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


deathbypsi

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Well looks like Im jumping into another Ranger build which puts me at 3 in the last two years! People calling me insane now.

My 88 2.3 turbo drag truck is finished and getting beat weekly...


And my 83 5.0 Truggy is getting its finishing touches in the next few weeks..


Soooo why not start the next one! My buddy had this 88 longbed he got out west and was restoring it when he decided to move and part ways with it. I couldnt see it getting parted out or scrapped so my girlfriend Lisa and I snatched it up! My plan is to rebuild it for a nice cruiser for Lisa.She will take part in designing it with me and she will be turning wrenches with me as well.

Here is the day we brought it home..






Chassis was finished by my buddy before he stopped working on it. Every steering,braking,suspension part is brand new.Has a NOS manual steering box,2" drop coils,new leafs,shackles,hangers {flipped},rebuilt 7.5 with posi and 3.73{I built it for him two years ago},frame was blasted and painted in POR15.
Body is rust free and only has some dents in bed to work out.

Plans are to install a Explorer 5.0 I have with aluminum heads,built AOD,17" wheels of her choice,86 mustang dash swap,buckets,custom interior,MegaSquirt efi and right now she wants to paint it some combination of white and orange........I myself picture it a Highland green with all the chrome restored.
 
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bobbywalter

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My credo
it is easier to fix and understand than "her"
awesome!

keep that woman too.:D
 

RangerSVT

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Kool project, in for the build...

SVT
 

xN07xH311x

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Sascriba-dibed! Can't wait to see how it comes out! The highland green and chrome sounds nice
 

jhammel85

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Well, you might just be king of the first gens! Both are awesome so I'm sure this one will be too
 

deathbypsi

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After finishing the white one there are a few things I would have done differently now. So this is my chance.

I wish I would not have kept my rear bumper so this one is getting a roll pan.

I hate the stock first gen dashes and I did the best I could with the white truck so Im going to do the early Foxbody dash swap into this one. Never seen it done before.

I think this one will get power windows.

Wish I would have moved my tailgate handle to inside of bed so Im doing that as well.


I really hope I can talk her into the Highland green. IM not a green color guy but for some reason I just picture this truck that color with all new chrome everything {grill,bumper,window trim,wheel lip moldings,handles..} and I really like some 03-04 Mach1 17" Magnums on it.
 

RangerSVT

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I was actually doing a foxbody dash (87-93) into an 83 ranger lowrider, center console and all, back in 2002. Had to abandon the build and sell it off. Its gonna look good!

SVT
 

XLTsplash

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It looks like a nice project. I would go with the white and orange so your girl friend will feel the truck is for her and she's getting it done the way she wants it. It's cool that she want you to fix up a Ranger for her.
 

deathbypsi

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I was actually doing a foxbody dash (87-93) into an 83 ranger lowrider, center console and all, back in 2002.

SVT
Happen to have any pix of that? How did it fit along the base of the glass and width wise?
 

86 Ranger 5.0

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The first two are awesome.
 

deathbypsi

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Well sadly some plans have changed around here and this truck is now up for sale as is.

My woman and I decided instead of building a 3rd Ranger ,plus the 84 Capri{getting a Coyote swap} waiting out back, that after my Truggy is road worthy it would be in our best interest to build a huge barn before I start another car/truck builds. Im just out of room to store these finished projects inside and they are taking up my workable shop space.

Soo ,I havent gotten around to listing it for sale anywhere yet but it will be posted as soon as I can dig it out of the snow and get some more pics of it.It will be priced to sell very cheap as long as somebody will take advantage of a really clean first gen and finish it.
 

deathbypsi

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So with a heavy heart I close the chapter on my favorite build to date and begin a new journey into uncharted territory...




So I present DeathRanger V2.0





Thankfully this truck never sold and due to recent events Im now taking this truck and building my new drag truck from it. There are still many good parts that are reusable on the white truck so it only makes sense to me.

Now for the part where people will say Im stupid,dont know what im doing,aint smart enough, dont have enough money or will just laugh to themselves...

Im building this truck to run in the 9s. As far as I know the only 4 banger Ranger to run single digits was a carbon fiber,tube chassis,ex-Pro Stock Truck. I plan to do it in full True Street legal trim and make at least 600rwhp.That is my goal and Im not letting anything stop me this time.It will take all of next year to build this so Im shooting for a spring of 17 finish date.

Done laughing yet?

Here is the list of planned changes.
Im putting a spool and 4.10s in my 8.8 and swithing to a 28x10.5 ET Street.
Converting to E85.10pt cage.Real seats and harness.Carbon fiber body parts.Stretching the cab,shortening the bed.
The motor will be a filled block,o-ringed,my current rotating assembly consisting of a stock crank,Childs & Albert rods and JE pistons. My Esslinger Dport is getting worked over for a min of 250cfm. A Schneider custom solid roller cam and wide pulleys and belt. I will have a sheet metal intake and a custom header made. Im using a PT 6266 turbo and a Treadstone front mount. I will reuse my Pimp and my c4 trans but I have a Quick time bell and a Reactor flexplate to be SFI compliant.

Im getting lots of help on this build.My friend Dennis is going to be in charge of body mods and paint.My friend Bill in charge of molds for carbon fiber hood and bumper.Don Summerton at Accelerated Performance in Toledo Ohio will be my dyno tuner of choice.Hoping to have SVOjohn build the intake.Tim Ottinger handle head work.And a local friend will build the header.

I look forward to hearing everyones opinions,criticisms and encouragement!
 

deathbypsi

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As far as the chassis goes it will get all the white trucks left overs but with many upgrades.Keeping my 8.8 but throwing the Auburn in trash and putting a spool and 9" ends on.Same Caltracs and Strange 10 ways but I will get Calvert Racings leaf springs.A 10pt cage will be installed and front suspension will get Strange adjustable shocks as well.

Target race weight is 3000.White truck was 3225.These are with my 300lb butt in the seat. Im not putting nitrous back on,using aluminum seats, no radio stuff,no HVAC system and carbon fiber hood and front bumper. With these reductions I hope to still come in lighter than the old truck even with a cage.


Here is first pile of parts for new build.




 

deathbypsi

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Turbo showed up. Went with my tuners recommendation
and got a PT6266. Its a non ball bearing turbo with 62mm .70ar compressor and I optioned it with a .82ar Vband turbine housing. I fought lots of issues with blown gaskets on my headers in the past due to nuts coming loose,studs backing out,studs breaking,etc...Sooo, the Vband collector looked to be the best way to go since I will be building a new header from scratch anyway.




 

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