$20xx V8 Ranger

This build will be nothing crazy or groundbreaking, but I figured I could get some good advice if I posted it up.

My buddy and I have been talking for a few years now about building a car for the challenge but it never really leads anywhere. We were once again not going to do it this year, but we decided last minute to try and make it for 2021, though i'm not entirely convinced it will happen. 

Anyhow, I bought this 1996 ranger from a coworker for a cheap truck to run around in and get good mileage. He was the second owner since 75,000 miles, and it currently has 305,000 on it, on the original 4 cylinder. It's actually quite a fun truck to drive, but it desperately needs some more power. I wanted a cheap truck to have fun with, and we needed challenge vehicle, so here we are.

The Ranger

and the lovely engine donor

This is an 88 Grand Marquis that was being turned into an enduro racer. It was listed for $700 but I was able to pick it up for $350. It has a good running 5.0/AOD, though I hope to find a manual trans at the junkyard. I feel pretty confident in the engine swap side of things, its the suspension setup i'm concerned about. Well need to figure out shocks and springs that are stiff enough. I believe F150 springs are a good replacement, and they're stiffer. An explorer rear sway bar should bolt in, though a rear axle would be even better.

I'm mostly going to use this as a place to write out my thoughts, and hopefully get some help along the way.

That's ambitious.  A V8 swap and manual swap in two months would kill me but I'm old.  Interested as I once considered a V8 Ranger for the Challenge even going as far as buying a $250 Ranger.

Yeah, I definitely don't disagree that it's ambitious, but deadlines are good to have.

Went to the junkyard today looking for a m5od-r2 trans out of a v6 f150, struck out there. It was already pulled. Found a 3.73 lsd 8.8 in an explorer, but wasn't able to get it out with the tools I had brought. Hopefully be able to try again this week.

Ooh. What are your plans for that Grand Marquis after the motor is out of it?

(I can't buy another project, I can't buy another project, I can't buy another project...)

In reply to slowbird :

the grand marquis is in worse shape than it appears in the picture. It's destined to a life of enduro racing now.

In other news. After talking to someone who knows more than I about SBF, I decided it was a better idea to find an explorer motor. I found a tboned 99, but it still runs and drives great. I'll be able to use the axle and the engine out of this. It has the 3.73/LSD 8.8

Explorer donor is a great choice. 

If you haven't seen Andy's V8 Ranger build I would spend some time reading the issues he dealt with.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/lof8s-automotive-adventures-rally-ranger-circle-tr/99431/page2/

Another friend did the swap and iirc the body had to be separated from the frame to get the engine in place. They fought with a FI, then carb issue for some time but if your donor is running fine then it shouldn't be an issue. My $0.02, build the Ranger for 2022 and bring the enduro racer this year with some BMF sway bars and some fresh rubber that you could reuse next year. Again, my $0.02. Take it with a large grain of salt.

Now your on the right track. For the trans a newer trans out of a v6 mustang might be a viable option and cheap. Also I bet with a little work could probably use a Hydraulic master cylinder and pedal assembly. Just need to find an external slave with the right travel. If your going to have get a drive shaft made look at the 2005 and newer xterras. They are aluminum and use the same u joint as my mustang which is a 97. 

Good luck

In reply to hobiercr :

I think I've read all of the ranger threads on here several times! They've been very helpful in figuring out what I want to do.

I honestly don't think that we'll make it down this year, but if we can get the swap done before it gets cold I wont have to worry about it sitting all winter.

+1 explorer is a much better choice. Also the auto is probably best for the challenge. (cheaper, hardly any slower in the autox, maybe faster in the drags since launches are easier and much more repeatable). I know, auto sucks the fun out, but you can buy a lot of nitrous for the difference in price between an AOD and a T5. 

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

I 100% agree with this, but I plan for this truck to be a DD/parts runner after the challenge, and don't want to do everything for the auto just to swap it out afterwords.

I have found a manual trans, just have to find time this week to pick it up.

This may be jumping the gun a little bit, but I'd like to do more looking. I'm trying to figure out the tire situation. I know that you get one set of tires that don't count toward your budget, which is great, but I don't want to drop a bunch of money on tires for the challenge, which won't work well for street driving afterwords, which is what I will be doing 90% of the time.

