Superdave1984's V-8 swap

[superdave1984]

Here's my $600 truck. Started out looking very sad, but runs very good. Then I put the rims off my Jeep, new tires, some near perfect fenders and a near perfect bed. Yeah it looks kinda funny, but gimme a few months.

 

[WhiteBroncoII2WD]

call me crazy, but I like the old Ranger wheels. So what's next in the plans?

 

[superdave1984]

A paint job is about it. I did get a cloth seat out of an XLT to replace the tattered vinyl one.

 

[Psychopete]

A paint job is about it. I did get a cloth seat out of an XLT to replace the tattered vinyl one.

Just paint the front end blue and call it done.

Pete

 

[WhiteBroncoII2WD]

Just paint the front end blue and call it done.

Pete

And you would then have a very patriotic truck

 

[superdave1984]

Just paint the front end blue and call it done.

Pete

Actually the front fenders were a pale blue. I just primered them because it looked really weird. Ugliest pale blue EVER.

 

[Mechanickid]

I think if it was me i would put some gen 2 alloys on it paint it green and drive it.

 

[superdave1984]

I think if it was me i would put some gen 2 alloys on it paint it green and drive it.

It has a red interior. That would look weird.
Here's a crude MS Paint rendering of what it will look like. Sorta.

 

[superdave1984]

Finally got to shoot some primer on this thing. Now the hours and hours of blocking. woo freaking hoo.

 

[superdave1984]

Since I have my donor car I am ordering the rest of the stuff for the 5.0 swap. Ordered the ceramic coated Tri-Y headers today. Those things are PURDY. Next up, oil filter relocation kit and motor mounts. This project should be done by June.

 

[superdave1984]

UPDATE: June came and went. Twice. Now it's June again and I'm still not finished. The bodywork is about 95% finished and here's a teaser of what I have been doing when I have a few free minutes. More pics to come. Hopefully you can't see the Exxon Valdez-esque spill of trans fluid under the truck. Idiot me forgot to plug the speedo cable hole. Thank God for kitty litter. I still have to center it up and get it wired, plumbed, my sexy tri-Y headers on, etc. Used the 71 F-100 motor mounts. I need to elongate the holes in the frame so I can center the engine, but the fit is nice.
Oh, if anybody has a windshield washer reservoir they don't need would you please hook me up. Those things don't take impact very well.

Sorry for the camera phone quality. I've got more on the good camera, just haven't gotten them off of it yet. My wife took a look and said "am I supposed to be impressed?" She is clueless when it comes to stuff like this. Ordering some sexy valve covers today.

 

[superdave1984]

OK, the truck mounts are NOT what I need. Ordered the vert mounts today. The truck mounts would work fine if they were tall enough. Elongating the holes to allow them to go into the frame make the engine sit so low that the oil pan is sitting on the driver side suspension and the mount still isn't to the frame. So anybody wanting to go cheap on mounts, get some 1/4" flat stock and make some plates to either move it back a ways or mount the mounts in the existing frame holes (which would set it up nice and high) and make the plates so they mount to the mounts and the block. I added a write up I found somewhere about vert mounts to another thread but here it is again.

87-93 Convertible & 94-95 GT Mustang motor mounts for your 83-97 Ranger

These mounts are popular because they allow you to position the motor pretty much as far back as possible (heads less than an inch from firewall) and low down as well. They're simple to install, (2 slotted holes, about 5/8" x 1-1/2"). They are inexpensive, roughly $30-40 for the pair.

Basic install procedure:

-Bolt mounts to block. (Some members have found that the left mount needs to go on the right side and vice-versa, I found that with my 95 GT mounts this wasn't the case.)
-Lower engine into engine bay, either with tranny attached, or with
tranny waiting under truck, resting on crossmembers.
-Bolt tranny to engine if not already done. (you may have to clearance your firewall/tranny tunnel seam. I was able to position my motor low enough that the AOD would have cleared it)
-Lower engine as far as possible, so that mount studs are resting on rossmember.
-Crawl under truck, measure from framerail to framerail and center tailshaft of tranny. It doesn't matter how you do it really, just secure it so it can't move side to side.
-Make sure engine is located in the center of the engine bay, measure between framerails...also check for level.
-Check to see if you can put it further back. Ideal position would be with heads about 1/2" or so from firewall, depending on whether or not you have to use the air injection. Also note that the firewall is not totally straight, so worry more about getting your motor in square than both heads being the same distance from the firewall.
-Check tailshaft to see that it's sitting at the right height. It HAS to be at the same height that it'll be at when bolted to your crossmember, or your head/firewall clearance will be off. Use a jack to keep it supported temporarily if need be.
-Mark where studs are hitting crossmember.
-Remove engine, you can leave tranny in if you want to.
-Drill holes where studs were hitting crossmember. Drill another set of holes about 1-1/2 - 1-3/4" further down on the crossmember.
-Cut out the material between the holes, leaving you with a slot.
-Drop motor back in, and attach to tranny, mounts should drop right into slots.
-That's it.

 

[RangerSVT]

This must be a leap day build, huh?? Looks good so far
SVT

 

[superdave1984]

This must be a leap day build, huh?? Looks good so far
SVT

It sat for a couple years and I just got back on it recently. I only spend a few hours a week on it and if I hit something that really ticks me off I lock the door and don't come back for several days.

 

[RangerSVT]

Maybe you should bring it over to my shop so I can get some progress on it for ya
SVT