Fleckster's Rat: 1983 Rampage 2.2

[fleckster]

It's about time I started a Project Log for my Rampage!

I've owned it for a couple years now (March of 2011 I believe) from ShadowFromHell's dad but have yet to do much to it. I will summarize the purchase/plans quickly for posterity and to get those who missed to original cross-country log thread when Tracy Doyle (R/T) flew out and drove it back for me from Eastern Washington State.
(Link to original thread here for those who have time and want to check it out and see R/T's on-the-road story.)

Here were the original pictures I got of it:



I asked for pictures of the underneath as everyone knows, rust is a terrible cancer here in the Midwest and has taken many the life of Rampages and other cars alike. I was pleased to see the pristine undercarriage that a Northwest car can have. It must be nice to not have tons of salt dumped out to help keep the roads clear only to accelerate the decomposition of the very vehicles using the roads.

Here is a list of what I was told had been done to the car by previous owners:

90 2.5 turbo motor, bone stock.
90 413, some form of a shift kit, shifts VERY nice
86 GLHS radiator/IC
86 GLHS MP ECU
86 GLHS wiring harness
89 Rear disc brakes, 10" non vented from lebaron
86 GLHS front brakes
Polished eggshell wheels with new tires, 205/50-15
2.5" exhaust with flowmaster muffler, no cat
New 02 sensor
Digital boost/ a/f gauge

Its a 82 rampage that was put together many years ago, is super clean, and our best guess is it has roughly 60k on the body. The PO had the motor and transmission rebuilt by Autometrics in Yakima WA a few years ago. He told us when my dad bought it it has roughly 4k on the motor and tranny, and my dad has put maybe another 1k on it. Ive owned a lot of TM's over the years and have no reason to not believe that those numbers are correct...Currently is painted viper yellow under the hood. The PO had planned on having the entire rampage painted this color, but never had it done. It currently has a SC hood, and stock front fascia. Will come with complete SC front end, and DC rampage side skirts, not installed. Has factory tonneau cover that is in awesome shape. The body has a few small dents, but is in great shape for its age. The best part? ABSOLUTELY NO RUST! No rust at all! It has factory A/C and it also works great.

This thing drives awesome and has a TON of power. It really does need a 2.5 cal, but as long as the boost is at 8 pounds or so, it is fine to drive. It flat scoots the way it is setup now. With a some minor mods this thing would be a ROCKET.

How could you not love that! Most of the things that I would want to do to a Rampage have already been done! We worked out a deal and R/T brought it back. Here's pic taken by the previous owners as R/T pulled out to begin the trip back East:


Here's what I saw when it arrived in Indy:


From here, that's when I was able to check it out and see what I wanted to do to what my wife would unaffectionately refer to as "The Rat."