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Ian's 5.0L Ranger build


idmx302

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Riverview, MI
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
5.0L 302ci
Transmission
Manual
First post will be edited all the time so I can keep track of mods.

1993 Ford Ranger XLT - Gold with tan interior

Engine & Drivetrain

Carbureted 1998 Explorer 5.0
T-5 5 speed manual
8.8" with 4.10 gears and limited slip (Ranger R7 from a 2000 3.0L 4x4)
GT40 cylinder heads from a 93-95 Cobra (F3ZE casting)
Ford Racing E303 camshaft
Edelbrock Performer intake
A shitbird Edelbrock carburetor

Exhaust

Scott Drake Tri-Y long tube headers
Old glasspack mufflers dumped under the cab, completely independant of eachother. (2.5" H-pipe soon)

Suspension - Currently a 0/4 drop

Axle flipped 8.8 for 4" rear drop
Shackles have new hardware for easy flip, but axle + shackle flip needs a c-notch.

Wheels & Tires

Stock 14" aluminum wheels with dry rotted tires (burnout spares)
Stock 15" steelies dipped black (burnout spares/rollers)
2003 Terminator Cobra wheels - Nitto NT555 245/45R17 front, Nitto NT05 275/40R17 rear
*Needs front tires and 1" wheel spacers*

Interior

Lincoln Mark VII? black vinyl seats
Giant Autometer dash mounted tachometer

Audio

Aftermarket 6x8s (not sure on brand, I just know they're not stock)
Old Sony xPlod head unit
Rockford Fosgate P3 Shallow mount 12" subwoofer
Rockford Fosgate Punch P200-2 amp
 


idmx302

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Riverview, MI
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
5.0L 302ci
Transmission
Manual
Now that all that is out of the way, here's the story of the Ranger.

I purchased my truck on October 9th, 2012 from a guy in Toledo, Ohio. The truck is a 1993 Ford Ranger XLT single cab. The truck was originally a 2.3L 5spd, but the previous owner swapped in a 5.0L out of an early to mid-80s F150 or Crown Vic/Grand Marquis. He also swapped in a T-5 5spd manual out of a Mustang. After he finished the swap, he was no longer able to drive due to medical conditions. It sat in a back yard for close to 9 months before I got it. It's a Florida truck, so there is no rust in the wheel wells or rocker panels. There is one patch of rust a bit larger than a quarter under the rear window on the driver's side.

Here are a few pictures from the day I bought the truck. The second one is next to my dad's 95 5.0 swapped Ranger that he had for a few months. Like father like son.










The day after I bought it I was called by my dad's friend who owns the local towing and mechanic shop saying he was taking a 95 Ranger to the scrapyard per request of the owner, and that I could snag some parts off of it if I wanted to. I took the grill and the RH headlight assembly.

Swapped my cracked 93 grille for the 95.





I also took off the bed cap and sold it a week later, which I kind of regret now. It would definitely be useful for roadtrips and such.



After 3 months of daily driving, motor went boom. Looked around on CL for about a month after I decided not to rebuild it for another engine. A 98 Explorer motor popped up and I jumped on it for $500. Already had an E303 cam in it. It also came with GT40P heads, which I sold for $250 a week later. The same day I bought the engine I visited the local cylinder head shop and Greg, the owner, just happened to have a set of F3ZE three bar GT40 heads from a Cobra sitting in his shop. I bought the heads and had Greg rebuild them fresh. Had a local shop swap motors for me since I didn't have time to do it myself working 50 to 70 hours a week without anything to drive. HUGE MISTAKE letting that particular shop do the swap.







New motor swapped in, block painted Ford blue. Looks the same as the old one because a majority of the parts were reused in the new one.




Broke my shift linkage not too long after putting in the new engine and didn't fix it for a few months after breaking it. Literally shifted with this for like three months.



Cleaned her up a bit and my dad gave me his stock 14" aluminum wheels that came off of his 95.



Pretty bad hack job to cut off the tailpipes, but it worked.



