Just a little intro.....

Ky Ranger · 09-25-2009, 03:53 PM

Hey guys I bought my little pick-up last year for $1000. It is a Ford Ranger formerly known as "Tweety Bird". It has a standard trans, air, and a CD player.... pretty basic. Paint is a very manly green with lavender and blue stripes. Bought it to haul my bikes around in when they need transport (like being broke down). Well "Tweety" 's time has come. Satin black paint, steel wheels (black), with chrome trim rings and moon hubcaps, lowered, and an antique looking sign painted on each door. Kinda rat-roddish look. This is all in the works. I would like to know a couple of things..... do the wheels from the mustangs and torinos of the 60's and 70's fit on the Ranger. They both have five lugs but I don't know if they are the same pattern. The old Torino and Mustang GT steel wheels look cool and the rings and caps are still available. Also what is the cheapest way to lower my truck. I figure the back is a no brainer and will use lowering blocks, but what about the front. I don't want to heat up the springs and collapse a ring or two, that would probably make it ride even worse than it will anyway. Any help would be appreciated, I am trying to do the mods for about a grand. Have a buddy who is doing the paint for $500 so that leaves me only $500 for the wheels and lowering..... thanks.. Ky Ranger.... formerly known as Dewey Greear....

gmctrucks · 09-25-2009, 07:44 PM

Welcome to the forum and howdy from TEXAS. I know that Mazda MPV,626, and other Mazda wheels fit say even wheels from a RX7 will fit look at the wheels that some convertable RX7's have they look good and you can paint just the middle part to match anythng. I put some 17" wheels from a 626 on our 2001 MPV it looks much newer because the newer ones came out with the same wheels.
GMC
JDM 15in SSR Mesh wheels S13 S14 240sx MR2 FC RX-7:eBay Motors (item 250504449220 end time Oct-02-09 15:42:01 PDT) These vert wheels are what im talking about look for them in a junk yard maybe even some other ones.
SET OF WHEELS 3RD GEN RX7 OR FCS (wheels and tires):eBay Motors (item 160365115175 end time Sep-28-09 08:40:34 PDT)

18" Wheels Mazda RX8 RX-8 RX7 3 6 CX7 Renesis:eBay Motors (item 350254000387 end time Sep-27-09 21:02:07 PDT)
Or check you local & surrounding www.craigslist.org

bradrhale · 09-25-2009, 08:41 PM

first of all, welcome to the site.
beware of stealing factory steelies from torino collectors. i was in the ranchero bunch and we tore people up for stealing our parts. afterall, they only made them so long.
absolutely on being hesitant on heating coil springs. they can be cut though. instead of doing this, look into drop spindles. they wont throw off the geometry of the truck but give that factory look when someone decides to look up her skirt, for lack of better words.
take a look in my truck pics in the gallery for my chero and check out the wheels on it. you might like the look on those pretty well too.

gmctrucks · 09-25-2009, 11:24 PM

Brad do you still have that truck it sure is nice looking? Also I had a little truck once it was a 1999 Mazda B2200 I put some Craiger Super Lites wheels on it she looked good but what I did is I lifted the front end so it would level out I hate a truck that's not level.

bradrhale · 09-26-2009, 07:41 AM

that was several vehicles ago. got rid of it maybe 4 years ago. kinda hated it because it was so much fun to drive.

rat roddish looking huh?? kinda the rat fink look?? bike builder down here is probably the biggest fan of fink i have ever seen.

Ky Ranger · 09-26-2009, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmctrucks

Welcome to the forum and howdy from TEXAS. I know that Mazda MPV,626, and other Mazda wheels fit say even wheels from a RX7 will fit look at the wheels that some convertable RX7's have they look good and you can paint just the middle part to match anythng. I put some 17" wheels from a 626 on our 2001 MPV it looks much newer because the newer ones came out with the same wheels.
GMC
JDM 15in SSR Mesh wheels S13 S14 240sx MR2 FC RX-7:eBay Motors (item 250504449220 end time Oct-02-09 15:42:01 PDT) These vert wheels are what im talking about look for them in a junk yard maybe even some other ones.
SET OF WHEELS 3RD GEN RX7 OR FCS (wheels and tires):eBay Motors (item 160365115175 end time Sep-28-09 08:40:34 PDT)

18" Wheels Mazda RX8 RX-8 RX7 3 6 CX7 Renesis:eBay Motors (item 350254000387 end time Sep-27-09 21:02:07 PDT)
Or check you local & surrounding www.craigslist.org

Thanks Mr. gmtrucks, I am watching a couple of those RX7 wheels on ebay. That last set was really nice.... might get those for my son's Mustang....... Ky Ranger....

Ky Ranger · 09-26-2009, 11:21 AM

Thanks for the warning bradrhale. Nice looking truck. I have a friend who has a set of those wheels. Yours is only the second set I have ever seen. The bolt pattern on my truck is 5 X 4.5.... think I will measure my pal's Ranchero (1965 model , I think) pattern, then I will know if those Torino wheels fit or not. Sometimes on my bikes I will mix the old and the new, if done right it lends a sense of nostalgia to the project. And yes....... even in the bike world it will sometimes raise an eyebrow or two. Me...... I don't care. It is better to take a rusted piece of junk, refurbish it and use it instead of just letting it rust away into an unusable hunk of rust and steel.....

