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Filling, Sanding, and Painting...
Fall '03 - Spring '04
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The Rampage was completely stripped of its engine, interior, and just about everything except its wheels. Replacing the rusted floors was the first task in the restoration. Since aftermarket sheetmetal was not available, we would need to find an inexpensive rust free "L" body donor vehicle. A Plymouth Horizon was soon offered on eBay and we were in business.

After its floors were removed, the Horizon gets towed home (left) to join our fleet of donors (right).

With the help of some friends in a neighbor's garage, the Horizon's interior was gutted and its entire floor section carefully removed. The badly rusted sections of floor, including the crossbrace were then cut from the Rampage. The replacement sections were then cut from the Horizon's floor, fitted and welded into the Rampage one by one. This was a dirty job that took several days. After some paint and seam sealer, the floors looked brand new. (Before -> After)

The Rampage was raised and set on blocks. The whole truck was sandblasted to bare metal and any trace of rust was removed. Every inch of the underside was sandblasted as well before rust-proofing paints were applied.

During the body work, the rear axle was removed. New spring perches (taken from another Rampage) were then welded to the bottom of the axle. The axle was sandblasted, refinished and bolted to its new location ON TOP of the leaf springs which had already been updated with new bushings. This lowered the back end about four inches. The stock, 4-lug rear wheels were replaced with the larger Shelby 5-lug to improve both looks and braking. (Two of many street conversions to come...)

A pic of the new gas shocks, and the braided stainless brake lines from FWD Performance.

Modifications were made to the cowl area and several holes had to be cut into the firewall to allow for upgrades like the T2 wiring harness, heater core and air conditioning / heater box, as our Rampage originally came with none of them.

The above pictures were taken during the filling and sanding process. Larger dents had to be pulled, and even the smallest ding needed to be filled and sanded smooth. Coats of etching primer were also sprayed on the car, so the Rampage flip-flopped from an olive green color to gray about a half-dozen times. This was the longest phase of the project thus far.

The ugly door handles were an issue and we wanted to shave them smooth for a custom look. The Division of Motor Vehicles said that shaved door handles would fail inspection in New Jersey, so we were forced to find another solution...Looking through a nearby auto salvage yard, we spotted a mangled, black Mazda Miata (the victim of a serious rollover). The doors were trashed, but somehow the handles survived the wreck. We agreed that they would look great, and the handles were grafted onto the Rampage doors. (Left: Stock GLHS handle; Right: Miata handle gets welded into Rampage door)

The car was then taken to the body shop for its door jambs, fender edges, etc. to be cut in.

NAVIGATION
Page 01 - Rampage's Arrival
Page 02 - Floor & Body Repair
Page 03 - Door Handle Conversion & Paint
Page 04 - Front-End Work
Page 05 - Wiring, Audio & Interior
Page 06 - Odds & Ends
Page 07 - Engine Installation
Page 08 - Winter Update
Page 09 - Spring Update
Page 10 - New Engine