New Ford Owner
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Joined: May 2009
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From: Huntington WV
New Ford Owner
Hi,
I just recently bought a 1985 Ford ranger. I ran across the truck sitting in a yard down my street. I asked how much the guy wanted for it and he told me 150 bucks, So I'm thinking a new mud truck for me to play around with. I went home and grabbed 100 bucks and went back to talk to the guy. I told him all I had was 100 he told me the lest he could take was 125 so I took it. Had a clean title and everything. The guy told me that the motor had a thrown rod but told me the truck was drivable. After I towed it home I seen the exhaust had been cut from where it come off the motor and that the truck started with out a key. Im waiting tell tomorrow to get a battery and start it up to see what the deal is with the motor. Another thing I noticed was that the shifter kinda spun around with trying to put it in gear. Im looking for any thoughts on these problems and maybe some suggestions on what to do next. I'm on a tight budget due to DUI classes so I need to keep it sweet but simple. Remember its going to be a mud truck so I dont need all the bells and whistles you normaly have.
First things first some good ole sandin bondo and some spray paint primer
Not sure what size motor this is maybe 2.8? Also has a huge spacer between carb and motor
I just recently bought a 1985 Ford ranger. I ran across the truck sitting in a yard down my street. I asked how much the guy wanted for it and he told me 150 bucks, So I'm thinking a new mud truck for me to play around with. I went home and grabbed 100 bucks and went back to talk to the guy. I told him all I had was 100 he told me the lest he could take was 125 so I took it. Had a clean title and everything. The guy told me that the motor had a thrown rod but told me the truck was drivable. After I towed it home I seen the exhaust had been cut from where it come off the motor and that the truck started with out a key. Im waiting tell tomorrow to get a battery and start it up to see what the deal is with the motor. Another thing I noticed was that the shifter kinda spun around with trying to put it in gear. Im looking for any thoughts on these problems and maybe some suggestions on what to do next. I'm on a tight budget due to DUI classes so I need to keep it sweet but simple. Remember its going to be a mud truck so I dont need all the bells and whistles you normaly have.
First things first some good ole sandin bondo and some spray paint primer
Not sure what size motor this is maybe 2.8? Also has a huge spacer between carb and motor
welcome to r-f.
like patrick said looks like a good 5.0 candidate. if you want one i have one, Its just the block, heads, oil pan, valve covers, yes all the pistons, lifters,cam, rockers, and what not are still together, just not an intake, throttle body, (cause it came out of a late 80's model fuel injected,) and all the pullies, just wanting a 100 bucks for it, and maybe nogotiable. depends on the offer. I'll post some pics of it tomorrow its too late now.
like patrick said looks like a good 5.0 candidate. if you want one i have one, Its just the block, heads, oil pan, valve covers, yes all the pistons, lifters,cam, rockers, and what not are still together, just not an intake, throttle body, (cause it came out of a late 80's model fuel injected,) and all the pullies, just wanting a 100 bucks for it, and maybe nogotiable. depends on the offer. I'll post some pics of it tomorrow its too late now.
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Joined: May 2009
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From: Huntington WV
Definitely interested billet 03 wheres your location. Also what all would have to be done for 5.0 to fit, if anything. I noticed alot of room,small radiator that type of thing and was thinking it had alot of room for a little v6 under the hood.Also to robert99ranger IM thinking of putting some 33 12 50s or 9 50s just depends on what I run across first.
well it looks like you got plenty of room, theirs quit a bit to do if you want to put in a 5.0. new motor mounts, radiator, they don't have to be new you can get alot of stuff from a junk yard, I'm not too sure what all you have to do. I'll look up some how to stuff and post the links, maybe someone on here knows. I was going to put it in my 1990 toyota pickup but no time, I was just going to figure it out as I go cause my ranger is the daily driver
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From: Huntington WV
I def want the motor and you being in Kentucky is great, I live in West Virginia. But like I said im tight on cash right now, I broke my hand and they won't let me come back to work tell its completely healed. But I'll see what I can do here in the next few weeks. I'm thinking this conversion might be similar to the S-10 v6 to v8 conversion which I was going to do to my blazer I used to own which required new steering column,radiator and motor mounts. Im hoping the tranny and everything else can stay. I'll google it and see what I can come up with.
I def want the motor and you being in Kentucky is great, I live in West Virginia. But like I said im tight on cash right now, I broke my hand and they won't let me come back to work tell its completely healed. But I'll see what I can do here in the next few weeks. I'm thinking this conversion might be similar to the S-10 v6 to v8 conversion which I was going to do to my blazer I used to own which required new steering column,radiator and motor mounts. Im hoping the tranny and everything else can stay. I'll google it and see what I can come up with.
. it'll be sitten here, I have converted a 2.8 bronco to a 4.0 and all the stock parts worked great, just had to rewire a few things but that was it. is it a 4 speed manual, no reason just wondering? I had an 84 bronco II with a 2.8 v6 and a 4 speed manual, I tell you what it was crazy how low that thing was geared. great off road truck but it too gave up the ghost.
Last edited by billet03; May 19, 2009 at 06:11 PM.
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From: Huntington WV
Its a 4 speed with a hurst shifter, but heres the thing. when you try and put it in gear the hole shifter wants to spin around...kinda weird. I love the way this truck feels when you sit down in the driver seat reminds me of my blazer...Im starting to think of converting to the dark side...But I duno depends on how this motor swap goes and runs after wards. Kinda would **** off my g/f considering I just bought her a 24k gold chevy pendent...lol
haha yeah I bet it would, I miss the ole' bronco which was kinda similar to your ranger, I too liked how it felt when I sat in the drivers seat,aint nothing wrong with switching over, they all make some duds. I my self want to buy a new 5.7L tundra crew max but that will have to wait
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From: Huntington WV
hey billet I hate to say it but I think im going to go with the old 2.8 motor. I'v been doing some research on the v8 and its going to be to much of project for me right now, I just got to much going on right now. I tried starting the motor and its completely locked up, I also ran into the former owner who said he had done alot of work to the truck about 600 bucks worth, new brakes brake calibers and such. The one down side I seen to the v8 would have to be the tranny being swapped because the stock tranny on the ranger only has 200pds of torq. from what I seen but I could be wrong It also said that the stock tranny on my year is a toyo tranny. So if anyone around the tri state and close to the huntington wv area has a 2.8 for sale let me know. Also painted the truck but someone stole my camera so no pics for right now.
