RiverDave
In it to win it
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2007
- Messages
- 127,097
- Reaction score
- 167,782
Barkers fabrication - 928-846-7755
Safeglowhips - http://safeglowhips.com/
Young Guns Auto Salon 951-201-5599
Wired For Sound - 951-696-2200
Kicker Audio -
SSV Works
Green Ball Tires
Wheel Pro's - www.wheelpros.com
Maxed Out Marine - 928-854-3060
This build is going to go through several sessions as it gets ready for Desert Storm, and I will document it all as we go along. This all started awhile back when I wanted to get a safari rack made for my Ranger. I was thinking more or less a square box (maybe radiused corners if I was feeling super spiffy.) and a light in the front of it.. I have seen other rangers online that have them and they look pretty cool so something simple kind of like that.
I got together with www.Safeglowhips.com on the light bar, and had been searching for a fabricator that could understand what I wanted, build something trick and not hack up my Ranger in the process. My buddy called a couple of the big name shops on my behalf, and while one or two said they would do it, it was fairly obvious that they were disinterested in it (which invariably ends up being... blah when you're done). Point in fact the only reason I think they said they would do it is because the owner of safeglo called them to see if they would type of deal.
I met Eric Barker and his Dad in a mexican restaurant a year and a half ago shooting the breeze about their two Mandella's, and a Brummet that they have. (We will come back to at a later date.. They have some seriously bitchen boats). Eric as it turns out isn't just some fabricator that mig welds cages and the like together.. Eric is some kind of mad scientist that builds bad ass 200+ mph tig welded Tube Chassis drag cars for the kind of people that can afford to go race and campaign things like that. Readers digest version on that, it's pretty much next level shit on the brains, know how, and finished product. (He's got one in his garage that he's building right now which is why I can speak to that with some authority)
So I get to talking to Eric one night and he says "Dave I'll build your little rack for you, just bring it over we can be in and out in a couple of days and I'll make it cool." Eric had to finish some work on a race car, and then he did a quick service on some full boogie sand rail deal.. And he calls me up and says "I got a little time bring it on over and lets see what you got."
In the meantime 2 pretty decent size boxes show up at my house from Safeglowhips, and I open them up to find a complete array of lights inside. There's a large light bar for the top, there's 2 2inch square lights, 1 2 inch square amber light, 4 Red Dome lights (under car lighting), 2 white Dome lights (interior lighting), a 12 inch double row light etc.. I'd say we have the lights more then covered for a safari Rack.
So I grab my boxes of lights throw them in the Ranger and myself and Tommygun head over to check out Eric's shop. As soon as you get there the picture becomes crystal clear. There isn't a spec of dust on the floor. There's a ridiculous drag car being put together in the back. All the fabrication equipment is covered with nice blankets, and the stuff you can see doesn't have a scratch on it. Giant water cooled Welders, and benders, and corner notchers, and on and on..
Eric pulls out all the lights and kind of surveys the situation and asks me "Well what kind of theme are you going for here? Trophy Truck, Pre Runner?" After a brief talk I told him "I dunno.. I was kind of thinking either Search and Rescue or maybe Chase Truck? Something really utilitarian" We BS'd for a bit, and Tommy gun and I left. The one thing I did notice was on his white board in the back it said "RiverDaves over the top Ranger Crew." I brought that up to Tom on the way home and he said "I think over the top means the safari rack deal."
When we returned we discovered that Eric had made a bad ass bumper that follows the contours of the Ranger! We get to talking and he more or less said "Well if we are gonna build it, then we might as well actually build it!" He then filled me in on Front and rear bumpers and skid plates.. Which then led into a conversation of the styling of the rear bumper (That I didn't even know about until right then) and a douple bumper vs a single, and the rabbit hole begins to deepen.
RD
Safeglowhips - http://safeglowhips.com/
Young Guns Auto Salon 951-201-5599
Wired For Sound - 951-696-2200
Kicker Audio -
SSV Works
Green Ball Tires
Wheel Pro's - www.wheelpros.com
Maxed Out Marine - 928-854-3060
This build is going to go through several sessions as it gets ready for Desert Storm, and I will document it all as we go along. This all started awhile back when I wanted to get a safari rack made for my Ranger. I was thinking more or less a square box (maybe radiused corners if I was feeling super spiffy.) and a light in the front of it.. I have seen other rangers online that have them and they look pretty cool so something simple kind of like that.
I got together with www.Safeglowhips.com on the light bar, and had been searching for a fabricator that could understand what I wanted, build something trick and not hack up my Ranger in the process. My buddy called a couple of the big name shops on my behalf, and while one or two said they would do it, it was fairly obvious that they were disinterested in it (which invariably ends up being... blah when you're done). Point in fact the only reason I think they said they would do it is because the owner of safeglo called them to see if they would type of deal.
I met Eric Barker and his Dad in a mexican restaurant a year and a half ago shooting the breeze about their two Mandella's, and a Brummet that they have. (We will come back to at a later date.. They have some seriously bitchen boats). Eric as it turns out isn't just some fabricator that mig welds cages and the like together.. Eric is some kind of mad scientist that builds bad ass 200+ mph tig welded Tube Chassis drag cars for the kind of people that can afford to go race and campaign things like that. Readers digest version on that, it's pretty much next level shit on the brains, know how, and finished product. (He's got one in his garage that he's building right now which is why I can speak to that with some authority)
So I get to talking to Eric one night and he says "Dave I'll build your little rack for you, just bring it over we can be in and out in a couple of days and I'll make it cool." Eric had to finish some work on a race car, and then he did a quick service on some full boogie sand rail deal.. And he calls me up and says "I got a little time bring it on over and lets see what you got."
In the meantime 2 pretty decent size boxes show up at my house from Safeglowhips, and I open them up to find a complete array of lights inside. There's a large light bar for the top, there's 2 2inch square lights, 1 2 inch square amber light, 4 Red Dome lights (under car lighting), 2 white Dome lights (interior lighting), a 12 inch double row light etc.. I'd say we have the lights more then covered for a safari Rack.
So I grab my boxes of lights throw them in the Ranger and myself and Tommygun head over to check out Eric's shop. As soon as you get there the picture becomes crystal clear. There isn't a spec of dust on the floor. There's a ridiculous drag car being put together in the back. All the fabrication equipment is covered with nice blankets, and the stuff you can see doesn't have a scratch on it. Giant water cooled Welders, and benders, and corner notchers, and on and on..
Eric pulls out all the lights and kind of surveys the situation and asks me "Well what kind of theme are you going for here? Trophy Truck, Pre Runner?" After a brief talk I told him "I dunno.. I was kind of thinking either Search and Rescue or maybe Chase Truck? Something really utilitarian" We BS'd for a bit, and Tommy gun and I left. The one thing I did notice was on his white board in the back it said "RiverDaves over the top Ranger Crew." I brought that up to Tom on the way home and he said "I think over the top means the safari rack deal."
When we returned we discovered that Eric had made a bad ass bumper that follows the contours of the Ranger! We get to talking and he more or less said "Well if we are gonna build it, then we might as well actually build it!" He then filled me in on Front and rear bumpers and skid plates.. Which then led into a conversation of the styling of the rear bumper (That I didn't even know about until right then) and a douple bumper vs a single, and the rabbit hole begins to deepen.
RD
