1995 Ranger SHO

I decided to post this here as well. I know SHO motors very well but I'm still new to Rangers, so this forum will probably be more help than the SHO forum.

I picked up a B3000 with a screwed motor, ripped it out and trashed it. I've always wanted to put a SHO into a Ranger, and I could use a parts hauler. The rest of the truck is in very decent shape, interior is great, just needs a new motor.

It's 2WD, 5 speed, completely stock. I'd like to keep it looking stock for now, no lifts or lowering in the plans.

I've got a 3.2 and a 3.0 SHO motor, either could go in. I'm leaning towards the 3.0 because this is not my project car (my SHO is) and it doesn't need a ton of power. It's still going to be heaps more than the Vulcan ever had. I do prefer the single accessory belt that the 3.2 has though, so we'll see.

I've already got all the clutch/flywheel problems sorted out from my other car (RWD Taurus).

The main issue I can see right now is that the SHO heads hang over the rear of the block about 3-4 inches, due to the DOHC and the timing chains. The Vulcan is pretty much flush, and there's not 3-4 inches of room between the Vulcan and the firewall. Width, height, and length all seem to be fine, I'd just like the engine to be shifted forward 2-4 inches. Can I just move the tranny crossmember forward 2-4 inches, lengthen driveshaft, bend shifter a bit more, and be done with it? Does anyone have a different solution?

As for lengthening the driveshaft, is there another vehicle I can get one from? I remember when I was figuring out what I needed for my Taurus, I found a chart listing lengths, and a Mark VIII shaft was perfect. I think I've read something about an 8.8 Explorer swap needing a 1.5" shorter driveshaft, if I move the crossmember/tranny that far forward and swap to Explorer rear, I should be good, right? Being able to use the Mark VIII shaft or a P71 shaft would be nice.

Here's some pics of a spare SHO block bolted to the tranny. There's TONS of room in front of the motor, the SHO engine is actually shorter than the Vulcan, it has a much more compact accessory setup. I'll be going with an electric fan on the rad (what works well?). No AC on this truck, not needed up in Canada.

Any thoughts or insights would be great. Thanks!

Cool project!

firebat45 said:

Can I just move the tranny crossmember forward 2-4 inches, lengthen driveshaft, bend shifter a bit more, and be done with it? Does anyone have a different solution?

Click to expand...

That sounds like the easiest way to me.

As for the driveshaft, I would just lengthen the one you have now.

Very cool project man!

I think it would be way easier to fit the driveline.I bought a 01 taurus vulcan just about 3 months ago what a great car for the money.Only it makes me want a low mileage duratec real bad.Interesting project but a rear drive taurus would take some work be pretty tough to do.

Easier to fit what driveline? Not understanding what you're saying, sorry. The Duratec is a great motor. The whole reason I need a Ranger is because my Taurus is under the knife too much to be a daily driver. The RWD setup is essentially complete, I just need to connect up exhaust/steering rack/coolant hoses/wires, but I need a running vehicle in the mean time. The Taurus has a Ranger 5 speed in it too, the only RWD tranny that fits the SHO motor.

I know this is TRS... but MORE PICS OF THE SHO!

If the oil pan will clear the crossmember and you have enough room for the exhaust still, I'd say go for it! and move'r up a few inches.

Didn't think of oilpan clearance...that's why I'm here, thanks for the advice. Exhaust has lots of room.

Andres629 said:

I know this is TRS... but MORE PICS OF THE SHO!

Click to expand...

+1 and burn out video lol when its done

Skunkworks did a SHO with a T5 in a Ranger in '89. Maybe with a custom bellhousing. If not for the 2.3T sitting under a tarp on my patio, I'd grab one of the three SHO motors that are in the local u-pullit boneyard at this moment.













Not a bad swap I guess, but I expect better 0-60 and 1/4 mile times out of the 2.3T.

I'm not saying the SHO is a better motor than the 2.3T, I just like it more. It's undeniably a beautiful motor, and sounds great at 8000 RPM. My reason for this swap is to give a SHO motor a RWD platform, not to upgrade the Ranger, if that makes sense. It'll be tons more fun than the Vulcan for sure, but my passion is the motor, not the truck.

I've seen that Ranger SHO before. Don't really like the body style, even with the ground effects, and I hate the interior on those older Rangers. I'm not a fan of how they modified the intake either, especially since you can just turn the intake 180 degrees and have the throttle body point forwards instead of backwards.

you said you used a ranger tranny with the sho engine, which tranny is compatible? i had always heard one of the aerostar trannys would work but not the ranger. thanks. oh and very cool projects

There's been a few threads on this before and it's something I've been wanting to see done for a long time...


If I remember right, the M5OD in the ranger DOES bolt to it, but the general consensus when people were talking about it a while back was that the M5OD was not strong enough to handle the SHO motor and that the bell housing from an Aerostar would be needed to mate a T5 to it. Read that over a year ago when I first came to the forums, Wicked_Sludge had a lot to say about the subject. It's all kinda fuzzy now, but regardless I'd love to see someone finally complete this. best of luck, mate.

Thanks for the encouragement, I really want to see this done too.

Did some work on it tonight. Modified the crossmember (I F$%ing hate the bolts that attach the crossmember to the frame!) to locate the tranny/engine forward 3 inches while keeping the same mounting points for the crossmember on the frame. Turns out I run out of starter clearance when I do this. I threw a spare pair of heads on and the intake to see if I could move it back at all, and I have about an inch to spare, and that should fix the starter problem.

I'd like to get the crossmember finished up tomorrow, and maybe a start on engine mounts. I've only got a few hours between work and sunset, it seems to go by really fast.








As for trannies, only the 3.0 Ranger/Mazda tranny will work. Strengthwise, it might be slightly inferior to the T5, but that's debatable (at least stock for stock). The Aerostar bellhousing is impossible to find, and even if you do, you still need an adapter plate, so I don't know why they're so desired. I'd like to just make an adapter plate to the Mod motor pattern or the 5.0 pattern, opens up a lot more trannies, but that's a future project. I'm sure the M5OD will last fine for now, and if not I can swap one in a few hours.

PS - You can see 2 of my 3 SHOs in the backgrounds of these pictures. I think I need an intervention.

Looking good. First time I've seen a truck where the motor was the only clean part.