Matt_Mattson
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2025
- Messages
- 1
- City
- San Jose, California
- Vehicle Year
- 1987
- Transmission
- Manual
- Total Lift
- 4"
- Tire Size
- 235/75/15
Hey everyone!
Long time lurker, but a brand-new member.
I am proud to present my beautiful mess, this 1987 ranger!
2.3L, 5 speed, XLT, 2wd
(88 blistering ponies)
This was actually my second vehicle, and the first one I purchased with my own money. I had a 5.4 superduty go down for the count, and I needed something as soon as possible to replace it.
I bought this thing with 68,000 on the clock, with a carfax. I was the 3rd owner. This ranger came from a couple towns over, about 30 minutes from where I currently live. It spent most of its life as a maintenance truck for an apartment complex, so the miles are low, and the paint was surprisingly decent! However, the valves loveed to clatter, and It drank plenty of oil.
All told, I scooped this thing up for 3 grand. Then, I drove it. Every Day, for 2 years, until I managed another F250.
throughout this time, that little 2.3 did what it could, but it was clearly struggling to haul all my tools everywhere, and such a small, old, slow truck doesn't necessarily buy you any friends on the morning commute.
Then, one Sunday morning, in December of 2023, I found something, and my world would never be the same again... but whatever did I find?
LADIES AND GENTS, I present to you one of the single greatest decisions I have made, to-date. All hail the mighty $400 302!!!
I'm sure I'll hear plenty of fussing about what I paid, but you know what, Bah!
It was a D2 block, 2 bolt mains, hailing from a 64 Falcon that was due for a blueprint 347, the Mechanic was selling the old engine to recoup some funds for the guy.
"ran good when pulled, but might have a cracked head" was the description I got. Good enough for me. I brought my dial mic to confirm the bore size, and my feeler gauges to check out the wall clearance, and all seemed good!
The first thing youll notice is that shiny new head on there. Its a FLOTEK 180cc As-Cast Product, with 58cc chambers, and intake valves around 1.940 and a 1.600 exhaust.
I figured it'd be a better alternative for my time and money than to find some factory heads and have them reworked, or having mine magnafluxed, and the hardened seats cut and installed.
These heads, while INCREDIBLEY cost effective at $469 each, were ultimately, a mistake. I still use them today, and they have about 20 thousand miles on them with no issues.
Two things should have happened instead,
1. I should have gone for the AFR heads. with the point I am at now, an extra couple hundred bucks would have gotten me pretty far.
2. Pistons, pistons, pistons. Ill elaborate later, but I should have replaced this deep-dish pistons with some flat tops. I'd have avoided a lot of physical, mental, and financial strain. that's for sure.
But, for now, it was time to source a Transmisson
This is a (an?) M5R2 out of a 1996 F150, It was T boned, and had 96000 on it
$500 from Atwater, CA, picked it up in the little 4 cylinder ranger, at this point, I was still driving it, until...
BOOM, Pop goes the 2.3! 10 minutes from my house no less! that could have been worse, but now it was time to get to work, for real!
This leaves us around February of 2024.
This is getting pretty long, but I will share the rest of the story if there is any interest! spoiler!! That engine block doesn't even make it out of the driveway! (well, kinda)
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Matt
Long time lurker, but a brand-new member.
I am proud to present my beautiful mess, this 1987 ranger!
2.3L, 5 speed, XLT, 2wd
(88 blistering ponies)
This was actually my second vehicle, and the first one I purchased with my own money. I had a 5.4 superduty go down for the count, and I needed something as soon as possible to replace it.
I bought this thing with 68,000 on the clock, with a carfax. I was the 3rd owner. This ranger came from a couple towns over, about 30 minutes from where I currently live. It spent most of its life as a maintenance truck for an apartment complex, so the miles are low, and the paint was surprisingly decent! However, the valves loveed to clatter, and It drank plenty of oil.
All told, I scooped this thing up for 3 grand. Then, I drove it. Every Day, for 2 years, until I managed another F250.
throughout this time, that little 2.3 did what it could, but it was clearly struggling to haul all my tools everywhere, and such a small, old, slow truck doesn't necessarily buy you any friends on the morning commute.
Then, one Sunday morning, in December of 2023, I found something, and my world would never be the same again... but whatever did I find?
LADIES AND GENTS, I present to you one of the single greatest decisions I have made, to-date. All hail the mighty $400 302!!!
I'm sure I'll hear plenty of fussing about what I paid, but you know what, Bah!
It was a D2 block, 2 bolt mains, hailing from a 64 Falcon that was due for a blueprint 347, the Mechanic was selling the old engine to recoup some funds for the guy.
"ran good when pulled, but might have a cracked head" was the description I got. Good enough for me. I brought my dial mic to confirm the bore size, and my feeler gauges to check out the wall clearance, and all seemed good!
The first thing youll notice is that shiny new head on there. Its a FLOTEK 180cc As-Cast Product, with 58cc chambers, and intake valves around 1.940 and a 1.600 exhaust.
I figured it'd be a better alternative for my time and money than to find some factory heads and have them reworked, or having mine magnafluxed, and the hardened seats cut and installed.
These heads, while INCREDIBLEY cost effective at $469 each, were ultimately, a mistake. I still use them today, and they have about 20 thousand miles on them with no issues.
Two things should have happened instead,
1. I should have gone for the AFR heads. with the point I am at now, an extra couple hundred bucks would have gotten me pretty far.
2. Pistons, pistons, pistons. Ill elaborate later, but I should have replaced this deep-dish pistons with some flat tops. I'd have avoided a lot of physical, mental, and financial strain. that's for sure.
But, for now, it was time to source a Transmisson
This is a (an?) M5R2 out of a 1996 F150, It was T boned, and had 96000 on it
$500 from Atwater, CA, picked it up in the little 4 cylinder ranger, at this point, I was still driving it, until...
BOOM, Pop goes the 2.3! 10 minutes from my house no less! that could have been worse, but now it was time to get to work, for real!
This leaves us around February of 2024.
This is getting pretty long, but I will share the rest of the story if there is any interest! spoiler!! That engine block doesn't even make it out of the driveway! (well, kinda)
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Matt