Ranger #3 build....think Im goin nutz!

[deathbypsi]

Took the Reactor plate and had to open up the center hole a touch to get the right fit over the crank and we drilled it out to match my 7/16 bolts and the 3/8 dowel pin.


Got my Treadstone front mount and some of their cast elbows. I plan to cut off the straight ends on the tanks and weld on the 90s once I figure out what final orientation will work best. This will fit the core support better and Id rather have a aluminum 90 over silicone 90s.


Front shocks and new body bushing kit came in.



Got the original bed off the chassis and Im ready to start pulling everything off the to get down to the bare rails in prep for the new ladder bar suspension. Shame to rip all this brand new stuff off! Even the 7.5 is all brand new drum to drum.

 

[RockRanger]

Sweet build. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

 

[deathbypsi]

Got another update from Tim on my head. He started porting on the intake runners now.


I also got an update from Dennis on the bed body work. Stake pockets are welded up and rear corner where it tagged the wall is now fixed.




Here is the before pic again..

 

[deathbypsi]

I also had a friend give me a heads up on a brand new HO Fibertrends hood for sale in southern Ohio and I jumped all over it and drove 450 miles round trip the next morning to go get it.
I was confused because HO Fibertrends dont show a Ranger hood on their site. Story I was given was the guy I got hood from knows the owner of HO and asked if they still had the molds to the Ranger hoods they made years ago and if they could pop one out just for him, and they did. He never used the hood and decided to abandon his Ranger project.
This hood is built so much better than the Cincinnati Composites junk I have on my other Ranger!

 

[Shoddy Cologne]

Thats a sweet hood. How much did he want for it?

Sent from the wrong side of town using Tapatalk

 

[deathbypsi]

$275

....and he threw in a long bed flush mount tuxedo cover.

 

[Shoddy Cologne]

Rad. Not a bad deal.

Sent from the wrong side of town using Tapatalk

 

[deathbypsi]

Going to be a big week here...

I should finally have my fourth wheel from Centerline after a 4 month back order.

Pistons should be here by weeks end.

I got most of my ladder bar kit from S&W minus the bars that are still at the powder coaters


A couple weeks ago I was rethinking my cooling system and had two issues I wanted to address.
First was tryin to convert all my hoses over AN fittings so there would be minimal chance of a future water down due to a hose/clamp failure.
I also need a better way to plumb the ECT since my intake doesn't flow water. I had a rubber loop between t-stat housing and water pump last year but it looked like crap and used 4 to many worm clamps to make me feel safe.

So I came up with this setup. Im using a billet Speedway Motors t-stat housing which has no by pass fitting.I then found a company that makes inline T-stat housings in many designs that use SBC tstats. They made me one with a 3/8npt fitting for a -6 bypass back to the pump and a 1/2npt for the ECT. I will use heavy duty rubber hose and T-bolt clamps. There isn't enough room between motor and rad to plumb it with all AN fittings.

 

[deathbypsi]

Getting everything stripped off the frame in prep for the new suspension now.
Look at all the room for activities now!!



The Diamond pistons showed up 6 days early and they even refunded me $40 for over charging me on something I didnt even catch. Great company to deal with!






Block is being machined today and will be ready for assembly tomorrow. Just waiting on an order from Race Engineering then the shortblock should be done by the end of the weekend.

 

[deathbypsi]

Little update..

Got a teaser pic from Tim on the intake.


My builder mocked up the motor and had to put the correct hone finish on the bores.

 

[deathbypsi]

Next problem was the oil pan didn't fit over the studs and the oil pick up had no brace on it.

So first the straps were machined down so the nuts would sit lower and allow us to trim the studs off shorter. We also switched to 12pts on the rear cap which gave us the room we needed.


Then we had to clearance the oil pump for the big end of the rod.

Then the oil pick up was braced.



Then a few creative mods to the pan and all fits!

 

[deathbypsi]

Well since the Ranger build is stalling out while I wait on my outside to work to get caught up I decided to throw together a little something to play with to keep me from going crazy from boredom.

http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?39536-My-GTbird-build

Build thread on that site if you care to check it out.

 

[deathbypsi]

Looks like Dennis almost has the bed finished up now. He added the steel rollpan, shaved the stake pockets and fuel door. Hard to believe this thing bounced off a wall at 120mph!





Also got a peek at the beginning of my header.

 

[deathbypsi]

 

[deathbypsi]

So here is the preview.



So the plan is this weekend I will be picking the bed up from shop and Dennis will come to my place and do a quick prep and shoot on the rear of the cab from the back glass down. Once that's done I can bolt all the body down to the frame and start on making it a rolling chassis.