putting 97 xcab ranger on 89' f250 frame w/ 1tons and 5.8L

[fordman1]

Im installing a 97' ranger xcab on my 89' f250 frame with 1tons fr&rear, going to 4 link the suspension as this is just a strictly offroad truck. I was wondering if anyone could help with what i have to take out of 89 to make the almost stock motor run with the efi in tact. Also curious if there is any clearance issues with setting the cab on this frame and motor which has a c6 tranny and an atlas transfer. I am not consernded about the bed as i will build a small bed, probally about as wide as the frame, and shorten the rearend up about 6". Any help would be greatly apprciated.

 

[brinker88]

If it's the stock t-case, it's definitely NOT an Atlas. You will have clearance issues with the motor with the heater motor and maybe inner fender wells. You will also have clearance issues with the C6 as far as the stock ranger tunnel is concerned

 

[fordman1]

I installed the atlas, the inner fenders should not be a problem, I was thinking about cutting them out. So the heater box and tranny tunnel should be the only interference provlems if i'm reading your reply correctly. What all do i have to take out of the 89' computer wise to make the motor run correctly again? As far as lights and interior stuff all i need is a 12v disconnectable source to the fuse panel in the 97 cab correct? Thanks for the info so far

 

[straycat]

I saw an F250 frame with a nice clean 2003 ranger cab and bed about three years back at a hot rod/swap show. The guy spent over 6 months putting it together he said. He had to take off the body three times 'cause he said it looked too odd...lol. But he was a great fabricator and he got it together.He cut the bed and the can into and added about 1 1/2 foot to the width and he said that was the way to go. The body then looked great. I saw some photos of the build process and after the body and bed was widened it was a different looking truck!!! He had a nice older 70's Boss 302 in it and it sounded great with a monster solid lift cam!! It just looked odd to me, but it worked for what he wanted it to...just trail ride and cruise to the hot rod shows. I'll see if we still have photos from that show. Sometimes we keep stuff and then we don't....lol

 

[bobbywalter]

if you settle on the equivalent of a 2 inch body lift in the cab mount building you should be good. the tunnel wont be an issue, the heater box will need some heat applied to it to form it back out of the way.


leave the eec4 system in-tact and make it "stand alone" and leave the ranger wiring in-tact sans its eec system.

power up the eec4 system and its fuel pump feed to the key on along with the o2 heaters and call it done.

i would just drive it like that for a bit, maybe convert the front leafs to coil with ttb 44 beams and brackets unless the tons upgrade was indeed a straight 60.

 

[fordman1]

Thanks for the info! When i get the cab on the frame will try the 2" lift. Im still unsure what to do about the wiring to make the 5.8 EFI run and I think all I have to do is put a 12v source to the fuse panel in the ranger to make lights, heat fan and radio work, is that correct? Been doing some studying on the computer that is in the full size and think i know what to take out and put inthe ranger.

 

[bobbywalter]

the 89 is a pia on its setup to make it stand alone. it has a seperat setup to the fuel pumps.


try this to simplify it for you.


make a jumper wire or buy one with aligater clips and like 30-40 inches, leave the key right off and if its a manual trans make sure it in neutral and its parking braked or blocked.........run power right from the battery to the coil positive.

jump the solonoid to start it. should run ok.

if you cant figure out how to make the system stand alone from there, you probably have a hard time wiring stereos too...but you can do it.


if you leave all the ranger chassis wiring and just hook up the positives and grounds this thing should be cake.

 

[mercurymullet]

My mountaineer has 1/2 of a full size bronco frame under it. You can't tell until you notice the full width D44 TTB bolts up and it is a 97 with a steering box. My body came off several times.