Philofab's shop Ranger

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Sun Dec 25, 2011 10:05 am

philofab wrote:No worries, time for an LS motor?

Do it!

Silverslk · Post by **Silverslk** » Sun Dec 25, 2011 12:08 pm

Nick wrote:
philofab wrote:No worries, time for an LS motor?
Do it!

X2 !!!!

AussieRod · Post by **AussieRod** » Sun Dec 25, 2011 1:17 pm

philofab wrote:Went to drive the ranger to California yesterday and only made it 80 miles or so. Transmission couldn't handle the power of the 2.3!!!

Just throw another 5 speed in it and drive it. Why spend money you dont have to?

philofab · Post by **philofab** » Sun Dec 25, 2011 4:28 pm

AusBroncodoc wrote:
philofab wrote:Went to drive the ranger to California yesterday and only made it 80 miles or so. Transmission couldn't handle the power of the 2.3!!!
Just throw another 5 speed in it and drive it. Why spend money you dont have to?

Well, last v8 swap I found was $1000...

A new clutch, trans, slave cylinder could cost me anywhere from $300 to $1000. I can sell the 2.3 and the 2.5 I have to recoup a little money.

A v8 sounds better....

philofab · Post by **philofab** » Mon Dec 26, 2011 10:13 am

Got another trans with a good input and cluster for $50, probably fix it tomorrow.

philofab · Post by **philofab** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:37 am

Input, cluster, and main shaft toast in the other trans I got. Trans shop quoted $880 to fix one of the transmissions.

That $500 4.0 swap on DR is looking better.....

ChaseTruck754 · Post by **ChaseTruck754** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 10:02 am

Or LS series...

philofab · Post by **philofab** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 10:56 am

Yea, the thing that sucks is I can get a 4.8 for $500, harness and ECM for $250, but I need a trans for it. Three speed is out of the question due to the 4.56 gears unless I put a different rear in it. The T-56 trans get good money ($1500) and are the only manual chevy trans that doesn't suck. That leaves me with a 4L80 or 4L60.

Really thinking about a 4.8/Turbo 350 or 400/ and a truck 9" with 3.50 gears. That combo with 33" tires and a RV converter would work well.

ChaseTruck754 · Post by **ChaseTruck754** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:09 am

That last combo would work, but I'd be looking at the 4l80.

What's wrong with the T-5 vs. the 56? They should be a lot cheaper - right?

Silverslk · Post by **Silverslk** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:39 am

Guy in Phoenix selling a complete 4.6L (Ford) with computer and harness for $500

philofab · Post by **philofab** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:50 am

Silverslk wrote:Guy in Phoenix selling a complete 4.6L (Ford) with computer and harness for $500

Yuck. I had modular motors. Big, unreliable, and low power.

philofab · Post by **philofab** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:52 am

ChaseTruck754 wrote:That last combo would work, but I'd be looking at the 4l80.

What's wrong with the T-5 vs. the 56? They should be a lot cheaper - right?

The T5 is a very weak transmission, The Mazda would kick it's ass all over the place.

The 4L60 is plenty strong for such a light truck. Even the Turbo 350 is fine.

ChaseTruck754 · Post by **ChaseTruck754** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:56 am

I've only ever messed with the T-5 in my ranger but I never had any issues. It was behind the supercahrged 3.8L I had in there and replaced that POS AOD that was there originally. The T-5 did fine for the year or more it was in there before I tore the truck apart. The trans was a fresh build and is currently sitting on my shelf. It may go in the alfa or the hot rod at some point.

philofab · Post by **philofab** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 8:58 pm

Small update. Scored a 99 trans in Phoenix and Dan200 is bringing it for LDC.

May not use it though as I got a rolled 1998 Explorer with a 110K SOHC 4.0 today for a donor.

philofab · Post by **philofab** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 5:10 pm

After looking into trans options for the 4.0 I'm not sure what I want to do.

M5R1 and just replace it a lot?

Gforce T-5 with a 2.8 GM bell housing from at Camaro or S-10 (whichever fits better), and advance adapters plate meant for a 700R4, with a 4.0 flywheel, and whatever clutch/flywheel spacers I need?

