Big Motor, Little Truck. The BBR... aka "Tooth and Nail"

[BBR]

This project began as a simple engine/trans swap, but don't they all. ;D Now it's a 545" aluminum headed, roller cammed, efi'd, RMVB transbraked, monster. I chose a Ranger because they are cheap, and I don't feel too bad about taking a saw to anything that gets in my way. :D :D :D

Few hilites of the progress:

Began with basically a 1986 spec HO 5.0L. Pretty boring.


The motor: Original plan was to do a quickie rebuild and toss it in....


Dirty engine bay:


Clean(er) engine bay:


Mopar A-body diff:


Diff installed


Semi-current engine pic:


Fuel injector bung install:










In the next week or two, the engine and trans should finally be sitting in the frame for the last time. I'll throw up a few more pics of that and the fuel cell install later on.

;D

[BigBlockMopar]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

Slick... ;D

[blu65ramb]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

Do your plans include a chute!!!! ;D ;D ;D

[milner351]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

LOVE IT
I have it's more timid little brother.

Mine is an '86 with a '95 splash stepside 'glass bed.

it has a 351C4v with a C6 - and the most "creative" homebuilt headers I've ever seen - done poorly and very rusty - but somebody spent a lot of time putting them together - but they are rotting away pretty fast and make the truck a bear to work on.


Do you have any ideas for your headers?

I'm thinking about going outside the frame rail with all four tubes - I'd love to hear and see your ideas - are you going to make your own?

[BBR]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

Passenger:


Driver:


I started with a set of used BBC in an early Nova fenderwell headers. They were actually very close to what I needed and would probably work in a 4x4 or a truck that was not lowered. I decided to chop them up and go for max clearance though. They pretty much look like crap, and I plan to make a new set (or take it to a local shop) after it is up and running.

[dieselgeek]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

that's crazy! and looks like it could be lots of fun.

what EFI / EMS are you using?

[BBR]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

MS v2.2 Built it a while back and am itching to give it a whirl. I have an MS-2 chip that I plan to use after it is all up an running good on fuel only. Baby steps ya know.

[milner351]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

Nicely done - you may think those are ugly but they are a lot better than what's in my ranger now!
whoa!

I think with a bit of clean up and some powder coat - those would be just fine.

starting with fenderwell headers is a great idea - I wonder if I could find a set - and how far off the'd be with a clevo.

I supposed with a welder and some motivation - anything is possible -

-- including massive frustration and piles of shredded metal that is completely useless! but let's hope I don't end up there! ;D

[BBR]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

For a Cleveland, you might look at the SBC fenderwells and then rework the tubes a bit at the flanges. Best thing to do is to snag a old set like I did. I think I paid $50 for mine form a guy off Steve's Nova Site.

Here's what I did a couple of nights ago to begin mounting the fuel cell. Hopefully, the top of the cell will be just below the level of the bed. I may make a door of sorts to protect it for whatever I throw in the bed and to keep prying fingers from dumping something in my fuel tank. ;D

The big hole.



That cross member that is there bolts in, so I am planning on just removing it since it is really only there to hang the rear gas tank or the spare tire rack.

[milner351]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

Nice
I'm going to put the fuel cell from the trunk of the mach into the bed of the ranger - but I was thinking it' put it further back behind the axle for better weight distribution - same with the battery.

do you have any ideas about a roll pan / rear bumper? Mine is rear bumper - less at the moment.

[BBR]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

My cell is behind the rear axle. Thought about mounting it in the bed behind the cab, but the thought of fuel that close to me was a bit un-nerving.

I had a roll pan on an older Ranger but decided to do a bumper for this one. I took a front bumper, and added a license plate box and trimmed the ends to make it look decent. Looks Ok I suppose. This pic really shows off my ^ in the rocker panel.... eeewwww.

[milner351]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

nicely done, and don't be so hard on yourself, nobody's stuff is perfect!

I like the stance of yours, how did you lower it?

[BBR]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

DJM beams in the front and flip kit in the rear.

[milner351]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

tell me more.... DJM beams?

flip kit?

in other words putting the axle OVER the springs instead of under?

if I'm going to do that - can I just use a 5 lug mustang 8.8 - since I'd be moving the mounting pads anyhow?

[BBR]

Re: Big Motor, Little truck. The BBR

DJM site:

http://www.djmsuspension.com/Articles/DreamBeams.htm

If you do decide to do beams, you might think hard about switching to Gen2 beams, spindles and brakes. The brakes are twin piston and are much better than the early ones. I wish I had, just for the fact the beams are easier to deal with.

Gen1 beams have the ball joints pressed into them (pain in da booty) and the spindle bolts to them.
Gen2 has the ball joints pressed into the spindle and bolts to the I-beam.

Yes a flip kit puts the spring under the axle. Mustang 8.8's are still 28 spline, so they are no real advantage over a Ranger axle. Explorer 8.8's however, have: 31 spline axles, the spring perches below the axle, can have good gear ratios and the later models have disk brakes. But, I believe they are 3" wider overall than your 7.5.