1994 Ranger Resurection

[fiftyfordfloored]

It started with a call from my buddy who worked at a service station... he said "I have this black extended cab 4x4 ranger over here that the owner left the title with the owner to cover a bill, blown A4LD and he doesn't wanna fix it. Said it's too old to put a trans in this piece of junk." I said how much... $500. I'll be right there.

So I enlisted the help of another buddy to tow it out of there before anyone could think twice. Wouldn't you know that old piece of junk was a mostly rust free '94 with a 4.0 and factory 3.73 LS gears. Ran okay too. Got it back and started tearing it apart...

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

Decided the engine could use a refresh after all the exhaust bolts snapped in the heads, and whats a few more bolts to pop her out with nothing attached to it. What came out was the most grease covered hunk of rusty crap I've ever pulled. No one ever took care of her, Note the fram filter...

 

[adsm08]

Yup, a Fram filter is usually a sign of abuse. I have seen rustier engines though.

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

Well life got in the way after I finished rebuilding the trans. Parents lost their house despite everything I could do, and my father died... so fast forward two years after getting everything handled and the project back on track...

Honed the block, new pistons, rings, bearings HV melling pump, timing set and tensioner, 95TM heads, 410 cam and Smith Bros pushrods, BBK 66mm TB, new injectors, all new sensors... the works. Built it in between the rain storms. I'd give my left nut to have a garage at this point.

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

Couple more engine pictures since my camera on my phone is a hunk of crap. Forgot to mention new rocker arms. Also have long tubes, high flow cat and dynomax exhaust lined up for it (non-EGR, sweeet). New motor and trans mounts, and I'm replacing every last part of the air conditioning system. Need to replace all the brake lines, rad support mounts, want to upgrade to the '97 front brakes as well.

Looking into lifting it with +1.5-2 coils up front, block delete and explorer springs out back with lift shackles.

 

[adsm08]

I hope you used the 95+ pistons with those heads. If not you bumped compression.

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

I hope you used the 95+ pistons with those heads. If not you bumped compression.

You best believe compression bump was the goal. That and also the better exhaust port design of the 95TMs.

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

Getting ready to drop her in...

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

Got a chance to work on her Sunday. Now the real fun can begin... Transmission on deck.

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

Reunited at last. She's starting to look less like a shell and more like a truck.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Sure looks nice, that looks like a good one to keep on the road.

Sorry to hear about your dad.