I need the Pelican Parts for Ford Rangers: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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March 1, 2011 12:04 p.m. speedblind Reader

A few months ago I dragged home the old 1996 Ranger I'd driven in college and a bit when I lived in Arizona. It sat out in the elements on the Oregon coast for a few years and was covered in grime, so I've been cleaning it up as I go. As it sits, it's a perfect occasional use work truck, but I'd like to do a couple things to make it more livable.

I've scrubbed it inside and out, down to the bare metal and now I need some "restoration" type stuff to make it more livable. Some of the stuff I can't track down:

New vinyl steering wheel. Don't know what it is about Ford steering wheels, but the top coat wears off quickly and it becomes a mess. Is this a dealer item? Is it even possible to find an OE steering wheel?

Carpets

Some sort of option for the seats - the ones in the truck have years of infused sawdust/dirt.

That's the short list. Over the next couple months I'll be doing all the usual stuff: shocks, bushings, engine maintenance, etc.
March 1, 2011 12:06 p.m. RossD Dork

rock auto for parts and the ranger station for questions. LMC truck might have interior stuffs.
March 1, 2011 12:43 p.m. 914Driver SuperDork

Does the steering wheel have airbags? These guys have inexpensive wheels. In lieu of buying an expensive adaptor thingie, I rep the frame out of the stock wheel and mount the new wheel to that. Horn button is on the side of the column ala door bell button.

http://www.grantproducts.com/

How nice do you want it? I'd hit up junkyards for seats or check out JC Whitney.

http://www.therangerstation.com/index.php

Dan
March 1, 2011 1:00 p.m. Ranger50 HalfDork

Ooooooooooh, something I actually know something about!

LMC, JCWhitney, or ACC for carpet, unless you stumble upon something in the classifieds or JY.

As for steering wheels, you CAN swap/backdate to pre-95/6 wheels. You just lose the airbag and get a light. It is a complete bolt on with minimal fuss. Most of the installation kits stop at 94 because you can't legally remove the air bag for a road going vehicle. But Ford never changed the spline count or diameter with the switch to an airbag wheel.

Seats, if you have the 60/40 bench, you can bolt in almost any Ford bucket seat from a car onto the Ranger sliders, EXCEPT the lower cushion will be much too high and make your head definitely hit the roof. BTDT and I am 6'. One of the common swaps is to swap in some pleather Exploder seats on the Ranger sliders. Then wire up all the motors and lumbar bags.
March 1, 2011 1:19 p.m. Raze Dork

dude, don't spend real money replacing stuff into a Ranger, Junkyard.
March 1, 2011 1:27 p.m. MadScientistMatt Dork

If just the rim of the wheel is worn, you might want to get a Wheel Skins leather wrap. Those things are pretty cheap and look a lot less cheesy than most aftermarket wheel covers.