WRC Urban Rally Ranger

[rider68642]

For the general information of the readers of this forum, I am a business student majoring in Entrepreneurship and strategic management at a business school. This is just a passion, hobby, and a dream.

Diesel guys, get lost. Look at the title of the forum and start thinking. This is not designed to be a solely off road vehicle. Its meant for desert racing abuse and rally car handling. I DO NOT EVEN WANT 4WD!!!!!! I HATE GIVING PASSENGERS RIDES!!!! I DON'T NEED TO TOW ANYTHING!!!! I DON'T GIVE A RATS ASS ABOUT GAS MILEAGE!!!! I JUST WANNA GO FAST EVERYWHERE AT ALL TIMES!!! That means you need something called latteral traction which means you need body control. Your lame ass 4-6 inch lifts won't suffice here. Think re-hung hoops and long travel (at least 10 inches) with as little lift as possible (low center of gravity for better handling)

And just so everyone can rest easy, theres nothing wrong with diesels. I love turbos. I love the grunt and beastliness of a big burly heavy ass diesel. But try and rock one of those in Boston. It sucks.

The ranger is fun since it just zips around larger vehicles. I want to be able to rock this truck anywhere, anytime, against anything, not just other trucks. The highlight of my desired experience would be a long point to point race against anything that would be lesser equipped suspension and durability wise. THAT MEANS NO DODGING POT HOLES, NO LETTING OFF THE GAS, AND GENERALLY NEVER BEING BEATEN BY ANY ROAD CONDITIONS OR ANY FUCKIN RICER.

So, unless you have something to contribute to this urban rally ranger project, stop wasting time and space. go educate yourselves and do this community some good.

REMEMBER THIS IS AN URBAN (aka dense city setting) TRUCK CONCEPT!!!

My new motto, **** the fast and furious and **** the slow and curious, Urban Assault Vehicles dominate all.

 

[JohnnyU]

So, unless you have something to contribute to this urban rally ranger project, stop wasting time and space. go educate yourselves and do this community some good.

I tried, you didn't care to listen.


Good luck with your concept.

 

[Forcus]

Sorry, kid, but this smacks of too much enthusiasm, too much bravado, and too little thought, and too little willingness to listen.

All of the guys I know who actually get some stuff done don't bounce ideas off of forum people and then criticize people who don't agree with them. They just go out to the garage, and do it. That's great that you got to talk to famous people and work in high end shops for a couple months but at the end of the day it's just a story for the bar and you have nothing tangible to show for it.

My suggestion is to get a real job when you are done with school (and by the way, no one who ever hopes to succeed stops learning, school or not). I wouldn't even work at an off road place, or suspension shop, or anything else. I'd get a good job as a mechanical engineer, be humble, and absorb everything you can from those around you. Treat this Ranger thing as a hobby. I don't think there are a whole lot of high rollers interested in Ranger parts or rally trucks, or whatever.

And good luck on creating a niche. It's much easier to exploit (maybe expand is a better word) a current niche than start a new one. And I'm pretty sure Rangers fall under a small to non-existant market.

I really hope you succeed but I've learned way more (and still have way more to learn) by being humble, apologizing when I misunderstand or misstate something I say as gospel, and doing my own thing without having other folk's approval. Maybe it is the way I am wired, but I'd suggest you harness your energy and do your own thing too without worrying what anyone here has to say!

Brian

 

[rider68642]

For the general information of the readers of this forum, I am a business student majoring in Entrepreneurship and strategic management at a business school.

Guys, please. I am not an engineering student. I am not an engineer. Yes I am technically minded, but it is not my aspiration to be doing the specialized labor. I almost went to engineering school but after the toss up, I landed at business school. Babson College to be specific.

I'm sorry I came here and wasted all your time, thinking that I'd get help from someone who does have the experience with the hardware that works best. What have I learned so far is probably going to be a fully re hung suspension set up similar to a desert truck, but less travel, probably rebuildable and tunable shocks like what Fox has, and a swapped motor from something that has a wide powerband and somewhere in the neighbor hood of 300-400 hp. None of this has come from anyone at this forum, so don't be quick to call yourselves grand professors just because you're older than I am. Let a kid dream.

