Car Collector Chronicles - THE FORUM

Back in June 2010 my Cougar station wagon was in an article in Auto Restorer's Magazine.

Now my Ford Ranger will be in the magazine.  Likely the August 2011 edition.  I just got notified by the editor.   It's been going through a "driving" restoration over the last couple of years.  Mainly cosmetic as the factory paint went bad.  I can't seem to get rid of it.  I bought it new in April 1992 and now have 115,000 miles.  It did get some free parts this last 12 months.  A new power steering pump and new brakes.  It does pay to buy lifetime parts if you intend on keeping the car.

I think I may have mentioned before that I painted it with a roller.  That paint is now a year old and still looks new.  It's painted with rustoleum, six coats.  I did manage to back into a pole and put a small dent in the rear of the right quarter panel where the bumper was pushed in to it.  The paint didn't even chip or scratch.  Amazing.  The bumper was fixed with a hydralic jack between the sping shackle and the bumper and it pushed out just fine.  The bumper bracket is now straight after being "L" shaped after the incident.  $3 for a new bolt and voila' all fixed.

Future work:  I do need a new windshield.  15 years of desert living with high winds have taken a toll.  Sandblasted.  New tires in the near future too.

I just bought a professional polisher that I'm going to learn to use on the Ranger.  Little risk as if I mess it up I just have to get out the roller and fix.  That's the beauty of the roller painting process.  I think I can get a higher gloss than with the slow cheap orbital I used after painting.

A couple of pictures on this link:

http://ccc.activeboard.com/t42430667/19-years-and-counting/