'85 Ranger Restomod

[Bird76Mojo]

I've seen sets advertised on Ebay over the years but to me it just isn't worth the hassle to list them.



GB

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

2.8 snorkel vs big block. BB flairs to a slightly bigger inlet into the housing but the snouts are the same dia where they couple to the rest of the intake ductwork. I don't think the bigger hole into the air filter housing will be a big deal.



After a 8 year hiatus the 2.8 intake tube is reinstalled:



I like the angle of the elbow but it is getting kind of close to the air filter housing. Not sure I will have room for the accordion tubing. My elbow is pretty much shot too.



2.3 intake duct.







With a shorter snorkel I think it is going to work beautifully.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Custom modified my two 2.8 air filter housings:



Harvested two stubby snorkels:



Very rough mockup:

 

[Ranger850]

Very cool. I like it

 

[bobbywalter]

you should rethink that snorkel routing.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

you should rethink that snorkel routing.

Why is that?

Only problem I can see is water crossing... which I have never done.

Cleaner colder air is appealing though.

 

[DRanger024]

Pretty cool little setup. What about your oil dipstick on the driver side? Kind of looks like it will get covered up by the intake tube and may be blocked by your power steering reservoir.


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[85_Ranger4x4]

Pretty cool little setup. What about your oil dipstick on the driver side? Kind of looks like it will get covered up by the intake tube and may be blocked by your power steering reservoir.

It has to swoop around the PS reservoir. Its been like that since 2012, good point about the air tube blocking it too.

I have noticed it kind of blocks the oil fill cap which bugs me more than anything. I am going to try to move the tube a little farther back, just for the photo op the 2.8 elbow (minus the accordion part) held the tube against the housing nicely there.

 

[bobbywalter]

deep puddles and medium speed kill many o ranger.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

deep puddles and medium speed kill many o ranger.

In Iowa puddles/creeks/rivers that deep have no bottom... all our creeks and rivers are mud bottom.

In 18 years I have only ever had it up to the hubs when I used to tear up mud roads in high school (it irritates farmers and everybody knows whose truck it is now so now I refrain) 2-3' deep puddle will be however deep it takes for the truck to sit on its belly when it is all said and done.

I do think I am going to make a block off plate for the DS inlet like the PS has to keep snow out though. Busting snowdrifts trucks have been known to snuff themselves out.

 

[DRanger024]

It has to swoop around the PS reservoir. Its been like that since 2012, good point about the air tube blocking it too.



I have noticed it kind of blocks the oil fill cap which bugs me more than anything. I am going to try to move the tube a little farther back, just for the photo op the 2.8 elbow (minus the accordion part) held the tube against the housing nicely there.

Is it pretty easy to pop the intake tube off? Minor problem I guess.


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[bobbywalter]

aye.....


i am not talking of adventure in the fields...

heavy storms on the roads i have seen 6 inches of water kill rangers and fullsize trucks let alone cars with stock air boxes of this vintage.

first thing i do is invert the factory snorkel to pull from the cowl.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Is it pretty easy to pop the intake tube off? Minor problem I guess.


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It depends on what I find to couple the radiator support mounted tubes to the snorkels.

If I have to clamp it together it could be an irritation.

Foxbody tubes are available and I suspect would snap right on to the snorkels but the other end is round. I would like to find a used one to play with and see if I could reform the round end very well with a heat gun.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

aye.....


i am not talking of adventure in the fields...

heavy storms on the roads i have seen 6 inches of water kill rangers and fullsize trucks let alone cars with stock air boxes of this vintage.

first thing i do is invert the factory snorkel to pull from the cowl.

I could just disconnect the tubes and basically have the same air intake height I have now?

I wonder how 6" of water gets splashed into the grille of the truck enough to kill it?

I did get a 2.9 lower radiator support tube (for the accordion part) that had a valve to pull hot air off of a manifold like what is on my air cleaner snorkels... that could be a big hole down low to get stuff into the intake tract. My 4cyl one doesn't have that, like the 2.8 one it is pretty much a solid tube.

I ran the 2.8 tube forever (well 11 years and with a 2.8 that seems like forever) and never had a problem... but that side is generally more shallow since most roads have a crown to them.

Generally speaking, if the weather is bad enough to be flooding roads I will have the F-150. It is something to take into consideration though

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Had the brainy idea I could get another front driveshaft to stick in it so the thing won't roll around could be self propelled. I grabbed the rear half of my '95 front driveshaft (other part is stuck on the diff until I get the axle in the truck and can lock the hubs to hold the pinion) to test fitment. That is a no go...



Need a 27" shaft, I think knock an inch off for a D35 so make it a 26" shaft.



And 52.5" from pinion flange to t-case yoke.



I have a rear driveshaft from a bronco that is also too long and also much larger diameter. It is tempting to just cut and weld it myself to have something to move the truck around.