I went and picked up (for $100) an '84 Ford Ranger long bed 2wd, ex-forestry service truck, and so has begun the 'forest ranger' project. I will also be going to pick up a complete, running '79 F-150 this weekend which has a 351M, 4-speed granny, 205, D44, 9". I'm also picking up a 351W 2bbl out of a '71 Galaxie 500.

Questions are:
What kind of 4-speed tranny is most likely in the F-150, and how hard will it be to find a Windsor bellhousing to fit it?

Is there anything considerably different about the '71 351w vs. the later model truck ones, i.e. different block castings, different heads, etc? The plan is to just do a stock style rebuild with a good torquey cam, 4bbl intake, and holley truck avenger.

Are the rear springs on the F-150 worth running on the rear or the ranger? How do they flex, compared to say, 52" chevies? Any suggestions on other leaf springs that will be super flexy and match the ~5" of lift on the front?

How hard will it be to stuff a 351w in the ranger engine compartment? I see lots of 302 swaps, but not many 351's?

Any suggestions on a good radiator to run (that could be found in a junkyard, or otherwise generally cheap) that would cool the SBF but fit in the ranger?


So far we have the Ranger completely striped down to the frame, with the cab sitting on a rolling jig that we built. The rear of the frame rails are about rusted through, so I'm going to hack them off behind the cab and go with 2x6x3/16" box tubing, mocking the factory frame. As for the drivetrain, the plans are 351w/4-spd/203+205/D44/9", locked f/r, and I'll be running 33x12.50-15 swampers. Suspension will hopefully be very flexy with james duff coils and leafs in the rear.

Thanks for any info, I'm sure I'll have more questions as the project progresses.
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

 

It would be SOOO much easier to just put the ranger cab on the F-150 frame...like this guy did.....

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=285805

he has a cool rig, he also built an airbag setup that ive been thinking about doing for years...i was glad to see someone else do it so i know im not ALL that crazy!!

check out his webpage,claycounty4x4 or something, the link is in that thread somewhere, he put alot of effort in that truck.

 

Very true, but, then it wouldn't be a Ranger anymore. I love fabricating and love a challenge so I think I'll stick with the Ranger frame and cab and just stuff the 1/2 ton drivetrain in it. The goal is to end up with what looks like just another lifted Ranger on 33's from a distance, but something that will be a 'sleeper' on the trails.

 

Cool deal, if you have the skills and the tools to fab it up, then by all means go for it!! i would love to see pics ,it should be a cool rig...But in all honesty,full size axles will kinda make it loose the""stock" ranger look!! and from what you have said, the only thing left of the ranger is the cab and half the frame right?? but hey, who am i to say what you should do?? do what you want and have fun doing it is what i say!! good luck with your project and post pics of the progress!!

 

I will def. post pics as it progresses. Here are a few from the 2 days of work we've done on it so far...

The Victim:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...X/AUT_1764.jpg

My Ultra-careful engine removal lol:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...X/AUT_1769.jpg

The cab on the rolling jig:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...X/AUT_1770.jpg

The plan is to repaint it the same Forestry Service Green, and put the red VA Forestry service badges on the doors (similar, but not exactly like the real ones, to keep things legal).

 

actually if you want to keep the more stock appearence put a set of EB axles in they are about the right width otherwise your tires stick way out (check my galleries the 88 has fullsize axles the brown ranger has EB axles)

 

what ya gunna do with the engine/trans out of ranger,looking for one that runs
email me

 

Well, since I'll already have the F-150 axles the plan is to just narrow them to approximately ranger width. I have everything needed to properly narrow them in the shop, so it shouldn't be a big job really. I'll have to get the long side D44 and the 9" shafts cut and re-splined at a machine shop, but that shouldn't be to expensive.

 

bet I would check on those prices first, I totally understand using what you have but if you add the price you could sell the full size stuff for, and the cost of narrowing them (I know just the machine shop bill for having the axles done) you could probably pick up a set of EB axles, and save a bunch of headaches, plus if you ever broke an axle you can get a replacement without having to buy either a custom axle or get another full size axle, and hve it cut, and resplined again.
Just thinking of total costs, and down the road cost.

 

Those are all things I have considered, but I still think I want to cut down the F-150 axles. I'm not very knowledgable on the EB axles, but I believe that some of the fronts had drums, and the rears used the smaller 28sp shafts. Both of which are things I'd like to avoid. Plus, there are very, very, few EB's around here, virtually none in the junk yards. There was a guy around here that cut down a front D44 and I believe it cost about $60 to get the axle shaft cut and resplined, so I imagine it would be about $180 to get all three shafts cut.

 

if you just take those axles to a machine shop to get cut and resplined....you will lose alot of strength....cut splines are Much weaker than the stock rolled splines

 

If this is the case, which I have heard before, what do yall suggest I do to narrow these axles? Full-width will be way too wide for what I want, and EB axles see like a lot of work to get them up to par.

 

find out waggy width and narrow the front to waggy, i dont know the rear..

personally i like fullwidths under a ranger...if you get some wheels with 3.5 or more backspacing its really not all that bad

 

Yeah, I'm starting to think that leaving the axles full width might not be all bad. If I run some decently backspaced 15x8" wheels with 34x10.50 swampers I think they might not stick out too bad.

 

Why not just narrow the fullsize axles to eb width, then use a set of eb axles, wether you get an aftermarket set of ones from napa, either way it'll be cheaper and stronger than resplining the axle, but using the fullsize axles will give you better leaverage on the springs and result in better overall flex.