BBR's '88 Ranger. A semi-serious race truck build.

[Captain]

All sorts of NEW Shiny Bits !!!

Budget; 100% times π = Xfinity

[BBR]

Lol. I'm kinda going against David Freiburger's "don't get it right, just get it running" mantra with this project.

I want this one to be right. I finally have a little more freedom to do that, so that is the path I am choosing this time.

[BBR]

Yanking the bed off!

[DanStokes]

Not a bed idea!

[Captain]

"NOW ! I Got Some Fight'n Room"
(Texas Jack in the Great Race)

[BBR]

Our 9" Ford parts pile is just about complete. The 31 spline cut-to-fit axles & rear disc brake kit from Speedway Motors just arrived in record time. The housing ends and spring perches should be here later today.

[BBR]

With the bed off, my brain naturally started thinking about fuel systems.

Current train of thought is a dual fuel system. Basically use the stock-ish stuff for street driving and then use a stand-along system for the track.

Maybe put a 340 pump in the stock tank and then use a 5 gallon fuel cell and a big / dual pump setup.

[BBR]

The last big link for the rear suspension showed up today. For BBR 1.0 I built my own CalTracs. This time I decided I didn't want to go through all that again. It was fun, but, "been there, done that".
Shortly after they arrived, I received a phone call from AJE. He was asking if I was interested in doing a triangulated 4 link (Fox Mustang style) rear suspension. Currently, I am not convinced that is the route I would like to go with this truck. Caltracs are proven performers and I feel like they are a good fit for a drag-n-drive truck. Anyway, he is going to send me some more info and pics and stuff of how it all goes together. I' just leary of installing a 4 link with limited geometry adjustments.

[BBR]

Checking the fit!

[BBR]

Checking the wheel fit and doing a lot of measuring on the bed shows that things are going to be pretty tight. The distance from the edge of the leaf spring to the outer fender lip is barely wide enough for a decent size tire.

One of my commenters on YouTube suggested relocating the leaf springs under the frame rails using Explorer front hangers. I looked into that a bit today and that looks like it might be a decent idea. The front pivot is already below the frame level so that wouldn't change much. It would certainly open up a TON of room in the fenders for whatever size tire I wanted to run.

You can get a set of the hangers on Ebay for about $60 and they come with bolts to install them.

Might give it a looksie.

[BBR]

Down bars? Check.

[BBR]

Executive decision.

I am going to relocate the leafs under the frame. The more I thought about it, the better the idea sounded. I am trying hard to build this truck where it will be a platform I can enjoy for years to come. One aspect of that is to not build myself into a corner. Leaving the leafs in the stock location really narrows my wheel and tire options to a fairly small range. Plus I am here now, so let's just do it and be done forever and not wish I had when the bed was off!

The plan is:
Explorer front hangers
F250 bolt-in rear leaf spring pivots
Mopar style straight shackles

To do this I just need to remove a bunch of rivets and then drill a bunch of holes. *Should* be fairly straight-forward.

[BBR]

Yanked the rear end out today! Next will be grinding off 16 rivets. Bleeeech.

[DanStokes]

Yanked the rear end out today! Next will be grinding off 16 rivets. Bleeeech.

If I lived closer I'd come grind rivet heads for you. I really don't mind that job.

[Captain]

Me too !!
I even have Sacrificial Clothes to wear for the One Time full of Sparklely Holes and Occasional Fire.