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1987 Ranger 306 Project Build


Range98

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Location
Pennsylvania
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
306 with a bunch of mods
Transmission
Automatic
Alright got some more done the past two days. I tried wrapping my headers myself and couldn't figure out a good technique for it. I handed them over to my brother who did a great job for me.



Last pic has the wrap sealer spray on it in black.

Threw on a mini high torque starter as well. Did some things I forgot to take pics of and will post tomorrow. Ran my fuel lines and plumbed my oil relocation kit.
 


bronco2fan

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Location
Copperas Cove, TX.
Vehicle Year
1984
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.8 V6
Engine Size
2.8
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
3 inch body lift
Tire Size
33
Looks really good, coming along nicely. Good wrap job too, oughta help keep it cooler for sure. Hope you get it in and fired up soon.
 

Range98

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Location
Pennsylvania
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
306 with a bunch of mods
Transmission
Automatic
Well exciting day! Other header was finished and exhaust was built. Credit to my brothers for that.

Got that installed and rest of the exhaust that I need to take pics. Hooked up a ton of miscellaneous things and got to hear her fire for the first time. Here's a untuned and fairly untimed idle. Enjoy !!
https://vimeo.com/175161115
Somewhere in the engine transplant my fuel pump stopped working so I ordered a simpler in line fuel pump. Also need to figure out a driveshaft.


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bronco2fan

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Location
Copperas Cove, TX.
Vehicle Year
1984
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.8 V6
Engine Size
2.8
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
3 inch body lift
Tire Size
33
Sounds good for the few seconds it was running. You've come a long way with her. Nice to have help when you need it eh. Make sure you thank your brothers properly, :beer:. Good job all in all.
 

Range98

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1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
306 with a bunch of mods
Transmission
Automatic
Well a couple updates. Got my fuel pump mounted. Went with a holly mighty mite. It's simple, quiet, and best of all cheap! I love it so far. Also listen to this stupidity... The truck sounded like it had a terrible exhaust leak and I couldn't figure it out the headers didn't leak and the exhaust didn't leak anywhere. Well somehow I forgot to plug the smog pump ports in the back of the heads... So I had two wide open exhaust leaks. Getting plugs tomorrow so maybe I can finally get this thing running and sounding right. Will post pics of all the things I've skipped over. My serpentine system included. Sorry I'm slacking on pics lately guys.


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adamshadow2008

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Mississippi
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1991
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Ford
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2.3l
Transmission
Automatic
Love everything you have done with the truck. Let me know when you are ready to come do mine for me, okay?
 

Range98

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Pennsylvania
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1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
306 with a bunch of mods
Transmission
Automatic
Well here's some pics of the kinda custom serpentine system I created for my truck. Now the water pump, timing cover, and harmonic balancer were from an older ford but I also wanted to use explorer accessories. So here's what i did. Also side note I cut w section of the radiator cross member out to ease installation of the drivetrain.


I used the balancer, crank pulley, and water pump and pulley from a 90's f150. With those I grabbed explorer brackets and accessories. Used the idler pulleys and tensioner as well. Deleted the A/C condenser and measured for my new belt. Came out to 85 inches. Went to Napa and grabbed a 6 rib belt and it fit together pretty flawlessly. Now typically explorer brackets are bolted straight to the engine block to save space. The explorer timing cover is shorter and uses a shorter nosed water pump. I cut spacers and used longer bolts. Here's a top view. Alternator side.

Power steering pump side.

I'm running the 4.0 explorer rad and had to cut and slot the rad support to move the radiator up to clearance the water pump. Finally got everything fit. Radiator is currently out so I'll post pics of that mounted later on. Oil relocation is installed and here's how I ran it.



Now I'm slightly stuck. As I said before the truck had 3 inch body lift blocks on it when I bought it. I already removed the beds blocks. I was planning on lowering the cab but the transmission shifter is stopping me.

The linkage off the trans hooks hard towards the drivers side and will contact the tunnel all over when it drops. I don't think I can deny the tunnel enough with the engine and trans in. I was hoping I could either straighten out the linkage so it points straight up and not out. Or swap it out for a different one without dropping the pan. Once that's figured out I can drop the body so hopefully I figure it out soon.


