96 Ranger 5.0 Build

[projectcarforum]

Sold my mustang and needed another project, so I picked this up for $500. It runs and drives great, but it's cosmetically challenged... Continue reading to see what the future has in store for her.

First day home. She's pretty beat, but I can look past all that.

The grill and headlights were new, but the previous owner bolted them to a broken header panel.


The passenger side of the truck is all in good shape.


Drivers side - not so much. The bed side, bumper, and tailgate needs replaced.


The interior is beat as well...


Total amount invest thus far: $871

[projectcarforum]

A few days after I bought the truck, my cousin offered to sell me his 97 5.0 explorer for $375... The fuel pump went out, and he decided to buy something that got better gas mileage... The explorer will provide the engine, wiring harness, computer, and rear end (8.8" with 3:73's and ls) for my v8 swap.

It will also provide nice bucket seats, full length floor console, roof console, and much more...

[projectcarforum]

On Saturday I went up and picked up a perfect bedside ($75), a perfect rear bumper ($50), and a OK tailgate ($20) from a guy off craigslist.

Then I shot over to pick in pull and scored a nice set of splash mirrors for $30 bucks, and a set of kenwood coaxials for $9 bucks (they were in splash I got the mirrors off of.)

I also picked up a new vent for the dash (freebie)

so for $184 I got a bunch of stuff I needed. and that's where I am today.

[projectcarforum]

Oh, and to keep cost down I plan to do the infamous $50 dollar paint job. Hoping if we take our time (cousin and I), we can get it to come out nice...

[projectcarforum]

So far I sold the tires off the explorer for $100 bucks, and the pre-cats for $60 bucks. Still have a ton more parts to sell off of it before I scrap it, hoping the explorer will not only provide a bunch of parts I need, but actually make a few hundred bucks on top of that.

[racingsnake440]

Should be a cool project - look forward to seeing this one come together.

[projectcarforum]

Thanks, I still need to get a header panel for it, should be getting it in the next few days... then I'll be doing the 50 dollar paint job on it....

[BBR]

Useful site:

http://www.rangerpowersports.com/forum/v8-tech-12/

I am JP3 over there. Been a loooooong time since I have posted anything though.

[projectcarforum]

Yeah, I'm on ranger power sports and the ranger station, both good forums. My user name on both those is mobileaudio219.

[projectcarforum]

I couldn't find a decent used header panel any where, so I ended up ordering a new aftermarket one through a friends body shop - it was $32 bucks after taxes...

I cut the main cats off last night and one of the two was empty... I ended up selling them to my buddies who deals in scrap for $60 bucks..

Price on first post has been updated.

[Russell]

Looks like a fun project, what trans are you going to use?

[Russell]

What's the deal with the Falcon under the tarp?

[projectcarforum]

I'm almost positive that I'll wind up using a t5... I worked until 2:30am to get the motor/tranny/transfer case/wiring harness/computer pulled out of the explorer last night... Then got up at 8am and pulled the rear and started pulling some of the seats and stuff... I'm going to finish it in the morning and run it to the scrapper... Then I'm going to start working the ranger again...

The falcon is a project that my uncle is working on for his granddaughter. It's getting a stock 5.0 (carbed) and a c4 I think. He also has a fairlane that he's working on.

[projectcarforum]

I got the front of the truck back together. It'll come back apart here real soon because I'm going to paint the truck and toss in some clear turn signal lenses... but I need to go ahead and get it inspected/licensed so I can drive it while I'm doing the body work.

[projectcarforum]

Since I've decided to go ahead and try the $50 dollar paint job, I picked up a spray can of sunburst yellow to see how I was going to like the color. I had an old tailgate cover that I wiped down with acetone (no other prep work) and sprayed a few coats on it, and I must say I'm pretty much digging it.

The plan is to spray paint the door jams and other tight areas, then roll the rest on. I have more time then money, so if it takes a few weeks to get it done, oh well... I'm going to try my hardest to get it to as close as prefect as possible.

Here's a picture of the test panel. This was just to check to see if I was going to like the color.