Beluga420 1997 Ford Ranger
Each month The Ranger Station holds a ‘Street Truck of The Month’ contest in our forums. Members nominate vehicles for the first half of the month and then vote on them during the second half. Results are posted in the forum, and the winners are displayed on the website during the following month. At the end of the year, the monthly winners are entered in to a ‘Truck of The Year’ drawing. Again, forum members vote for the winner.
Belug’420’s 1997 was actually voted as the 2012 Street Truck of The Year and the 2013 Street Truck of The Year.
Owner: beluga420
From: Quebec, Canada
Truck Of The Month: March 2013
Vehicle: 1997 Ford Ranger
Specifications:
Engine:
- Holset WH1C turbo, custom twin-scroll turbo manifold
- 44mm wastegate
- Bo-port stage 1.9 camshaft
- GM LS6 valve springs with cavalier retainers
- Custom made intake and ported 97 DP head, chambers opened and polished to 61cc
- 65 mm TB
- Running 9:1 CR
- Crower forged rods
- Keith Black ICON forged pistons, .020 over
- Spec stage 3+ clutch
- TC valve cover
- 2.5” IC piping from turbo to IC and 3” from IC to TB
- 3” exhaust with electronic cut-out and stock exhaust line
- Hallman PRO rx boost controller
- 255lph walbro pump
- 80lbs siemens injectors
- Megasquirt 2 standalone ecu
- AEM Water-Meth injection
- Hurst Shifter equipped
- Few other goodies
Suspension:
- 12.1” front slotted Explorer Sport Trac rotors with carbon pads
- DJM 6.5 / ~8” drop
- 16×10 -38 offset wheels with 225 streched Khumo/Continental tires.
- 8.8 explorer diff, 3.73 LS with disc brakes
- Explorer rear swaybar
- Electronic brake-lock switch for drag racing
Body:
- 2005+ Taillights
- Pulled fenders to cover the tires
- This is a beautiful and fast Ford Ranger. Once again, our members have picked an amazing truck as Street Truck Of The Year.
Turbo installed. Now for the plumbing.
Street Truck of The Month
The members of our forum voted Beluga420’s 1997 Ford Ranger as the May 2012 Street Truck of The Month and the March 2013 Street Truck of The Month.
About The Author
Jim Oaks is the founder of TheRangerStation.com, the longest-running Ford Ranger resource online since 1999. With over 25 years of hands-on experience building and modifying Ford Rangers — including magazine-featured builds like Project Transformer — Jim has become one of the most trusted authorities in the Ford Ranger off-road and enthusiast space.
Since launching TheRangerStation.com, Jim has documented thousands of real-world Ranger builds, technical repairs, drivetrain swaps, suspension modifications, and off-road adventures contributed by owners worldwide. TheRangerStation.com has been referenced in print, video and online by enthusiasts, mechanics, and off-road builders looking for practical, and experience-based information.