Ky Ranger · 09-26-2009, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradrhale

that was several vehicles ago. got rid of it maybe 4 years ago. kinda hated it because it was so much fun to drive.

rat roddish looking huh?? kinda the rat fink look?? bike builder down here is probably the biggest fan of fink i have ever seen.

Rat roddish as in low rider with primer paint and Indian blanket seats with rubber mat instead of carpet. Now.... Rat Fink..... he was one cool dude. I remember having several of his t-shirts when I was a kid. One in particular stands out in my mind.... the fink sticking out of a 63' split window Corvette, shifter in one hand, steering wheel in the other, with that big tongue hangin' out of his mouth... loved that shirt. I used to wear it when driving my vette around and going to the drag strip.... man, It was great being a kid in the 60's and 70's. So you from Texas.... huh..... isn't that the biggest country in the USA.......

1ATony · 10-19-2009, 01:00 PM

Welcome to the site.

09-25-2009, 03:53 PM	#1
Ky Ranger Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Ashland, Ky Posts: 7	Just a little intro..... Hey guys I bought my little pick-up last year for $1000. It is a Ford Ranger formerly known as "Tweety Bird". It has a standard trans, air, and a CD player.... pretty basic. Paint is a very manly green with lavender and blue stripes. Bought it to haul my bikes around in when they need transport (like being broke down). Well "Tweety" 's time has come. Satin black paint, steel wheels (black), with chrome trim rings and moon hubcaps, lowered, and an antique looking sign painted on each door. Kinda rat-roddish look. This is all in the works. I would like to know a couple of things..... do the wheels from the mustangs and torinos of the 60's and 70's fit on the Ranger. They both have five lugs but I don't know if they are the same pattern. The old Torino and Mustang GT steel wheels look cool and the rings and caps are still available. Also what is the cheapest way to lower my truck. I figure the back is a no brainer and will use lowering blocks, but what about the front. I don't want to heat up the springs and collapse a ring or two, that would probably make it ride even worse than it will anyway. Any help would be appreciated, I am trying to do the mods for about a grand. Have a buddy who is doing the paint for $500 so that leaves me only $500 for the wheels and lowering..... thanks.. Ky Ranger.... formerly known as Dewey Greear....

09-25-2009, 07:44 PM	#2
gmctrucks Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Houston,Texas Posts: 4,030	Welcome to the forum and howdy from TEXAS. I know that Mazda MPV,626, and other Mazda wheels fit say even wheels from a RX7 will fit look at the wheels that some convertable RX7's have they look good and you can paint just the middle part to match anythng. I put some 17" wheels from a 626 on our 2001 MPV it looks much newer because the newer ones came out with the same wheels. GMC JDM 15in SSR Mesh wheels S13 S14 240sx MR2 FC RX-7:eBay Motors (item 250504449220 end time Oct-02-09 15:42:01 PDT) These vert wheels are what im talking about look for them in a junk yard maybe even some other ones. SET OF WHEELS 3RD GEN RX7 OR FCS (wheels and tires):eBay Motors (item 160365115175 end time Sep-28-09 08:40:34 PDT) 18" Wheels Mazda RX8 RX-8 RX7 3 6 CX7 Renesis:eBay Motors (item 350254000387 end time Sep-27-09 21:02:07 PDT) Or check you local & surrounding www.craigslist.org Last edited by gmctrucks; 09-25-2009 at 07:45 PM. Reason: add

09-25-2009, 08:41 PM	#3
bradrhale Senior Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 8,014	first of all, welcome to the site. beware of stealing factory steelies from torino collectors. i was in the ranchero bunch and we tore people up for stealing our parts. afterall, they only made them so long. absolutely on being hesitant on heating coil springs. they can be cut though. instead of doing this, look into drop spindles. they wont throw off the geometry of the truck but give that factory look when someone decides to look up her skirt, for lack of better words. take a look in my truck pics in the gallery for my chero and check out the wheels on it. you might like the look on those pretty well too. Attached Thumbnails

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09-25-2009, 11:24 PM	#4
gmctrucks Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Houston,Texas Posts: 4,030	Brad do you still have that truck it sure is nice looking? Also I had a little truck once it was a 1999 Mazda B2200 I put some Craiger Super Lites wheels on it she looked good but what I did is I lifted the front end so it would level out I hate a truck that's not level.

09-26-2009, 07:41 AM	#5
bradrhale Senior Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 8,014	that was several vehicles ago. got rid of it maybe 4 years ago. kinda hated it because it was so much fun to drive. rat roddish looking huh?? kinda the rat fink look?? bike builder down here is probably the biggest fan of fink i have ever seen.

09-26-2009, 11:21 AM	#7
Ky Ranger Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Ashland, Ky Posts: 7	Thanks for the warning bradrhale. Nice looking truck. I have a friend who has a set of those wheels. Yours is only the second set I have ever seen. The bolt pattern on my truck is 5 X 4.5.... think I will measure my pal's Ranchero (1965 model , I think) pattern, then I will know if those Torino wheels fit or not. Sometimes on my bikes I will mix the old and the new, if done right it lends a sense of nostalgia to the project. And yes....... even in the bike world it will sometimes raise an eyebrow or two. Me...... I don't care. It is better to take a rusted piece of junk, refurbish it and use it instead of just letting it rust away into an unusable hunk of rust and steel.....

10-19-2009, 01:00 PM	#9
1ATony Full Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 15	Welcome to the site.