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MagicMexican

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1996
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Manual
Thanks man! Yeah the whole brake package is off of a 2000 mustang. There's a really nice tech article explaining how to do. I basically followed that.


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I also did this last weekend, I haven't had a chance to really try them out, but I noticed my disks didn't sit quite centered on the lug bolts, I can't really tell from your pic but it looks like yours don't either. Is that normal, or are you planning to to try and make them 'concentric'?

Also, it looks like you mounted yours with the parking brake spring facing up. You can tell me if I'm wrong or maybe some models have it flipped, but isn't that supposed to go towards the bottom???

Otherwise, your build looks awesome, I really like the custom pain touches your are giving it. I will definitely keep an eye on your progress.
 

Range98

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Location
Pennsylvania
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
306 with a bunch of mods
Transmission
Automatic
I also did this last weekend, I haven't had a chance to really try them out, but I noticed my disks didn't sit quite centered on the lug bolts, I can't really tell from your pic but it looks like yours don't either. Is that normal, or are you planning to to try and make them 'concentric'?

Also, it looks like you mounted yours with the parking brake spring facing up. You can tell me if I'm wrong or maybe some models have it flipped, but isn't that supposed to go towards the bottom???

Otherwise, your build looks awesome, I really like the custom pain touches your are giving it. I will definitely keep an eye on your progress.


Thanks man appreciate it. Well the pics do make it look like that but when I got my wheels back on everything sat down and fit perfectly. I'm assuming yours will do the same. And funny story the one caliper I got didn't come with a parking brake spring. when the calipers are stock on a mustang the springs do face down. My original driver side caliper was missing the spring. My parking brake only uses the driver side caliper. So basically I just switched and flipped the driver and passenger side. That way I could attach my parking brake without trying to find a spring and attach it. That's a good eye though!

Since you also did the brake swap as well did you use a proportioning valve? I'm hooking mine up at the brake booster but didn't mention it in my thread yet. If you haven't used one I suggest you do or your rear brakes will have a tendency to lock up before your front brakes do. Just a tip! Good luck!


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bronco2fan

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U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
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Messages
414
Reaction score
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Points
18
Location
Copperas Cove, TX.
Vehicle Year
1984
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.8 V6
Engine Size
2.8
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
3 inch body lift
Tire Size
33
That all looks great. Can't even tell it's an older 302. Mix and match looks like the way to go. Awesome job on it all.

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Range98

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Pennsylvania
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
306 with a bunch of mods
Transmission
Automatic
Well finally back to being able to work on the ranger again. Had to take a break since I was away for school all year but now back working on it most days. Here's some progress. Finished my shifter linkage decided to just design and make a bracket so here's how it came out.

Pretty simple but it worked. To bolt it in I used a bolt and cut a small rubber hose into little sections to give a little bit of movement for smoother shifting. The bracket will sit in between the two washers in the center.



And here's it installed onto the shifter itself.



Also found some scorpion roller rockers for cheap so I scooped those and ordered the conversion kit to turn my pedestal mount rockers on the ford heads to stud mount. Should be installed this Tuesday.



Also took the lift blocks out completely so the truck is sitting as it should be now.
Glad to be back and I will be updating pretty often from here on till it's finished up [emoji1360][emoji1360]




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Last edited:

Range98

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Joined
Jan 25, 2012
Messages
120
Reaction score
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Points
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Location
Pennsylvania
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
306 with a bunch of mods
Transmission
Automatic
Installed my fuel pressure gauge today along with fabricating a throttle cable bracket. I'm just reusing the old 2.9 throttle cable just to keep it simple. Here's the bracket I designed.



Here's it in mocked up just for testing.



Painted the bracket and throttle cable black tonight final install tomorrow.



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Range98

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Joined
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Messages
120
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Points
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Location
Pennsylvania
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
306 with a bunch of mods
Transmission
Automatic
Throttle cable done and installed. Works like a charm.


Now I ordered a kit from crane cams to convert my pedestal mount rockers to stud mount fully adjustable rockers. Pretty nice kit little pricey but here it is.

And installed..


And finally rockers installed





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prymetime1

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Looking good broskie..Glad to see your back at it and moving along.
 

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