Mustang’s 5.0-liter V8 turns sharp-looking Ranger into sick burnout machine.
The Ford Ranger’s return to the US market is slated for 2019 or 2020. When it arrives, it will most likely be powered by a variety of 4-cylinder engines, and one of the EcoBoost V6 motors. The American Ranger has previously been offered with either a four or 6-cylinder engine, and as many of our “Tire Smokin'” videos have shown, these typically provide enough power for the small truck to roast its rear tires.
However, the owner is this sharp-looking first-generation Ford Ranger decided that his small pickup needed big power. Rather than the sporting the small motor from the factory, this Ranger wears the 5.0-liter V8 and 5-speed manual transmission from a Ford Mustang GT!
As you can imagine, putting a powerful V8 in a Ford Ranger makes for one quick little truck, but more importantly for today’s feature, all of the power being channeled to the rear wheels turns this small pickup into wicked burnout machine.
The video kicks off just as the burnout begins, and it doesn’t take much time or effort for this midsize truck to begin spewing smoke from the rear wheels. The driver immediately lets the truck roll forward while keeping the revs high and the tires smoking hard.
In the end, this early model Ford Ranger uses its V8 to lay down at least a hundred feet of rubber on the road, creating one hell of a smoke show in the process. Best of all, the only soundtrack is the sweet roar of five liters of American muscle.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
