday and perhaps just have mine cored............ decisions decisions.

[69rangerf100]

Finally managed to come up with enough cash to replace Darlin's radiator.

I'm planning on staying stock, and don't want plastic tanks. Looking at local places (NAPA, O'riely's, Autozone and Advance), any suggestions?

Who's used what and who likes what?

This is all assuming that a re-core doesn't happen instead.

Gotta hurry up and get one before the cash gremlins find out I have some!

Frank

Frank,

I have an extra one that you can have

David

[FreakysFords]

Wow, thanks David!

Sadly I have no means to get there to pick it up.

Thank you immensely!

Frank

[OldRedFord]

I like the offerings that O'Reilly's has.

$229.99 No experience with this one but its copper and brass, 3 row.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detai ... &ppt=C0331

[austin]

your truck looks really good i cant beliv i didnt look at it sooner

keep up the good work