Resurrecting a Rampage

[mpgmike]

Somebody posted a wanted ad asking for a clean Rampage, front clip unimportant since he had a Shelby Charger clip for it. I promptly went out and peeled the tarp back of my '84 with the wrecked front end and snapped a couple shots. It turned out to be more work than the guy wanted to get into, but as I shot the pics, I got fired up again about the little truck.

Yesterday I shuffled vehicles around and maneuvered it in the garage with the help of the cherry picker. It's on jack stands and I've removed just about everything from the engine compartment and interior to begin reconstruction. It'll take awhile just to get it back to roller status, but at least it isn't sitting outside deteriorating.

Mike

[Turbodave]

Sounds like fun Mike, I can't wait to get a few other projects finished so I can tear into one of my Rampages. No other Turbo-mopar turns heads like a Rampage.

[mpgmike]

Yea, my brother commented on the funny looking LeBaron we got with the silly opera window. "No, that's not a LeBaron, it's a Maserati!" But you see the Rampage from the other end of the parking lot at the Wal Mart and it just says "LOOK AT ME!"

[j4278h]

Glad to see you working on it mike.

Sorry but the damage to the core support and the drivers side rail was more than i could tackle.

[Turbodave]

Yea, my brother commented on the funny looking LeBaron we got with the silly opera window. "No, that's not a LeBaron, it's a Maserati!" But you see the Rampage from the other end of the parking lot at the Wal Mart and it just says "LOOK AT ME!"


I drove my 83 Rampage around for a summer after I got it (still stock carb motor and all). I got more people waving, giving thumbs up, coming up to me at stores etc. than I ever did when I was driving my Plum Crazy Roadrunner. It was very different from the usual response the public gives turbo mopars. (in my turbo-minivan the homeless guys at the off ramp won't even offer to wash my windshield..lol..)

[mpgmike]

I have the old crunched stuff mostly off. After I'm down to "keeper" metal, that has to be straightened and squared. Then I have to de-layer the new stuff so it can be welded in place. I never tackled such a major body job before, but researched it as best I could. Hopefully, it will be square enough to properly align.

I don't have the $$ for the complete project yet, but I need to get it to roller status soon. At least then, the garage can be "borrowed" for more important stuff like customer work.

Mike
www.PowreHaus.com

[mpgmike]

Got the new stuff welded in place. It checks out square and level every way I measure it. I'm planning on posting the pics on my web site soon. I'm very pleased at how well it came out...especially for my first time.

Mike
www.PowreHaus.com

[mpgmike]

I laid fenders on the sides to check gaps. There is one on the driver's side between the A pillar and the door and fender. I was concerned until I saw an Intrepid that was 2 cars combined. Work was done by a guy with close to 30 years in the industry. Every one of the gaps were worse than the one I was concerned about. I guess I might be OK.

Mike

[jaysshelby]

lets see some pics

[mpgmike]

OK, finally got pics posted.

http://powrehaus.com/2006/10/25/rampage-project-2/#more-32

Mike

[2.216VTurbo]

Holy major surgery:wow1: Good save, 99% of the time a car like that would be headed to the crusher... Now to make that spare TIII powerplant fit that you have just sitting in the shop:eyebrows:

[mpgmike]

I'm debating between that or a 2.4/2.0 head. I almost hate to "waste" a perfectly good TIII set-up on something non-original when so many guys with the genuine article are looking for replacement parts. The DOHC Neon/Stratus heads are cheap and plentiful, and they have affordable speed parts available.

Mike

[capev86]

http://community.webshots.com/user/cwilliiamsphoto

check out this link for a rampage with a maserati headed 2.2 installed

[mpgmike]

Ah, yes, Ramerati. That 'Page has been floating around the net for at least a year now. I remember when he had it up for sale for somewhere around $7k and had a tough time getting it sold. Definately unique. However, I'm a cheap sucker and can do the hybrid work myself, including the manifolds. It just makes sense financially. I need to get the front suspension under it so it is roller status. It then gets rolled out of the garage and the rust and weld spots blasted and primed. I want to paint it VW Sundown Orange; the orange used on the New Beetles. I've redone the interior on 3 vehicles already and want to custom stitch my own for this one as well. It has the brown interior stock. I want to keep a few brown highlights, then add tan with some orange whelts and such.