What I need to learn is how can I do this, who would know how or would be willing to help build it, or what parts I should even start buying! I am currently preparing for winter by ordering new wheels and tires, and a limited slip. At the same time, for routine maintenance, the clutch will be replaced.

NOW, will someone please help me with what I don't know. This is the ranger station isn't it? You guys know shit about rangers right? someone please step up and tell me at least what kind of garage would undertake something of this sort. Its two different concepts, from two different types of shops, and I need to know how this thing should be built proper.

AGAIN THIS IS MY CURRENT DAILY DRIVER TRUCK, BONE STOCK, AND I AM NOT AN ENGINEER OR MECHANIC!

And Jonny U, what did you contribute? You own a dodge diesel that can do everything that I'm talking about? I'm from Aurora, I'll come down and find that black truck of yours and we can have it out when I've built what I'm talking about. Forcus, you're damn right, I should get in the garage and do it. And as soon as I can, believe me friend, I will be.

 

[littleredrangerhood]

Dude, I'm 22 and even I realize that this kind of truck is pointless. Wonder why you are having a hard time finding all the info about your concept on this board? The reason is because no one else really wants to piss money away into a truck like you're talking of building. Maybe that kind of thing is popular on the West Coast were prerunners abound and desert racing is popular. I know I know, you are going to say its not a desert racer. Guess what, it is.

 

[JohnnyU]

And Jonny U, what did you contribute? You own a dodge diesel that can do everything that I'm talking about? I'm from Aurora, I'll come down and find that black truck of yours and we can have it out when I've built what I'm talking about. Forcus, you're damn right, I should get in the garage and do it. And as soon as I can, believe me friend, I will be.

Making threats will get you nowhere around here.

I offered you the advice from someone who has run a sucessful business for the last 5 years, and has looked into the feasibility of venturing off into a similar business area. Highly specialized niches are not very common, and are EXTREMELY cut-throat. In order to be competitive you either need to be very lucky, or very wealthy because unfortunately forums like TRS, Dezert Rangers, RRORC, etc. aren't going to be enough to support a business whose product price range is in the 10's of thousands of dollars start to finish.

Since you aren't an Engineer or mechanic, who will be doing your design work? Who will determine which designs are safe and which aren't. Who will decide what type of materials are best suited for which parts? How are you going to build this business into what you are looking for it to become? You need more than a business degree and a dream to make something like this happen.

I offered that bit of advice from my perspective. You are too arrogant to read past my initial comment to actually see what I had to say. I thought they taught you guys about Supply and Demand in business school. hell, I learned it my freshman year in Econ 103.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I'll add my 2-cents in here.

First of all, I like hypotheticals and thinking out of the box.

Full size diesel guys, Hush. The topic is about Rangers. It has nothing to do with Diesels. A well built WRC Ranger would eat your truck up on a rally course. We'll see what happens when you take a light weight Ranger and 3/4 ton truck and push them in to a gravel turn at the same speeds.

We do have a guy here that races on courses:

Not WRC, but he appreciates the abilities and undestands the limitations of a Ranger.

You should be looking more at the CORR trucks than desert trucks. Especially the stadium style trucks. They don't sit high like a lifted truck but have a lot of travel.

Ralley is becoming more popular and their are truck classes now in some organizations. I think there's one in the southwest.

Not sure where your market would be. I lack knowledge in that type of racing to know where to start making mods.

Nobody in their right mind is going to invest in your business plan. It's just an idea. You haven't proven to anybody that you have the ability to make it happen.

Nobody cares about where you go to school, who you worked for or who your friends are. I saw some 'boyd' employee on American Hotrod shaking a paint can and wasn't going to stop until it quit rattling so he knew it was mixed. Is that your friend?

Words and associations don't impress people. Actually doing it and showing people what you can do impresses people.

