Little Ford Ranger with a big V8 leads to a pickup that can make short work of a Nissan sports car.
This week’s “Truckin’ Fast Wednesday” video features a Ford Ranger that has been worked for proper domination on the drag strip. The details are short, but we know that this Ranger is powered by a 302 cubic inch V8 that has been stroked to 347 cubic inches and topped with a set of Dart heads. We can also see that this truck is rear-wheel drive with some big, beefy tires tucked under the flared besides. And from the sound of this small Ford truck during the run, we know that it is fitted with an automatic transmission.
So, what do you get when you install a 347 cubic inch V8 stroker motor and the associated drivetrain items into a small Ford Ranger? You get a small Ford truck that will beat down a great many performance cars, including the Nissan 370Z in the video below.
Unfortunately, this video begins as the 347-powered Ford Ranger rolls out of the water box, with the sticky Hoosier drag slicks heated up and ready for action. The 370Z is already staged when the Ranger rolls into the beams, and this is the closest the little Nissan will get to the old school Ford pickup, as this race is over pretty much as soon as it begins.
When the green lights drop, the Ranger quickly pulls out to an early lead. Even though the launch doesn’t look all that great, the Ford truck immediately takes a big lead and the driver never had to look back, as we can see that on the big end – the Ranger raced to an easy win.
Due to some questionable camera work, we don’t get to see what these vehicles run, but in looking at other videos of this Ford Ranger, we know that it tends to run in the 11.5-11.7 range, which is more than enough to stomp the 370Z.
"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.
