Sports car technology in a humble little truck

[Uncle Gump]

I like them. The prices are reasonable, too.

Agreed...

I just really want to sit in one before I pull the trigger. So... I bought a set of seat covers for the Bronco II and hope to find someone that has them and wouldn't mind me doing a feel test.

They sure would look good in my new rig.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

I'm here now, too.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yes. When I bought my 2007 Mustang, it was on there. I upgraded the stang to a Boss 429 style scoop and put the little one on the Ranger. As would be expected ,the Mustang handles that favorite road of mine even better. ANd it's outfitted with both front and rear strut tower braces as well. Wish someone made one for the old Ranger.

View attachment 72444View attachment 72445

The ranger would have to have strut towers to brace first...

 

[cbxer55]

The ranger would have to have strut towers to brace first...

Maybe what I'm thinking of is shock towers. Not strut towers. Hmmmm..........

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Maybe what I'm thinking of is shock towers. Not strut towers. Hmmmm..........
View attachment 72446

Same same.

Your Ranger doesn't have them, shock/spring mounts are on the frame beside almost below the engine.

 

[Lefty]

I noticed another little interesting piece of sports car technology in my MGB. It's rather rare. I don't even know what it's called. A loop of chain was wrapped loosely around either end of the axle outward toward the wheels. My mechanic explained it was a racing trick used for leaf spring spring suspension. It held the rear end down on hard corners and kept the springs from hyper extending.

I've wondered if the same trick might be helpful for off right applications on the Ranger.

 

[Lefty]

Same same.

Your Ranger doesn't have them, shock/spring mounts are on the frame beside almost below the engine.

Also, that Ranger frame is quite flexible, not as rigid as it could be for sports applications.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I noticed another little interesting piece of sports car technology in my MGB. It's rather rare. I don't even know what it's called. A loop of chain was wrapped loosely around either end of the axle outward toward the wheels. My mechanic explained it was a racing trick used for leaf spring spring suspension. It held the rear end down on hard corners and kept the springs from hyper extending.

I've wondered if the same trick might be helpful for off right applications on the Ranger.

Limit straps are common for high speed offroading so you don't pull driveshaft apart etc.

 

[Lefty]

"Limit Straps!" Very good!

 

[Lefty]

I'm here now, too.

The 3.0 Vulcan is not all that sporty. Take, for example. the Buick Fireball 6. At 3.1 liters, it goes like an 8. It is, in essence, a Chevy 350 with 2 cylinders sawed off. It offers good economy too. It's considered on of the top 10 engines ever made. https://www.hagerty.com/media/autom...ne-of-the-most-successful-engines-in-history/

Still the Ranger is just a humble little truck. It does a great job of getting chickens to the market on time. Ford could have done a better job, but not on the cheap.

 

[cbxer55]

Same same.

Your Ranger doesn't have them, shock/spring mounts are on the frame beside almost below the engine.

I haven't had to lift the hood a lot lately. I could've sworn it did. Because I was looking at it trying to figure if I could make something myself. But it's too damn cold to even want t go outside today. It'll have to wait til tomorrow.

 

[don4331]

Also, that Ranger frame is quite flexible, not as rigid as it could be for sports applications.

That's why you add a light bar (previously know as a roll bar) and cage the cab, extending to the engine bay. Mark Donahue was one of the 1st to link his "safety cage" to the suspension pick up points to make his race car more rigid.

 

[Roert42]

I haven't had to lift the hood a lot lately. I could've sworn it did. Because I was looking at it trying to figure if I could make something myself. But it's too damn cold to even want t go outside today. It'll have to wait til tomorrow.

 

[Ranger850]

The 3.0 Vulcan is not all that sporty.

The Vulcan 3.0 is a high RPM motor... engine. It will get better MPGs and performance when you are above 3k rpm. I used to think the same, until I learned this. If you have an auto trans, then you might be out of luck, but I had a manual, so i could shift whenever I wanted to.

 

[Lefty]

The Vulcan 3.0 is a high RPM motor... engine. It will get better MPGs and performance when you are above 3k rpm. I used to think the same, until I learned this. If you have an auto trans, then you might be out of luck, but I had a manual, so i could shift whenever I wanted to.

Interesting. I have the automatic. But I recently installed a chip. which allows the motor rev just a little more. It's a small but noticeable change.