Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Tneff
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2014
- Messages
- 16
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- Vehicle Year
- 1998
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 5.0
- Transmission
- Automatic
1998 Ranger, with 5.0. has a 8.8 rear with 3.73's, c4 tranny. I bought it, to help cure my midlife crisis. It had some funky 20" wheels, and lo profile tires. That was the first thing to go, really like the stance with the new wheels and tires. Will be doing some exhaust work, different shifter and some interior work. She is a blast to drive, launch's hard and straight. The manual valve body tranny, took a little getting used to. This is my weekend toy, so no telling how pissed my wife will get.
After driving the truck around for a couple of weeks,and learning more about what was done right and wrong. Some changes are being made, and upgrades being done. The electric cooling fan system that was on it, was a joke. Ordered a new bigger fan, rewired it so it wasn't a complete rats nest. Last night, I finally got to install the temp controller that kicks on at 185 and off at 170. Got all the new gauges in, now to start installing them. Don't really care for the current shifter, so a new B&M Z gate, is waiting for it's date. New exhaust is also waiting to be put it, straight pipes get old real quick. As far as the mechanical aspects of the hooptie, all major systems work as they should. We did get the front end aligned, found out the passenger front spring was cut shorter than the drivers side. Therefore the alignment is slightly out on that side, not gonna play with adding spacers or such. A new set of springs will be put in, currently researching what springs I will use. Want to keep the current stance, will probably go with a custom set.
Spent a lot of time here on the forums looking at different builds, and what interior ideas that were used. Currently, I have a bench seat and no carpet. The bench seat, will find a new home at the dump. A set of buckets will take it's place, along with a custom dash to back of cab console that I am going to design. It will be made to work around the B&M shifter, and include the aftermarket gauges and a slurpee holder and such. The current headliner is good, so that will stay as it. The dash, is out of an explorer. There are several unused knobs/switches that the ranger did not have. Rear defrost/wiper etc. I am going to reuse as many as possible, for current needs. One, will be used for my electric overdrive instead of drilling a new hole in the dash. I also want to put in some minor accent lighting, in the cab. The rear bumper, is going bye bye as well and is being replaced by a custom steel roll pan.
If anyone has any extra ideas floating around, all input is greatly appreciated. This has become a fun toy, and a major attention getter around town here. I had considered getting rid of the 5.0 badges, but really like the second look it gets when folks walk by.
After driving the truck around for a couple of weeks,and learning more about what was done right and wrong. Some changes are being made, and upgrades being done. The electric cooling fan system that was on it, was a joke. Ordered a new bigger fan, rewired it so it wasn't a complete rats nest. Last night, I finally got to install the temp controller that kicks on at 185 and off at 170. Got all the new gauges in, now to start installing them. Don't really care for the current shifter, so a new B&M Z gate, is waiting for it's date. New exhaust is also waiting to be put it, straight pipes get old real quick. As far as the mechanical aspects of the hooptie, all major systems work as they should. We did get the front end aligned, found out the passenger front spring was cut shorter than the drivers side. Therefore the alignment is slightly out on that side, not gonna play with adding spacers or such. A new set of springs will be put in, currently researching what springs I will use. Want to keep the current stance, will probably go with a custom set.
Spent a lot of time here on the forums looking at different builds, and what interior ideas that were used. Currently, I have a bench seat and no carpet. The bench seat, will find a new home at the dump. A set of buckets will take it's place, along with a custom dash to back of cab console that I am going to design. It will be made to work around the B&M shifter, and include the aftermarket gauges and a slurpee holder and such. The current headliner is good, so that will stay as it. The dash, is out of an explorer. There are several unused knobs/switches that the ranger did not have. Rear defrost/wiper etc. I am going to reuse as many as possible, for current needs. One, will be used for my electric overdrive instead of drilling a new hole in the dash. I also want to put in some minor accent lighting, in the cab. The rear bumper, is going bye bye as well and is being replaced by a custom steel roll pan.
If anyone has any extra ideas floating around, all input is greatly appreciated. This has become a fun toy, and a major attention getter around town here. I had considered getting rid of the 5.0 badges, but really like the second look it gets when folks walk by.
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