What to Keep?

plowboy · Post by **plowboy** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 8:28 pm

Ok, I have an 86 ranger that is making many donations to my 2 BIIs (God rest it's soul). My question is this. It's going to the junk yard soon. I have kept everything usable. Next summer I am seriously thinking of a chop top on one of the broncos. I won't need any of the ranger cab because I want a soft top. I want it open on nice sunny days. So do I need to keep the rear corners of the bed and tailgate to fill in where the rear gate used to be or what would you all suggest?

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 7:35 am

I was debating this my self when I was going to rechop the whole roof. my suggestion would be to cut the bedrails off below the body line and keep the tail gate. if not for anything else, just to be safe. my idea was to fab in the rails and clean up behind the winsheild then have something like an EB top made. of course you will need a cage at that point also.

Post by **Nobody** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 8:29 am

I always thought it would nice to have a real truck bed.

plowboy · Post by **plowboy** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 12:22 pm

I think I may keep the rocker pannels as well since they are good. My goal is to have something like the post 79 broncos. Roof over my head with the back open. I was hoping to be able to tie the sides and roof into the a roll bar somehow. I was looking at building a roll bar like the 79's had and placing it just under the roof line for support. I dunno, just dreaming at this point, but since I have a good daily driver now I have something to play with.

I won't keep the tailgate simply because it is so rusted and the latches don't work. But I think I will keep the corners to possibly fab in.

I wondered what a truck bed would be like, but I definately want it open with rear seats for the kids.