Mike

[WVRampage]

Not to bad

[2.216VTurbo]

Charlie had his Ramerati for sale when it had drivability problems that were tough to diagnose. A set of had to find Masi 16V plug wires cured the problem and all of a sudden he is not interested in selling:eyebrows: A local guy offered him full asking price plus shipping and he declined to sell it. Seems he is enjoying it a bit too much now...

[speedyshelby]

Your gap is about the same as my charger when I bought it. It was a rebuilt slavage in 94. The odometer since it was rebuilt to this day has only been 7,000 miles that was 12 years ago. The guy I bought it from had it sitting since it got a small engine fire from an old fuel line. Replace some of the wiring and the injectors and it running again. 2 months later it got my T2 setup in from my old charger. One year ago it got repainted and this year it got wheels and tires. This winter gets engine upgrade and rear brakes done for discs. Good luck on the page looks good so far. :thumb:

[mpgmike]

Your gap is about the same as my charger when I bought it. It was a rebuilt slavage in 94. The odometer since it was rebuilt to this day has only been 7,000 miles that was 12 years ago. The guy I bought it from had it sitting since it got a small engine fire from an old fuel line. Replace some of the wiring and the injectors and it running again. 2 months later it got my T2 setup in from my old charger. One year ago it got repainted and this year it got wheels and tires. This winter gets engine upgrade and rear brakes done for discs. Good luck on the page looks good so far. :thumb:

Uhuh, uhuh. Do you have pics of yours? I had to post pics, you should have to also :amen:

Mike

[cwilliiams]

Alan, et al,
I am finally enjoying the Ramerati - it is starting to show its potential. I found a cracked rotor button in the top of the cap - total ----- to get to, I might add. It actually ran pretty good when broken, considering. Replaced the plug wires and rotor and it ran better. It ran a 9 flat at the 1/8th mile track at 80MPH. That is on basic street tires and it needs an alignment. Since then I have gotten a stage II Chrysler Maserati 16V chip and put it in. Seems a lot stonger in the midrange and revs much quicker. It also took care of of the cold starts and made it a lot more driveable. I was running an 8V MP chip. I timed it with a g-meter to 0-60 was still mid fives, but it was spinning a lot. If I stomp it in second gear at 3000RPM it just starts breaking the tires loose and spins through the gear. 1st gear is wheelhopping now, it just cannot hookup, so I may get a poly front mount and see if that cures that. I think it would be in the 8's at the track now, but I want to fix the wheelhop before I go again- I broke an axle on the 8th run last time out and I hate to break things and be carried home. I have been working on NVH and did a lot of dynamatting, added custom interior door panels and a tonneau cover. I added some pics at the webshots page. I have a pile of front suspension parts to go in and a new fuel pump - it whines and is annoying. Next spring - some real tires and it should be there.

Charlie

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Charlie had his Ramerati for sale when it had drivability problems that were tough to diagnose. A set of had to find Masi 16V plug wires cured the problem and all of a sudden he is not interested in selling A local guy offered him full asking price plus shipping and he declined to sell it. Seems he is enjoying it a bit too much now...
__________________
Alan

84 Rampage RT TIII/568
87 GLHS 'that red one' 16V Masi/555/Quaife
89 TC Masi 16V/523/OBX

[speedyshelby]

I don't have before shots since. I have made spacers for mine to get it somewhat close. It still off which you can barely see in this pic. I didn't fix the front my car I just bought that way. I also did get the time to throw it on the frame rack for measurement when I had access to when I painted it black. :mad:
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/3/web/339000-339999/339160_164_full.jpg