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Project Instigator. 97 2wd to 5.0 and SAS


jkw

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I decided I needed a bigger truck after the boat nearly drug my 95 wrangler Sahara down the ramp. Having had 2 rangers before I knew 93-97 was the easiest generation to swap in a v8 and SAS. I didn't want to buy a whole truck to tear apart so I started hunting.

I picked up the hp44 from a 78 bronco on the east coast of Florida for 250, with springs, mounts, and radius arms.

Then the next day I drove to Cape Coral to tow the shell home. 97 2wd longbed shell with procomp ignition and v8 motor mounts and tranny crossmember
 

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jkw

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The truck
 

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jkw

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Got called of of work so I pulled the bed and cleaned and painted the rear half of the frame, Dana 44 and radius arms
 

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jkw

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Got the crossmember mounts and coil buckets removed from the frame, all the twin I beam stuff removed, cleaned and primed the front half of the frame
 

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Mickey Bitsko

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My credo
live everyday like your gonna die tomorrow
Nice clean work.... gonna be a nice truck:popcorn:
 

jkw

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Thanks Mickey. I'm trying to get everything done now while it's bare and hasn't seen off-road yet. Finished the front half of the frame, drinking a beer on the 4th. Seemed fitting
 

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jkw

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Got in touch with the previous owner about why he might have the v8 spaced up this much. Anyone have any ideas? I've never really heard why anyone would want to lift the drivetrain that much
 

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willy

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I lifted mine 2.5 inches so my bbk shorties would clear the frame in my 2000
 

jkw

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Yeah it turns out he did it to fit a set of long tubes that he had clearance issues with.

I managed to buy a new compressor, hose and air chisel this week, and my dad gave me a 1/2 drive impact set and my old chop saw on a trip back home to tampa. Then me and a buddy made a new work bench for the new place with a wall we ripped out in the garage. Hopefully the new tools and space helps me speed this along.

I also bought 20' of 3/16"x6" flat bar, and I'm in the process of making wider coil buckets for the full width 44, and maybe a from bumper if i can decide on something that will loo nice with my 2" body lift.
 

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Mightyfordranger

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Clean your room before you criticise the world.
Looks like u got a nice setup goin hows the truck look these days???
 

jkw

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Unfortunately I haven't got much done. Vet bills and the cost of getting my wisdom teeth removed have cut into my truck fund. All I've really gotten done is hammered down the frame hump on the drivers side flat, and mocked up some cardboard bumper ideas
 

jkw

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finally getting some work in. got the front clip off. cutting all those spot weld on each side was a joy.

I used some of the 3/16" plate to brace the drivers side frame where the power steering mounts. I thing I want to mount my track bar mount of this piece of plate as well. would 3/16" be strong enough to make the rest of the track bar mount out of? I plan to run with hydro assist to help take some of the strain off the frame where the box mounts...
 

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jkw

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half price weekend at the junkyard treated me well again. I pulled a 5.0 from a 97 explorer with all the front accessories, and complete wiring harness for $140.
the next day i went back to get a ford 9" from a 80 f150, and an np205 and another fw dana 44 from a 77 f150 with flat top knuckles on both sides :yahoo:


motor shows signs of being ran hot so i went ahead and broke it down. i think I'm gonna read up and try my hand at porting the heads before i take them to a machine shop to get checked over. they might be done for already so the worst case scenario is i go and pull another set.
 

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willy

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I need another half off day at the pic n pull nice haul
 

jkw

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I never would've thought this build would go this slow...

anyways. ive been busy with nursing school but still trying to collect parts. got a 77 f100 frame, rear axle, and 5x5.5 roll arounds, for the coil buckets.

little while later bought a dodge d100, threw the rollers from the f100 on it and sold it for parts for what I paid for it. free 35's and 15" D windows.

then I got another ranger project, got a 289 long block with a holley 4 barrel, Shelby hi rise, and hedman longtubes.

ordered my oil filter relocation kit from duff, 2 1.25" heim kits from ruff stuff, 3" of 2x6" .25wall rectangular tube for a tranny crosmember. a friend gave me enough 3/8" thick plate to make my radius arm mounts.

went ahead and got a drill press of craigslist, and taps/bits to tap my steering box for hydro assist.
 

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