It seems I could get a set of dedicated used slicks just for the challenge, or try and find a tire that works well for after the challenge, knowing that I'm going to give up some performance.

I plan on trying to run the 15" wheels from the explorer which definitely narrows the selection a bit. I could try and find a set of 16" or 17" but hard to say if  I would have the budget for that.

I've looked around for some tires that fit the bill, but I would like to hear some advice or recommendations from others.

Call the used racing slicks guys in the back of the magazine. Seriously, they will be able to get you something that will work great for the challenge. My experience is they are $50-60 per tire.

15 is probably a good size for used slicks.

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

Thanks for the advice, I gave him a call, he only had some Hoosier R7's in 15" and i'm not sure how full on slicks would handle on the drag strip. He recommended I find some 18" wheels for better selection.

I have the catalytic converters sold for $200 and the front diff sold for $150. So that's a good start.

I don't know where you are but I have a set of  Jeep wheels at Challenge pricing that will fit that Ford. 

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/parts-sale/challenge-wheels-5-x-45-with-rotten-tires-need-a-good-home/185563/page1/ 

Not as much progress as I hoped this weekend, but did get some work done. We got the 5.0 from the explorer pulled Saturday. Monday we were able to get the 2.3 pulled out of the ranger. The hope was to get the 5.0 mocked up yet, but ran out of time.

I put an order in for a clutch kit and some other parts for the install. Hopefully we'll be able to get the engine in this next weekend and test fire it.

Can someone verify that these are GT40P heads? I was really hoping that I would have the non P heads, as P heads make the header situation much more difficult.

I 'thought' (but this is something from a long time ago), that the GT40 heads were one year only on explorers. 96 maybe. a 99 would almost definitely have P heads. 

a quick google seems to confirm that 3 bars is GT40 and 4 bars is GT40P, and im pretty sure I count 4 bars there. 

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

For some reason I thought the explorer was a 99, it's a 97.

But I see 4 there too, so I suppose that cements it.

This should be fun. Good luck to you!

Someone sold a really, really nice V8 5MT Ranger here last year.  Here is the Ranger Build thread.  I really, really wish I had the money to buy it at the time.

In reply to Hoondavan :

I also really wish I could've bought it. 

AWSX1686 (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Hoondavan :

I also really wish I could've bought it. 

Thirded - had much want but would have led to marital discord...

In reply to Hoondavan :

That thread was a big inspiration in my picking up the ranger!

Well I'm finding out that building to a budget is harder than a guy would think.

This last weekend we planned to have the motor in the truck, only to find out one of the engine mounts I bought was incorrect. Even though everybody says you need to swap the oil pan and filter, I for some reason thought I wouldn't have to (Spoiler: I Did), So the motor didn't get in last weekend. All the parts I need should be showing up today though, so the hope is to get the motor in this weekend.

I was hoping to get to one test and tune this year before the track closes, which is 9/24. It might be a mad rush, but I'm still going to try and make it. I only have to install the drivetrain, wire it up, build an exhaust, put the front end back together. Should be easy, right?

I've recouped all I can from the explorer, and don't think I'll be able to recoup anything from the ranger trans/motor. I have $772 left in the budget, and still need to buy shocks, build an exhaust, hopefully find some used radials, and all the other stuff I know I'm forgetting about.

I was curious if there might a challenge priced shock that would work well for what I'm doing. I was looking at a set of Belltechs @ 45/piece, which doesn't seem terrible, but certainly eats up a chunk of budget. Figured there might be a better option with budget in mind.

In reply to NBraun :

The explorer rear requires two of the same side axle plates to mate with the stock ranger shock location. This is due to the spring under vs the ranger spring over design. You get a 4" drop in the end. For shocks you can use 89 Nissan D21 rear shocks for pennies vs the overpriced belltechs.

You can still recoup the engine and transmission for either a core or scrap value. 

NBraun said:

Not as much progress as I hoped this weekend, but did get some work done. We got the 5.0 from the explorer pulled Saturday. Monday we were able to get the 2.3 pulled out of the ranger. The hope was to get the 5.0 mocked up yet, but ran out of time.

I put an order in for a clutch kit and some other parts for the install. Hopefully we'll be able to get the engine in this next weekend and test fire it.

 

Can someone verify that these are GT40P heads? I was really hoping that I would have the non P heads, as P heads make the header situation much more difficult.

 

Yes.