Well folks, got the Ranger near stripped down. Sure like the looks of it, better than the S-10 I had done before. I am thinking of switching mules here and putting the 47 Effie on the Ranger instead of on the S-10. Whatcha say? And with all the negative talk about the twin I beam front on the Ranger, I wonder if I should consider something else? Like some kind of frame clip? And what should I consider? What is compatible with the Ranger frame for a clip to match? I know -- I could go the MII route, but not into that kinda stuff, money, all that rot! If I leave the I beams, I would like to add a power steering box. Got one in my old Chevy van I could use! Thanks;

 

My 88 Ranger came with power steering. You should be able to find one that fits right in with the I beams. Look at some newer models up to 98. Very little got changed on these frames up to 98. You should be able to find a power steering set up that bolts right on.

I like the I-Beams. I've never managed to mess em up enough to require repair, and i've tried. I haven't noticed much difference in ride quality between the older I-beams and the A-arm style front suspension. The beams seem to ride a little more like a truck, but since i'm building a truck...
It might help you decide how important it is to swap this front end if you could drive one of these rangers. If you knew somebody that had one, you could run it over some railroad tracks or some really bad washboard just to see how it handles. You could then compare it to other front suspensions. Maybe even test drive a couple at used car lots or something. They're not as bad as people make out, and you can get aftermarket springs that will soften em up a lot.

I didn't get pics of how my 46 cab sat on the ranger frame before modification. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you get me some when you get that far. It seems like the cab mounts were really close and I wish that I would have documented how close for future projects. I've had a few questions about my project since I made the mods that could be easier answered with these pics.

P.S.
Save the firewall out of that ranger. The clutch, and brake booster panel can be welded into the 46 firewall. This gives you a brake booster mount, clutch mount, steering column mount, and a place to mount your pedals. All in a patch panel that is only about 12 inches across. Look at the firewall, you'll see the panel i'm talking about. I would also cut out the Ranger fuel pedal mount it works better with newer motors than the factory 40's one.

 

OK Fix. And thanks again for the good advice. I will save a chunk of the firewall as you suggest. I have taken out the column and unbolted most of the pedal bracketts, I'll finish that next round as well as the accelerator. My Ranger didn't have a brake booster but I have one on my old chevy van that I removed the motor from. I'm thinking now about a 302 ford to put in the ranger/effie and use the SBC for my Rat project (37/38 GMC) cab on the S-10 frame! Say Fix, are you happy with the installed ride height of your Ranger/Effie? My Ranger seems to be taller than the S-10. I have yet to try the cab on the Ranger frame of course, but looks like it might ride higher? I passed on that 300 dollar 51 F6. The metal wasn't all that great and the motor hadn't been run or turned over for 3-4 years. And it was a looooonng wheelbase critter which would have added to my difficulty in getting it home. And add another orphan to my growing collection of metal in the yard! And having that Effie here would have enticed me to try to use it somehow! So-------. By the way, I came by issue number 1 of truck builder which happens to have an article on chopping the top of a 47 Ford pickup. They took out 2 inches and put it back together without cutting and filling the top! Just forcibly aligned the A pillars and coaxed the B pillars some. Looked good when it was done. That has got me thinking again about a chop. Not having to cut the roof into sections and add pieces adds some incentive to the project. Well, got to go do my duty and vote. oldrodder43

 

The ride hieght on my 46 is alot higher than my 41 (factory frame). I used the rubber mounts from the Ranger, so I could lower it by about 1 1/2 inches by just removing those. I think it's still higher than the 40, but the stock ride hieght on the 46 was pretty close to the same as it is now. The 46 was just a taller truck from the begining. If you look at the pictures in my gallery you can see that the ride hieght is close to stock. I will be adding 15 inch wheels, so it will go up a bit, but it shouldn't be much.

You could always lower the factory ranger cab brackets, since they rivet onto the side of the frame rails. As long as you can move the floor pan up in the cab (pretty easily done), you should be able to go about three inches lower. If you flipped the factory Ranger cab brackets upside down, you could probably go almost five inches lower, but at some point the floor of the cab is going to get too high to drive it, and the wheels are going to stick out the top of the fenders.

