Project SVT

[Kyle M.]

Are you going to weld the shock hoop plates to the frame? If not, I would suggest making them L shapped so the can hook on the underside of the frame. With all that force pushing up, I would want more than a few bolts holding it down.

Otherwise, looks great, diggin the progress!

 

[RangerSVT]

Thanks, Kyle I need to make an engine crossmember as there is way too much flex and movement in the frame. I plan to take angle and wrap the lower corner of the frame, tieing that into the plates, as well as the crossmember, so yeah it's getting more ties to and under the frame, just haven't gotten that far. With the slow progress this week, I've been jumping around on the truck trying to get motivated to get more done in the time I'm spending on it. I need to get back on track with this, hope to do that next week
SVT

 

[RangerSVT]

Well, its been a few days, and I got some more done the last couple days, but with this heat, not much...Last week I got the trans for the Sport Trac and got it in, now it moves under its own power, but it needs an exhaust upgrade bad. The PO thought he was an exhaust shop and attempted to do the exhaust, consisting of two 90* pipes from the autoparts store (the ones on the shelf, some clamps, and about 3 feet of the cheap flex pipe, yeah, its bad. He deleted the cats, but didn't put a downstream O2 sensor bung in the pipe, so yeah, it even runs like his exhaust job (like $h!t)...
Anyways, onto SVT. I mainly did more work on the shock mounts to the frame, reinforcing it more...I took 2" angle and cupped the bottom of the framerail under the hoop frame mount and welded them together (the bolts are backwards for now, for ease of access)...

I also took some 1/2 x4" flat bar I had and made an engine Xmember connecting the framerails as there was too much flex going on without one. Not quite finished with that, as I'm thinking of of making some gussets on each side to limit frame twisting. The gearbox plate also got the treatment of the 2" angle underneath (still have to tie into the bottom of the frame on that)...

I know I don't have much clearance between the Xmember and the oil pan at the back, but I have more then 3" of firewall clearance between the motor and the firewall, I'm thinking of moving the engine back a couple inches to give me more room for a bigger fan. Notice how much clearance I now have between the Xmember and the front diff...

It don't look like much, but it sucks when your cutting metal with a grinder and cutoff wheel I know I went a little overkill on the angle being so long, I was looking at tying into the stock radius arm bracket holes in the frame rather than drilling new ones, but they were too far in so the angle wasnt really reaching the holes, so at this point I said the hell with it and just drilled new holes rather than cutting it shorter....Hopefully tomorrow I can at least get the hoop frame mounts completely done and move onto another part of the truck. I'm waiting for some bushings to come in so I can do my link bars and get the axle located. I might get to that tomorrow, but we'll see...
SVT

 

[bilzy7]

Love the truck. Just a small plain lookin truck with a nice engine, besides the lift nothin fancy.... Cept your special lettering. I just stole v8 emblems for a lazy when I do a 5.0 swap in like 11 years. I wish I knew someone who worked at the offroad shop in southern nh. Always good to have a friend who knows 10x more then you do... And a shop helps...

 

[RangerSVT]

Thanks !! Progress has almost hit dead stop as I had other priorities come up, got the sport trac up and running and is the new DD, looking at picking up a 2000 explorer V8 swap plus a 4406 next week or two. Then I had to wrap up project WCB2 as it's moved down to alabama, and then I was going to get back on SVT after a quick clutch slave cylinder and oil pan swap on another ranger, but then I got a job with stupid awesome benefits and decent pay, and that has put things at a halt...but I should be able to get the slave cylinder/oil pan done this sunday on my off day, and maybe get a little progress rolling again on SVT come Wednesday....We'll see...
SVT

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

Where did you go to work at.........ya bum!
LOL!

 

[ChrisR1S]

That cage isn't done yet man!?? I just read the past few weeks of progress and it's coming along! I feel your pain with the angle grinder;That's why I had to get someone else to attack my beams

 

[RangerSVT]

I work on Ft. Campbell as a maintenance at an army hotel. Trust me, I had all intentions of going to work in the opposite direction, but I had a free ride to and from work til I got the ST going. More money (which wasnt too much more) and endless benefits starting Sept. 1 (less than 30 days from date of hire). It was kind of hard to pass it up. Plus I can transfer to anywhere in the world. They have over 4500 hotels in over 100 countries, with another 1300 being opened this year alone...
SVT

 

[Josh40601]

That's awesome brother! Is it a DOD job or contractor position?

 

[RangerSVT]

It's a contractor job. It's actually an army hotel that Holiday Inn had bought out, so we are in transition to the new company. My job looks to be a stable, long term one, so I don't have to worry about my job ending anytime soon
SVT

 

[bilzy7]

That's good news. I hope to transition one day to be the IT guy for an army base as a civilian. Well see...
Ohh and that's IT guy as in Information Technology..

 

[RangerSVT]

When it comes time, I hope you get it. Good luck
SVT

 

[Josh40601]

there are jobs out the ass in Ft. Campbell right now. I have been scouring the sites to try and find something back there, and there are always openings in Ft Campbell and Ft. Knox. I am trying to get on at the VA, DCAA, or Forest Service there in lexington/winchester

 

[kris97ranger]

any updates?

 

[Boggin]

whats new in here?