– How to make your beater sweeter –
So way back in June I found this 1987 Ford Ranger for five hundred bucks. It was no prize winner but for a 35-year-old truck it was in remarkably good shape. So I brought it home. This episode of Repairs101 is sponsored by Princess Auto. Check out princessauto.com for their extensive catalogue of tools, equipment and supplies.
Make your beater sweeter
So the clear-coat was sunburnt and peeling and so I scraped and wet sanded it until it was smooth enough to paint. I’m thinking red. After that I pulled out some dents but, you know, obviously not all of them. And I cleaned it out and I threw a tune-up at it. And then the rain started. So I had to get some sealant down and by the time I figured out where all the leaks were coming from… well, I figured out that I need a garage.
So although it’s insured in the six months that I’ve owned it I’ve only used it once to run some firewood up the hill to a neighbor’s house. Now, why am I telling you this? Now by far the most important system on your vehicle is the brakes. So, while this video is not going to show you how to re and re your brake pads and shoes I will show you how to inspect and clean them. Here you can see it’s about five and a half millimeters thick. It’s a good idea to change your wiper blades every year or two. Especially if you live in an environment like the wet coast of British Columbia.
Leak control
Now this may look like the heater core is leaking but I’m all but certain that this is where the rain is getting in, even after I sealed the windshield. Here you see I’m laying it on super thick so it’s way easier to remove when the time comes.
This small floormat is going to replace the soaking wet underpadding I tore out. It will serve as both insulation and noise dampener. So instead of replacing this armrest I epoxied in a stainless washer… and reinstalled the dust cover… the inner panel… door handle bezel… the window regulator crank handle and finally the armrest. “Can you see my hand?” “Yes.” Another job well done.