What year is that truck builder issue. Maybe my local library can get it for me.

I wouldn't have guessed that the pillars would move enough to allow for a chop without sectioning the roof. I would be worried about getting a buckle in the roof. These roofs are hard enough to get straight without adding some new stress to it. You're going to want to move the rear glass anyway, so that it still looks centered. I've never personaly done a chop, but I've seen it done. If everything is braced up before the cut, it can go pretty easily. There's just a lot of metal fab and filling to be done.

 

Thanks Fix. Good morning. I will look the frame and mounts all over when I get it clean. I have been thinking of lowered I beams for the front and swap the rear over the springs, maybe cut a notch into the frame and re-inforce it. I would rather not fool around with the floor cut-out and re-install. UGH. I will do that on my Rat project though. That floor is pretty rotten anyways. But this '47 is so nice that I hesitate to cut it up, especially with my lack of experience and all. I have never yet even tried MIG welding, so it's gonna be a learning experience as well. And I haven't even bought a unit yet. I have done quite a lot of ARC welding over the years, albeit infrequently. But I do have a Nephew who is a professional to help out. The TRUCK BUILDER magazine is October 2001, their first issue. Co-incidentally, I think today I am buying a lot of 12 mags that has that issue in it too. I can send it along if you want. Yes, I wondered about the roof changing shape what with the forcing of the A pillar during that chop, but these folks were a Professional shop, so one would think that they knew what they were doing. There is another mag, Street Rod Builder, April 2002, that supposedly has an article on a top chop on a 1940 Ford Pickup. I am still searching for that one. I also have a book coming on top chops. Well, I might not have the gumption to cut it anyways. Besides I'm tall, no danger of bumping my head on it now! (chuckle). Hopefully this weekend we will be able to get the motor out and the cab assembly off the Ranger, if the weather is decent. Still working outside on this. After we get it stripped, derusted and painted, we'll move it into our neighbor's garage to work on. Good winter project! oldrodder43

 

Hi Oldrodder, I see a few years have passed since the last post, I am a new member and thinking of using a Ranger or S10 to convert mo 40 1/2 T to a 4x4. So have you finished, did you use the ranger differental ? If so what tires and wheels did you use. Did you stay with the front I beams?
Any other info would be appreaciated.
Thanks
Dizdw

 

Well let me add some input. It may look like a easy chop, but its not really. I chopped my 40 pu 2 1/2 inches. I have chopped a few cars and trucks in my life and although the 40 was not the hardest, it was not easiest. Matter fact I ended up using 2 top caps. My truck is not completed but the cabs finished in primer and mounted to the frame which is a 2002 ford ranger,simluar to a s-10. The reason for using the ranger instead like most using a s-10. Is because I happen to have one that was rolled. The running gear was install and has been run several times like 20 minutes. Its a 383 sbc turbo 400, the frame is all finished . I did set the firewall back like 2 1/2 inches to clear a hei dist. You were talking about heights. with 26 1/2 inch tires just rollers for now. The back of my cab is 95 inches from the ground. I have not installed the front fenders or bed yet. so I dont know the total gound clearence. But from the bottom of my door to the ground is 11 inches. From the top of my firewall to the ground is 43 1/2 inches. I know this all will be less and lower after I install the front end sheetmetal and the bed. I have not install a bed because I do not have one. And the few I found at swap meets were to much work. So after I get all the measurements on a stock 6 ft 40 bed, I plan on building one out of new flat sheetmetal. I can do it all and it will look the same, with the exception of the side off set. Mine will be smooth. But what the heck, its no longer a orginal pu. I have a few pictures of it , and do not mine sending them to you, but Im not sure how to load them in this forum. I can email them. It looks cool, but like I said its lacking the front sheetmetal and the bed. O one more thing in case your wondering I had a friend sit in it and close the doors hes like 6'1" and weight around 250 lbs sitting in it with a ball cap on. And a 17 " banjo steering wheel, with a bench seat installed. But face it 40s cabs are small,not like a later model.
O gee ! I wrote a book ,too much