Bought some Scott Drake Tri-Y long tube headers directly from the Canton, MI National Parts Depot Warehouse. That was a fun 10 hour project with a coworker at his shop. We had a lift too. Had to notch the frame (welded it back afterward), heated and bent the passenger side header to fit, had to move the transmission over during installation to clear the bell housing, just not a fun swap. And I forgot to cut the flange at the heads so it still won't seal up correctly. The trans will have to come out soon for a clutch and shifter swap, so the headers will have to come loose and that's when I'll cut them.



After swapping in the headers and plugging the spark plug wires on the distributor, we realized that the shop who did the swap had the wrong firing order on the distributor, causing the truck to run on four cylinders. It was much quicker than the old engine, so I thought nothing of it. The drive home from my coworker's shop was pretty awesome. First time it saw 100+ on the freeway.



After that burnout^, I switched back to the 15" chrome steelies and plastidipped them black. Also did the grille. A week later I used VHT Niteshades to tint the tail lights and the corners. The same day I swapped in the new headlight I picked up from Ron the day after getting the truck.










A month later I had the shackles flipped by Ron's shop. Before and after.





Picked up a set of 17" Bullitt wheels, 1.25" wheel spacers, and very good tread Pirelli P Zero Nero tires (235/55R17). Stock 2006 GT take offs.





Got some valvetrain rattles and parked it in July 2013. I haven't driven it since. In June 2013 I bought a 2000 5.0 Explorer XLT for a winter daily driver and it turned into my all year daily driver after the Ranger was put away.





Recently bought a set of 2003 Terminator Cobra wheels from a friend after he bought new wheels for his Cobra. No front tires, but the rear tires are Nitto NT05s, 275/40R17. I plan to buy some Nitto NT555 tires for the front wheels, 245/45R17, which are 1" shorter than the rears for a bit of a raked look.






The Bullitts that I had on the truck were sold to a friend at work. They're now on his 98 Mercury Grand Marquis. Since I don't have front tires, I had to resort to my 15" plastidipped steelies for the front and since one of the four was flat from sitting for so long, I decided to put the Cobra wheels on the back to roll it back up the driveway, so I thought.







The rear studs on the axle were so stripped that I couldn't put a wheel on it. So instead of spending money replacing studs on a 7.5" axle that I was going to junk anyway, I went 8.8 hunting with a friend. Found a 28 spline Ranger R7 code axle, which is an 8.8 with limited slip and 4.10 gears. I'm going to take it to a friend of my dad's for a fresh rebuild after I do a Mustang GT rear disc conversion. The day before the axle swap I bought a DJM 3/4 lowering kit, which consists of DJM Dream Beams for 3", DJM lowering springs for 2", Gabriel lowering shocks, and a DJM axle flip kit. All for $200 on Craigslist. I got a great deal. Good for a 5/4 drop, 5/6 drop if I C-notch the frame and flip the shackles around again.



Donor 3.0L 2000 4x4 we pulled the 8.8 from.





Did the 8.8 swap in a few hours with Matt and decided to turn the rear shackles back to stock and install the axle flip kit when the new axle went in. And I put the Cobra wheels back on.









Now because the front is not yet lowered the 5", the driveshaft cannot be hooked to the rear end because it seems too long. With the front raised, the rear end comes closer to the transmission. I shouldn't have to have it shortened, but after the front is lowered, the driveshaft will be shortened if need be. It was just put in to roll back up into the driveway.

I'll be ordering more parts soon and hopefully she'll be running again. I miss driving it.
 

idmx302

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Location
Riverview, MI
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
5.0L 302ci
Transmission
Manual
05 OEM tail lights should be here tomorrow.

Sent from my S3 because I LOVE LAMP.
 

ATX

11/2014 MTOTM Winner
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Austin tx
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1994
Make / Model
Ford
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5.0
Transmission
Automatic
My credo
Built not bought
Bump for some update . See you rock the hoonigan also
My 87 rx7



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

idmx302

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Joined
Oct 15, 2012
Messages
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Location
Riverview, MI
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
5.0L 302ci
Transmission
Manual
Couple updates. 5/4 dropped with new lifters, Ford Racing B351 1.6 RRs. Painted intake too.







 

Z3CHYD

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V8 Engine Swap
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2.3 (4 Cylinder)
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2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Drop
3 front 5 rear
Tire Size
225/60R15
any updates on this thing?
 

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