big power small truck

[youngstroker]

i have been kicking around an idea, a 6.0l powerstroke in a ranger. it has been done. now i know there is a lot of fab work, i know the in's and out's of a 6.0l. i have thought of other motor swap ideas, but this one really has me going, the plan is to make it a streetable drag tuck, with about 600hp, useing a reg cab, short bed, i have a few questions that can be answered by anyone with a high powered ranger drag truck. frame strength, how much will it twist, how much should be boxed. what rear axle are you useing and what type of suspension. also what type of front suspension, obviously depends on what year ranger, i plan to use a newer ranger late 90's style, or would a early 90's ranger be better, i was thinking of useing a full floating 10.5 that comes in a superduty, but would like to use an 8.8 to save weight i have been doing some reserch on it some say u can make it hold 1,000hp others say hard drag strip launches with destroy it, any other issues that i will run in to will be apreciated, the 6.0l it not that big but there is a lot of extra parts that a normal engine dosn't have, and of course it is very heavy.

 

[projectnitemare]

Using a diesel for a 600hp drag truck, doesn't sound all that practical really. You can make that power from a small block pretty easily anymore. Back to your question, the frame should be boxed especially with the weight of a diesel engine. For drag racing a 1 ton axle would be on the heavy side of things and gear ratios are all that great to choose from but would work if you wanted it to. I would say go with some form of a 9in Ford with some of the usual aftermarket upgrades. Ditch the leaf springs, if its dedicated for race back half it. A link suspension will hook up a lot better and allow better tuning. You are going to need to find all the traction you can with so much weight up front. It will be some work I'm sure of it,

Matt

 

[Snoranger]

Lets see... 600hp out of a powerstroke. That would be about 1100ft-lbs of torque (rough estimate, no need for exact numbers here). I say leave the 8.8 in it.

 

[youngstroker]

it is more about a diesel drag truck, than a ranger drag truck, i have a 03 f250 and though of makeing it a drag truck, but thought it is easier to make 3-4,000lbs quick than 7,000lbs and be a lot cooler, something you don't really see. 600hp is about where a 6.0l really gets exspensive and hard to keep together, i was thinking about 500hp on motor and spray as much as i can according to traction. i would rather not back half the truck or tub it out, my goal it to run in the 12.0 index class, and still be able to drive it on the street, the rules are pretty lean, you can do what ever you want you just can't run faster than 12.0. it def. wont be an over night build proubably a few years just keep building it in my head, figureing out how much it will cost me, and start collecting parts.

 

[projectnitemare]

It's really not all that hard to get into the 12's so it will be more of getting this to fit issue than making the speed/power. In all reality you need a wrecked diesel truck to practically steal everything from. That would be the cheapest way to go. Your biggest issue will be weight on the front end and cooling. The simple thing to do would be find stiff front springs and get the thing leveled back up. Cooling will be difficult being you won't have much room, worst case put the rad in the bed with electric fans. Where I would start this would be pull the cab and mock the engine and trans in. Make your mounts then set and modify the cab to fit. If you need to cut the firewall so be it because more weight you get rearward will only help.

Matt

 

[youngstroker]

i was thinking of a rear radiator and a air to water intercooler, it can be very easy to find a 6.0l engine, trans, wireing harness, ecu and a ficm, but a doaner truck would def. be best, i plan to swap everything the way it is the superduty including the cluster. by moveing the radiator to the back it would leave room for a air to air intercooler if i decide to go that way. now what would i have to do to make the rear a 4 link and coil overs?