 

[rider68642]

Thank you, thank you, and thank you again, Jim, for offering me the guidance I've been looking for. I will be researching the parts spec and engineers who work the CORR style trucks you mentioned.

You guys are absolutely right, I don't know what I need and thats why I came here.

I will not be opening a solely off-road ranger shop. Save your breath about niche markets because technically, according to SEMA, the whole specialty equipment and aftermarket performance market is niche. Just take a look at what the majority of what you see on the road. Most vehicles are stock. If this truck were to be associated with any shop, not even my own dream shop, it would simply be a project that highlights the technical abilities and creativity of the shop staff. This would be a niche of a niche and centering a business around it is foolish. DUH. If I were to make a parts group for this type of vehicle, it would of course be an extremely small production number.

Please, before you start making assumptions, re read my posts from the forum. You wouldn't believe how many times I've had to re post things I've been saying from the beginning.

I personally, would never open up a solely drag specific, or lambo specific, or any niche specific shop. The shop, ideally would be a one stop performance shop staffed with a group of individuals who are each uniquely specialized in their own department of motorsports. Ideally, the business would the one shop you could go to with any kind of vehicle. I love the internal combustion engine and everything that moves by its power. I would ideally secure a list of vendors that could satisfy the needs of any customer with any car. But this will take time. No shop could expect to start with this kind of grandeur. The beginning depends on the amount of capital secured for start up. Investing in the shop tools and the people that are capable of doing anything are the most important two facets of a new shop. Then you market your abilities. This truck, is just that; a display of ability.

As far as my truck is concerned, Jonny U, I know I need people to help me with this. SO, where did I come? To the ranger website with the best technical forums I've ever found for a range of vehicles. Theres a lot of great info here, and believe me, I've read everything I can that is pertinent to my bone stock '01 Ford Ranger XL Short Bed 2wd 2.3 liter 5spd. Jonny U, you still haven't taught me anything I don't already know. Why don't you tell me about the law of marginally diminishing returns and realize you're only making yourself look more and more like a negatively centered individual who is stubborn and stuck to their ways and probably because of this, is struggling to grow or maintain your own business. Piss off or man up to my challenge. If you accept, within one year, I will have this truck built, and we'll go head to head, your choice of the road.

The project has begun, and will proceed as fast as a soon-to-be college graduate can make it happen. I mean, c'mon, I don't even have a garage or a job in a shop right now. I am doing and will continue doing whatever it takes to build this frankenstein and can only ask for your assistance in getting it off the ground.

As far as who I know and where I've worked, its an informal resume and the only credibility I have. Will they check if you wanted to hire me? Damn skippy. You question my school? Go look it up in Business week. I don't care. I'm not worried about it. Do you guys hear me questioning your credibility? no. Am I proclaiming to know how to do this? No. Am I begging for some assistance? HELL YES!

Jim, I'm currently in New Engalnd looking to move to the west coast, you know of any CORR Truck shops out here or anywhere for that matter, that would take a free intern? So far, you are the only person helping out here.

I understand the limitations of a truck on the street. But controlling lateral and longitudinal weight transfers is my focus here. The motor and drive line will be built around the suspension set up finally adopted.

As for everyone else, yes this project, being the first of its kind, will be extremely expensive. Consider that R&D that I pay myself. When I figure out what to put on in the first place, I'll post the results. When I try something else in its place, I let you all know where to put your money, should you decide to try it.

Now, does anyone have just one manufacturer that is well established in CORR Truck suspension or is it all custom fab?

As far as learning is concerned, I think it goes without saying that I still need some education. Unfortunately, I didn't grow up with a very mechanically inclined father and thus, I've only been able to experience the mechanics through working with my friends and the negligible amount of time at the dealership. Whats the biggest thing I've done under the hood? Swapped a 305 for a 350 into an 84 camaro. Whoop dee freakin do da.

SO please help me determine what is the best suspsension set up. I know I'm going CORR Style right now, and I'm going to start doing research on it, but any additional help or links I can get from this forum will be greatly appreciated.

