Has anyone ever swapped a 460 into a ranger?

[cowboycowboy91]

I am just curious...I have 2 rangers. One is a 2000 ranger stock that is my daily driver/playing in the mud truck and the other is a 1988 ranger that has a bad 4 cylinder. I have never attemped a V8 swap into a ranger...let alone a big block V8. I have a 1978 carbed 460 engine just setting in the shop that ran like a top when pulled...of course it needs some attention now. However, I really would like to fuel inject it or just find a fuel injected one already, but then comes the mind boggling wiring issues and the transmission compatibility problems. This little ranger is a 4wd standard trans....What would mate up and work? It really sounds like a pain in the rear to me and I was just pondering rather or not to attempt it as something to tinker on occasionally. I don't know if it would be worth it would it? I know some major mods and fab work would be needed to make a big block fit in there and even more headaches getting a transmission that would mate up and fit...anyways, just wondering if anyone has ever did it?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

If you use the "google custom search button" at the top right of every page, you can usually find the answer to common questions.
http://www.google.com/cse?cx=partne...6#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=big block ranger&gsc.page=1

 

[bobbywalter]

the 2000 ranger can be some what more accommodating. that chassis will easily allow a gm big block with just over rail headers, and i speak from personal experience.



the 88 chassis your planning to use is a quite a bit more of a hassle. getting oil pan fitment and steering/exhaust routing without some sort of body lift is a challenge when using anything larger then a 351 windsor... we have done the 400 with custom steering linkage and firewall mods simple enough. i have seen steering racks installed on the ttb 2wd chassis as well with several 351 clevelands. it is a bit quirky at first to get used to but worked out well enough for cruising. they were adapted from dodge dakota applications.

theres many ways to cost effectively get a big block in there and working acceptably.

my personal ranger runs a similar engine in size to a big block. it currently is powered by a humvee spec 6.2 at this point in time with a 4l80 transmission. compared to other swaps i have done, it was quite easy to do because of my 4x4 powertrain combination. a 2wd tib chassis offers a higher level of difficulty for sure. especially if you want to make it look "STOCK".

but it has been done many times from bone stock 60's-70's lincoln engine drop ins---too all out strip vehicles with insane power levels...

theres a few powerstroke swaps within the forums as well. these are much larger then a 460. i have seen several 5.4 swaps as well that look nearly factory, one bronco 2 comes to mind. that is much more difficult then a 460 swap as well. i did not work on these projects, only studied them.

i see people freak out over stuff that has simple solutions...and never finish things because of some vision of perfection...or they think some certain range of parts must be used...that attitude leads to a lack of vision or creativity.

best solution. study solutions to problems and ask specific details about such solutions.

then.

no problems.

 

[BLOODBANE]

MRC did a 429 (I believe) on a gen 1, gen 2 Ranger. They had a book out on the 302/5.0 swaps (I have it somewhere). They really didnt go into a lot of detail on it, but lots of fabrication was involved (frame, cooling, firewall, etc...)

 

[v-8power]

Total Performance out of Michigan put a 460 in a ranger back in 87-88. It wasn't a stock engine by far, if i remember right it had a tunnel ram with duel fours. A couple of years ago i was talking to one of the guys who helped build it and he said it was fun to drive, but not practical at all.