Tremec TR3650 or the Tremec TR6060 with the 4.0 adapter for 05+ Mustangs? This seems like the most solid way to go.

I've really gotten the itch to race, and no one seems to want to trade cash+prep for a drivers seat. I'd like to get this thing in racing trim in the next few months. I may keep the 2.3 for a while and concentrate on tuning the rest of the truck.

only1mikey · Post by **only1mikey** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 2:02 pm

Small tid bit of advice.

I know you are older than me and probably have more truck/fab experience than me in a lot of way, but I used to have a ranger I raced. I got rid of it becuase It was too wazoo. Cost to much to take it out, prep was a lot of work when you go full kill for hundreds of miles, etc.

If I were to do it again I would build a simple truck to race, or a competitive limited budget class car like a 9 car or a class 11, becuase honestly with the kind of trucks racing 1450 in SNORE and what not, unless your back roll is 100k+ and most of that is expendable, and you have no family so prep time isn't a factor, you aren't gonna be competitive. Sure if all the top 5-10 guys break you might have a chance, but really that isn't gonna happen.

I don't know, chances are you are a lot different than me, but when I went out there to race, I told myself it was just for fun, etc. but, really deep down, I raced to win! And at the end of the day, I realized if I am not gonna stand a snowballs chance in hell at winning, it wasn't worth the time, effort, stress, money to race. becuase race was was just as fun (maybe not even as fun) and a weekend out mashing the desert with friends going on stupid point to point trips and laughing and shit talking about the day over the camp fire.

Just something to thing about before you get really serious about dumping a load of cash into the ranger.

Best of luck to you no matter what choice you choose, I'll be here watching the build unfold!

I guess the moral of my little rant is simply, "the grass isn't greener on the other side, at least to me anyways".

(don't have time to check spelling and grammar, sorry in advance.)

Mike

philofab · Post by **philofab** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 3:55 pm

That's good advice. Thanks for calling me an old fart.

My goal with this is to build a very fast truck for low $$$. It can be done, it's simply not easy.

Look at the DA class 6, The Squeaker, and Vance's truck. V6 powered, no wazoo parts, and all very fast.

Low weight allows it to not destroy components plus I tend to build stuff in a way that prep is quick and easy. It probably helps I own my shop and have no kids...

only1mikey · Post by **only1mikey** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:18 pm

No, all cool trucks (especially the sqeeker), but in today's sportsman truck class, they simply aren't competitive for 1st unless you are truly a great driver (The Steeles, Geoff Falzone, Dan Vance, etc.) willing to lay it all on the line.

Me? I couldn't afford to drive my truck 100%, 100% of the time, the truck would break, or I would wad it, it's that simple. I couldn't afford all the time and money to fix the truck from driver error and replace hard parts much more often cause I am hammering on the truck for the win.

And if I wanted to be a better driver, I would need more seat time, and more seat times means I would need to take the truck out a lot more often, which means more prep, costs, etc. Which is why the ranger is gone, and why I now have the bronco and my buggy (which I'd love to sell now that I have the bronco desert worthy).

Anyways all I am saying is take that info consideration when you start building a fast truck and for an average driver if you want a podium you need expensive parts, simple as that.

Just take what I am saying as a grain of salt.

Mike

Oh it's all about "Smiles per miles" - Geoff Falzone

Post by **SteveG** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:56 pm

philofab wrote:That's good advice. Thanks for calling me an old fart.

My goal with this is to build a very fast truck for low $$$. It can be done, it's simply not easy.

Look at the DA class 6, The Squeaker, and Vance's truck. V6 powered, no wazoo parts, and all very fast.

Low weight allows it to not destroy components plus I tend to build stuff in a way that prep is quick and easy. It probably helps I own my shop and have no kids...

You forgot the Hooptie. Simplicity and cheap construction at its finest!

ChaseTruck754 · Post by **ChaseTruck754** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:26 pm

All awesome trucks mentioned above! I love drawing inspiration from them!

Also - thanks for the post above Mike. You gave me a fresh reminder on why I no longer want to race. Being a cheap ass & racing are 2 things that don't go well together