Now if you're looking to invest in something or want to see my business plan, send me your email and I'll send you 20 plus pages I have prepared already.

 

[dirtraider]

As far as learning is concerned, I think it goes without saying that I still need some education. Unfortunately, I didn't grow up with a very mechanically inclined father and thus, I've only been able to experience the mechanics through working with my friends and the negligible amount of time at the dealership. Whats the biggest thing I've done under the hood? Swapped a 305 for a 350 into an 84 camaro. Whoop dee freakin do da.

Wheres the fucking cliff notes on that i'm not reading all that shit...

And poor baby about the mechanic skills, thats what you get for going to a school in a town named "Babson Park" (....i know kids who go there so i can't talk to much lol)

People will start caring about what you say when you do it, not how many pages of text you have about it....so go build some shit come back and we'll see how you did

 

[hitech_hick]

Wheres the f**king cliff notes on that i'm not reading all that s**t...

And poor baby about the mechanic skills, thats what you get for going to a school in a town named "Babson Park" (....i know kids who go there so i can't talk to much lol)

People will start caring about what you say when you do it, not how many pages of text you have about it....so go build some s**t come back and we'll see how you did

You might want to edit your post and clean up your language a little bit.



hick

 

[rider68642]

Wheres the fucking cliff notes on that i'm not reading all that shit...

Its in bold and italics.... genius.

 

[dirtraider]

You might want to edit your post and clean up your language a little bit.

hick

Thanks mom.

If people were that worried about it here they'd have it blocked....sorry if my use of "adult" language offends you in an "adult" conversation

Its in bold and italics.... genius.

Sorry reading the novel you wrote before that distracted me, we're techincally minded here, we don't like to read anymore than we have to.

 

[JohnnyU]

As far as my truck is concerned, Jonny U, I know I need people to help me with this. SO, where did I come? To the ranger website with the best technical forums I've ever found for a range of vehicles. Theres a lot of great info here, and believe me, I've read everything I can that is pertinent to my bone stock '01 Ford Ranger XL Short Bed 2wd 2.3 liter 5spd. Jonny U, you still haven't taught me anything I don't already know. Why don't you tell me about the law of marginally diminishing returns and realize you're only making yourself look more and more like a negatively centered individual who is stubborn and stuck to their ways and probably because of this, is struggling to grow or maintain your own business. Piss off or man up to my challenge. If you accept, within one year, I will have this truck built, and we'll go head to head, your choice of the road.

First off, My name has an H in it, get it right.

Secondly, I'll be waiting for your challenge. It will go down on November 14, 2008. Not one day later. I choose the challenge?


JoHnnyU out.

EDIT: I wish you the best of luck in your endeavour.

 

[projectnitemare]

I will add to this I guess. In your best interest...do you think you can make the thing street legal? If not then you are kind of wasting your time, especially if you want to sell them. Being a custom vehicle you probably won't sell many especially with the price tag you will need to make any profit. The reason nobody can answer your question would be you are asking that either nobody has an interest in doing, you are the first to consider it or there is a better vehicle to start with. Being that you have zero engineering background you have a lot of things working against you. Unless you can understand how to fabricate, draft, do analysis, figure spring rates and shock valving and so on. I'm all about people building a dream vehicle; I'm still working on mine. I too have aspirations of opening my own garage/off road shop; it may never happen. I wouldn't go bash everyone if you are asking for help; not a good way to get friends. As far as Rangers go; this place is probably the best place to look if you have questions. There are a lot of helpful and knowledge that hang out here.

Matt

 

[metalmacguyver]

wow, i think this thread might be worthy of the pirate bulletin board.

that was a long freaking post. but i managed to read it all.

i know that i wont be able to really help you with this so much from a technical aspect because i am interested in rock crawling. i can however try to help you learn how to get the info that you are looking for.

to move forward, just start ignoring anything that is not related to your topic. stop talking about business theory and shit. i as a mechanical engineering student couldnt care less about that stuff.

lets start getting some specifics on this project.

i start for ya---- it will be based on a 2WD extended cab.

good luck!