Mazda b2300 project

So, I got a call from my buddy Ray a couple weeks ago. He said some people wanted to get rid of a little Mazda b2300 and gave them my #. Well couple weeks go by and never hear anything. Sunday they got ahold of us and asked if I still wanted it. I swung by while we were running some errands for Ray. Told them I'd get it out of their way Monday. Didn't have anytime on Sunday to.  

So went and got it today. 

Beds pretty beat and it's missing the tailgate. 

Kid said it was running made a load bang and stopped working.  

I checked the oil and it was pretty clean and full.  Check that it was making fuel pressure and it was.  Went to crank it and it sounded like there wasn't real compression. Went out and looked and the timing belt tensioner failed and belts loose and not turning. 

Luckily it's just the Lima 2.3. So I'm going order up a timing belt, tensioner,  and waterpump while im at it. Should be able to do that and some random hoses for less than $100. 

It even has a motorcraft radiator cap.  

Cab looks decent. I think with that cleaned up the truck would look just right with a nice wood flatbed.

Good idea, I like this and could do it for a not a ton of money. 

Yep, that's the sort of look I was envisioning. The front end of the truck seems like it just needs a really intensive cleaning and detailing, at least from what I can see. Do that, fix the motor, and pop on a nice simple bed like the one pictured and you'll have a fun little truck.

Slammed flatbed minitrucks are awesome. And shickingly useful

Are these interference motors?

In reply to akylekoz :

Nope, this is just the old Ford 2.3 in it. 

Did a first clean on the truck. This is pretty much how I always clean an old work truck. Simple green and a hose. 

A RugDoctor would cost about $50 and make the carpets/seats look new again.

Nice score. 

In reply to Brake_L8 :

I have an upholstery cleaner. When it's an old work truck I always start cleaning like this and then do a normal cleaning once the major grime is out. 

Really need to truly clean it. But that will come later.  

I got the new gates belt and tensioner on.  Was turning it over by hand and the spring pin fell out of the tensioner. Not sure why but I stole the spring out of the old tensioner and reset the belt. Also put on a new  waterpump. 

Think that was the problem. 

Needs new radiator hoses and shocks and a muffler. Need to look at the rear brakes,  the parking brake doesn't really do much.  But I drove it enough to turn it around.  Seems fine

Waited until about 730 to work on it, hoping it would cool down some.  It was still about 100 out.  But got the new radiator hoses and heater hoses and new accessories belt and fan back on.  

Drove it up and down the drive.  Drove like ranger danger 

Needs a good pressure washer. Going borrow my buddy's so I can clean it up some.  

Fuel gauge isn't reading right.  It was reading almost empty and it's completely full now. Got a new filler hose on order, it was cracked and leaking.  Going look at the sending unit and see if there's anything obviously wrong with it. 

This is by far the dirtiest truck I've ever gotten.  Full of dirt and dip every where. Took awhile but this is what I got done today.  

Starting point today.  

Then vacuumed

Then started cleaning,  combination of my upholstery cleaner and my buddy Ray's pressure washer got it here 

Pressure washed the cab and frame and engine while I was at it. 

Recently heard at this keyboard: "Wait, you mean that carpet is actually gray??"

In reply to Stealthtercel :

Right, this is why trucks should come with rubber mats and not carpet. 

They are calling for rain, so tossed the seats in to be safe.  

Got to scrub that spot on the seat some more. But overall happy with how it cleaned up. 

Looks like your well on your way to a nice little beater truck.

In reply to AngryCorvair :

Thanks,  if I keep it it's going get djm 3/4 kit. If my pops wants it I'm just going do maintenance items and then he will use. 

Was planning on going to Austin tonight but got bumped to the morning. 

So scuffed and shot the frame with rustoleum black and put the new filler hose on.  

Gotta order some shocks for it and take a look and figure out why the fuel gauge is reading empty when its full.  

How much can these little Mazda's tow? And how long before that Lima gets a whisper snail?

In reply to GIRTHQUAKE :

I've gotten rid of all my old 2.3t parts and will never go that route again. I'd do a 5.0 before a 2.3t. Dealt with those things far to many times in the past. 

Think they are rated 2k for towing. 

It smells better than it did orginally but it still doesn't smell good. I'm going to to have to actually pull out the carpet.

Thing still stinks. Pulled the carpet out today and washed the floors out. 

Put on the new rear shocks and bed is back on. 

Redid the headliner and put the interior back together.  The smell is finally going away. 

Not bad for a throw that was laying on the couch.  Got some explorer sunvisors on the way.  

Just need to get a muffler and do the front shocks, then get it inspected and insured and plated and it will become my dd for awhile.  The sequoia 12mpg is a killer.  

Front shocks are replaced. I haven't worked on something this rusty in a long time. 

These are motorcraft shocks, so most likely originals. 

Lower shock mounts broke right off.  Ground and drilled and just put on bolts in its place.  

Besides a muffler,  this is a bought done.