350 in a ranger

[02 ranger]

well guys i am planning on turning my ranger into a project truck after i get done with school and get a full time job. me and my friend have some ideas floating around about have a 10-11 second drag ranger. we where thinking of doing a 350 putting out about 450-500 hp to the crank, sent thru a turbo 400 (if i get a badass job a Lenco will defeinatily make its way in!), with a shortened 12 bolt in the back. My truck is currently an 02 ranger 4x4 4 door. i am just currious as too how much i would have too do to get the 350 stuffed in their. and yes it would be a dedicated drag truck so no a/c, heater, tranny cooler relocation, maybe ditch the 4x4.
thanks a bunch!

 

[kryptonitecb]

You'd spend a lot less time if you put a 302 in. Its a straight engine swap, and if you don't go crazy you can keep your stock tranny. However if you want a 10 sec truck your going to need a better transmission.

A 4.8L will give you more power but you'll need to do some extra fab work.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[02 ranger]

yeah but i am very biased towards the 350 because of all the after market back up it has and they are stupid easy to build. and i can tell you have never heard of a lenco tranny. pretty much the only standard that can out-shift an automatic. and i dont wanna do a 4.8 because i dont want to have to deal with electronics and sensors etc.

 

[Teddyzee]

You'd spend a lot less time if you put a 302 in. Its a straight engine swap, and if you don't go crazy you can keep your stock tranny.

Negatory to the transmission.

 

[kryptonitecb]

You need to do some research on EFI, cause the ease and reliability will out do a carb any day. 350's do have a better following considering its been around for so long. However if you are over looking a 400 base hp LS1 cause you like a 350's carb then you will have a hard time getting it to be a 10 sec truck.

And again your also over looking the power you will get from a dohc 4.8L. How much can you do to a pushrod engine compared to a dohc?

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[kryptonitecb]

Back to your op, you'll need custom engine mounts, tranny mounts, driveshafts, axle mounts, electronics, and this all assumes it can fit without having to cut up the body. And you'll need to box the frame and add a ton of bracing.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[kryptonitecb]

Negatory to the transmission.

True to a point, I neglected to say this depends on if he has a 4.0 or not.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[02 ranger]

You need to do some research on EFI, cause the ease and reliability will out do a carb any day. 350's do have a better following considering its been around for so long. However if you are over looking a 400 base hp LS1 cause you like a 350's carb then you will have a hard time getting it to be a 10 sec truck.

And again your also over looking the power you will get from a dohc 4.8L. How much can you do to a pushrod engine compared to a dohc?

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

i know efi pretty well and this is just going to be a little project truck. efi is amazing for many reasons such as more power with less displacement, more efficent, etc. i wouldnt mind a chevy 4.8 cause i know they love boost and rpms but its "easier" just to do a 350.
trust me i know my stuff i have just had the idea of a 350 ranger floating around for a while and now all i have to do is order parts and do A LOT of labor.

 

[02 ranger]

True to a point, I neglected to say this depends on if he has a 4.0 or not.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

yup i have the 4.0.

 

[snoranger]

If you're really set on the 350... make it a 383. The extra cubes will go a long way toward making your power goals.

Ditch the 4x4. Its going to add too much weight. Your truck prob weighs about 4000lbs right now.

Forget about the Lenco. You dont need it at the HP levels your talking about. A built TH400 or a 'Glide would be fine.


I would estimate 450-500hp in a 4000lb truck, depending on gears, tires, launch RPM, converter stall, etc... maybe mid 11s.

A word of advice:

Traction, Traction, Traction.... You can make all the power in the world, if you cant get it to the ground its useless.
Get rid of the leaf springs. Ladder bars will work fine for your target ET, a 4 link would get you more adjustablity to match track conditions, but not needed.

 

[02 ranger]

If you're really set on the 350... make it a 383. The extra cubes will go a long way toward making your power goals.

Ditch the 4x4. Its going to add too much weight. Your truck prob weighs about 4000lbs right now.

Forget about the Lenco. You dont need it at the HP levels your talking about. A built TH400 or a 'Glide would be fine.


I would estimate 450-500hp in a 4000lb truck, depending on gears, tires, launch RPM, converter stall, etc... maybe mid 11s.

A word of advice:

Traction, Traction, Traction.... You can make all the power in the world, if you cant get it to the ground its useless.
Get rid of the leaf springs. Ladder bars will work fine for your target ET, a 4 link would get you more adjustablity to match track conditions, but not needed.

oh yeah a stroker will def. be a first upgrade, along with cast internals, cam, lifters, pushrods, roller rockers, valves, heads, etc. i think i am going to ditch 4x4 but how would i set up the front suspension? any ideas are greatly appreciated! and i know the lenco would be overkill i just thought i would go ahead and get one since i could just pull it and put it in something more suitable than a ranger. i was thinking about doing some work to the bed to fit a wider tires.. of coarse slicks. 4 link is a definate.
thanks man!

 

[baddad457]

yeah but i am very biased towards the 350 because of all the after market back up it has and they are stupid easy to build. and i can tell you have never heard of a lenco tranny. pretty much the only standard that can out-shift an automatic. and i dont wanna do a 4.8 because i dont want to have to deal with electronics and sensors etc.

 

[RoidedRanger]

cannot believe yall are condoning putting a chevy motor in a ford truck. there is far too much of that kind of shananagans going on as it is.

IMO a 351W stroker to 408 with some decent aftermarket heads (AFR and TRICKFLOW make some badass heads for SBF), hydraulic roller valve train, conservative compression (for pump gas), and a good carb or EFI. C4, C6, or a PG conversion would be my tranny choice. youd hav a screamin truck thats not a disgrace to the bluw oval community.

 

[snoranger]

oh yeah a stroker will def. be a first upgrade, along with forged internals, cam, lifters, pushrods, roller rockers, valves, heads, etc. i think i am going to ditch 4x4 but how would i set up the front suspension? any ideas are greatly appreciated! and i know the lenco would be overkill i just thought i would go ahead and get one since i could just pull it and put it in something more suitable than a ranger. i was thinking about doing some work to the bed to fit a wider tires.. of coarse slicks. 4 link is a definate.
thanks man!

For the front suspension, I'd start with a 2wd not a 4x4.

You can fit about a 13" wide tire between the frame and body on a Ranger. You just need to get rid of the springs (ladder bars/ coil overs would be my suggestion.) and cut the inner wheel wells on the bed.

Min of a 6 point roll bar for your safety, Id go with a 10/12 pnt to stiffen the chassis. Box part of the rear frame, all the way back to the rear most suspension mounting point (anything behind that is just along for the ride).

In case youre wondering, I worked in a chassis shop for a few years. I've built quite a few chassis'. Ralph's truck being one of them. We built everything from the firewall back.

1/4 mile.... 8.25 @ 161MPH:

 

[projectnitemare]

You are trying to mix too much crap together is the best place to start. 350 into a ranger, its been done but you aren't going to find much help because its not a common swap no matter how common and cheap the parts are. Anymore to be honest once you pass 450hp or so its just as much to build a 350 chevy as it is to build a 351 ford. You could try to see if V8 s-10 mounts might work but there is a good chance you wil be fabbing your own. The turbo 400 is a good choice though. A lenco is total overkill for the power and e.t you are looking at...come on there are factory cars getting in to high 11s with a few simple bolt ons. As far at the you can be pretty much sure you will be ditching it to get the times you want with 500hp. With that you may as well start with a different 2wd truck. No need for a 12 bolt, the 8.8 that's in there is just as strong. As with any drag truck you are going to need major frame modification so you can get wide tires umder it .

Matt