Prerunner project: F.O.R.D.

[CopyKat]

Good start on a project.

 

[84projectFORD]

so its been awhile since i got to work on the project between goin on vacation for a week and gettin my chevy ready for the trip but i finally got some stuff done. pulled the motor on the explorer and cleaned it all up and started plannin everything out for under the ranger. here are some pics

just finished pullin the motor out, full of grease and everything

here i just got most of the stuff covered before i pressure washed, the pics are form one go around on it. that is the rock crawler sami that my dad and i built two years back.

and here it is all clean and ready to be worked on! looks brand new!

and i just had to throw this one in from my gf and i's vacation to San Diego. i love my truck

 

[lil red]

more pix of the chebby please!!!!!!!!
tht thing looks sick!

 

[84projectFORD]

haha its my pride and joy and the g/f knows all too well about that lol.

when i first picked it up

after the lift 8", wheels and tires, and HD tie rods (cant see).

then built the bumper and added lights. this thing does get wheeled by the way. i dont have any pics of the interior but its the LT meanin its fully loaded with leather seats and seat heaters, has an indash flipscreen and 13 monitor for those in the back, 4 10" P1s w/ 1600watt fasgate amp, and all pioneer high dollar speakers, xm, race radio for chasing the race car, in bed tool box in back with all my recovery gear and such. will be adding a winch with a reciever in front so i can put the winch on the front or back of the truck (got stuck last year in the snow twice, so deep that it looked like it was lowered on 37s!) and will also be puttin fibergalss fenders on the front and pullin the bedsides, then drppin the front 1" and pullin the add-a-leaf in the rear to drop it 2".

 

[84projectFORD]

ok so progress has been a bit slow with my last year of college startin up but ill be working on it for the next three weekends straight. this past weekend i tore into the motor replacing all the seals, yes ALL of them. Also replaced the water pump, rocker arms, push rods, idler pully, spark plugs and wires, and cleaned all i could. as i tore into her i saw almost no wear for a 150,000 mile motor. it had barely any sludge in the bottom (no more than a 1/8 in the bottom). I did find two shot spark plugs, the head gaskets were shot , and the coolant passages from block to heads were plugged beyond belief (wish i had pics of that). but i got everything flushed and cleaned out and all put back together. Also got my tranny in (THANK YOU rboyer!!!!) and gettin ready to bolt that up so she will be ready to go in the ranger. she should run like a champ now. here are some pics of the tear down

once i get the motor all in here in the next few weeks its onto the suspension. Im on the verg of buying the giant 64" leaf kit for the rear since i have the money but i still have to buy shocks

 

[84projectFORD]

I got more done!! haha. so i finished up the 4.0 and its now ready to go in the ranger. i pulled the old ranger 2.8 and 4spd all at once and came out fairly easily. I alos took the whole 2.8 wiring harness and computer out. loaded her up and ran her down to the local self-wash to get all teh damn grease of the thing. I noticed that the fornt frames on these are not fully boxed in so ill be plating the frame here next month with some 3/16 plate. On a plus side i think i found a long travel kit for the front by me. all camburg front ibeams, radius arms, radius arm crossmember and tranny mount, all the hardware and two 12" Radflow coilovers. just gotta get some steering extenders till i can fab up a unequal lenght swinger set for the steering then build some coiltowers and engine cage! more pics for everyone!

starting teh tear down, just got the front clip off. i realized that the inner fenders and core support do not come off, they are spot welded. Dont mind my friend, he was singing at this piont cause i didnt bring the radio out haha.

got the wiring harness out here, not much too it lol

Yay! motor and trans coming out! haha

 

[84projectFORD]

Yay! my project is gettin there! I got just about all the front frame boxing done and am debating whether to pull the cab off to put the motor and trans in, this would also allow me to box the frame all the way back and redo the fuel and brake lines. here are some pics of the plating

I have not welded in over a year and a half so it took me a few trys before i get back into the swing of it, once i got it there was no stoppin me! haha

I have to cut the plate for the steerng box to knock it in and fully weld it then it will be jsut about done

 

[odie1969]

hey a couple of the folks from the Dezertrangers.com are talking about coming up to the cinders in a month about. you should post over there in the az forum. see if you want to ride with us,

 

[84projectFORD]

already did. my screen name is 84Rangerrunner. im down to go but ill be in the chevy since this truck aint no where near done lol

 

[odie1969]

already did. my screen name is 84Rangerrunner. im down to go but ill be in the chevy since this truck aint no where near done lol

very nice I will be in my poser truck due to my other truck still in pieces.

 

[Kdawg532]

wow this is sweet, i was thinking of turning my truck into a prerunner (after the warranty runs out of course lol) , while still trying to keep it decently street legal

 

[84projectFORD]

wow this is sweet, i was thinking of turning my truck into a prerunner (after the warranty runs out of course lol) , while still trying to keep it decently street legal

Is yours a torsioned front end or coil spring? camburg makes some sweet setups for our trucks!

 

[canyoncritter]

If your not mr big bucks, dave at threat makes some nice products and very good prices for beam rangers.

 

[84projectFORD]

If your not mr big bucks, dave at threat makes some nice products and very good prices for beam rangers.

Are they out of phoenix? more info please!!! lol

 

[danger88ranger]

www.threatmotorsports.com or check it out on dezertrangers.com