Well, the back story is pretty easy, I bought a 1998 Ford Ranger XLT reg cab, flareside, of its ORIGINAL owner last November, Drove it through winter, then sold it to a close friend... Friend Enlisted before he finished paying it off, and the transmission started to let go, so I bought it back off of him *Obviously at this stage, From him paying me, and the original purchase price, I probably only had $500 into buying this truck...

I also have a few other cars/trucks, but more importantly I had a 98 ranger, with a slipping transmission taking up space in my drive way, that isn't really worth **** with the trans grasping at straws, so I decided to do the only rational thing... And Swap it :rotfl:

Here's my girl: *Pardon the frost on the hood, and its the Factory Metallic orange flake color whatever that is, Gorgeous in sunlight*

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/cars%20of%20mine/PIC-0200.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/cars%20of%20mine/PIC-0199.jpg

Then I needed to buy a motor, and a bunch of other nick nacks... So I started shopping for a motor and found one:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/PIC_0296.jpg

Oddly enough it came in with 4 wheels, and alot of scrap steel that managed to hobble its way home from the inner city front differential and bearing SCREAMING the whole way, but for $500, I could not complain for a 5.0, harness, ECU, Transmission, and a 3.73 Posi 31 spline disk brake rear end :)

So I also needed some custom engine brackets for my ranger since it is a 4 cylinder 2WD, So I called up my bud and he whipped these up for me:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/motor20mount20003.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/motor20mount20001.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/motor20mount20002.jpg

Then of course, I also had some very ugly worn out bench seats in the ranger, along with the baller 14 inch rims, so I picked up something to take care of that as well:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/PIC_0267.jpg

And the money shot from late last week:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/a55ffb69.jpg

Just gotta pull the Differential out of the Explorer donor truck, and off to the crushers it goes, and under the knife the ranger goes :)

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/motor20mount20002.jpg



WTF are you machining up out of this thick shi t?

WTF are you machining up out of this thick shi t?

The passenger side bracket original design was stepped *3 pieces of metal, with 4 small braces welded onto it*

My buddy says "**** that, I got a piece thick enough to make it without the weak point of the brackets"

the driver side is the one with the completed pics IIRC.

ok, yah its better to have a one piece then welded pieces, im gonna be doing some parts for my swap as well out of blocks like that.

Donor truck is being hauled away tomorrow, I broke down and ordered my rebuild kit tonight :), Pics to come!

awesome! cant wait to see it finished!

subscribed!

Can't wait to see what you do with your build.

Thanks for all the comments guys!!!

Here's some more action footage from the past 2 days:

The 8.8/3.73/Posi/31 Spline/disk brake goodness :)

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/023.jpg

The Donor truck.... I had it for less than 3 weeks.... Its amazing watching it towed away and just how much ground I covered...

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/005.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/005-1.jpg

Your neighbors are going to think your running a chop shop! Lol. J/k

Watchin your build, looking forward to the progress..

You left the front seats in it?! Could have been some extra $$$ to put back towards build!! Steering wheel, air bags etc as well. Be suprised what you can get for an Explorer steering wheel with working cruise buttons. Or just the damn buttons!

Anyways, subscribed now.

Looking good man nice start.. Deffinitly going to watch this.

You left the front seats in it?! Could have been some extra $$$ to put back towards build!! Steering wheel, air bags etc as well. Be suprised what you can get for an Explorer steering wheel with working cruise buttons. Or just the damn buttons!

Anyways, subscribed now.

Front seats were in pretty lack-luster shape, The buttons/motors didn't work anyways, etc.

The airbags/sensors/most of the interior that has wires attached to it, I still own, I just left the wheel in it because it was trashed, and it gave the scrapper something to steer it with Lol.

Thanks for the interest everyone! Rebuild kit for the 5.0 arrives in just a few more days!!!

I like! I need to find a V8 Explorer for cheap myself so I can do the swap in my 4-by.... Might just go old school and run a Mustang harness though...

I like! I need to find a V8 Explorer for cheap myself so I can do the swap in my 4-by.... Might just go old school and run a Mustang harness though...

I couldn't believe how cheap explorers have gotten, I saw a 96 special edition, saw it had the v8, and saw it was beat to piss viually, and the owner took half a stack for it.

Thanks again guys, all your comments are quickly becoming a big motivation for me!!!

I couldn't believe how cheap explorers have gotten, I saw a 96 special edition, saw it had the v8, and saw it was beat to piss viually, and the owner took half a stack for it.

Thanks again guys, all your comments are quickly becoming a big motivation for me!!!

Yea too bad alot of them are in junkyards now cause c4c.

Yea too bad alot of them are in junkyards now cause c4c.

'Tis unfortunate. :werd:

I bet you could pick up the front dress and the intakes pretty cheap. Slap them on a new short block, good heads and go from there.
Dave

I have always had good luck looking for explorer stuff on craigslist. Alot of average people have no idea about what they have and are usually glad to get rid of it

Motor is up on the stand finally, Next is getting the Garage tidy, and swapping my interior so its out of the way.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/007.jpg

Looking good, my motor is back on the stand as well. are you going to do any frame painting? What's your thoughts on that?

Looking good, my motor is back on the stand as well. are you going to do any frame painting? What's your thoughts on that?

Never thought about it.... Mines a 98, the frame is in great shape for having nearly 200K on it.

Ended up buying ANOTHER 5.0 to speedy up my swap. Keeping my first engine for a build-up while I putter around in a stock 5.0 :)

2-3 more weeks and she will be done.

Ok well we need to see pictures of the work. Lol

Ok well we need to see pictures of the work. Lol

Pics tomorrow of the punk-ass worthless 4 popper coming out. I don't wanna post boring pictures of me unhooking hoses, Lol.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/047.jpg

Buh-Bye

And the new one:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/045.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/032.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/033.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/034.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/036.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/038.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/040.jpg

She's in!

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/photo1.jpg

And a Teaser shot:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/GetAttachmentaspx.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/IMG_0309.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/IMG_0311.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/IMG_0312.jpg

does she runn yet LOL ..

Yeah no boubt, where are the videos? Lol

Had to fix the ass too:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/photo-1.jpg

Better guys? First fire/idle videos coming later this week!!!

http://s26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dasfinc/?action=view&current=IMG_0324.flv

LOL, awesome video!!!