i'm BORED!!! time for a new project

SaleenGT2001

Well-Known Member
Jul 18, 2005
2,811
4
58
Four Oaks NC
so now that my car is done i have WAY too much time on my hands. i have fixed everything on all my friends and familys vehicles and have quiet a bit of cash saved from these.

i have been thinking about what to do next.............
i have my little 95 Ranger with a 3.0 in it. the truck has over 250K on it and the engine is getting tired. i found a nice used 5.0 long block with AFR heads, roller cam (not sure what cam) and a Holley systemax intake on it for $1K. it is in my buddies fox right now. he is swapping in a TT 4.6 and doesnt need the old engine anymore. so now i'm thinking about a V8 swap for my old high school DD. most likely swapping the EFI for a carb and setting it up with a fairly aggressive cam and a large shot of N2O. i'll most likely back it up with a stalled AOD and swap in a 8.8 from another Ranger with a spool and some 31 spline axles.

i've been looking around and this swap has been done many times before. does anyone know a place to get some good info on this? what headers, oil pan ect i will need to get??
 
  • Sponsors (?)


dude, all i know, Is I wish I had your problems!:rolleyes: Seriously though, that sounds like a great idea, you dont see too many V8 Rangers like you see the V8
S-10's I say go for it and good luck.
 
my problem is i always need something to work on or i feel useless!!!

i like having something to look forward to, buying parts for, and then building it myself. i've done all that with my car. i dont have anything else i want to do to it. so now i need a fresh start on something new!! besides,that truck has been very good to me. the engine is BONE STOCK, no problems in over 200K even with me beating the hell out of it when i was younger. i think it would be cool to build up my first vehicle to make it nicer than it was when i got it back when i was 15. (10 years ago)
 
dude I know the feeling, I'm constantly messing with stuff around the house (drives the wife nutz) I always wanted to put a 5.0 in my D/D, its a 97 2dr 2wd ford explorer with 165,000 miles, it looks mint and runs even better so I cannot bring myself to do anything to it..YET! The cool thing is, a friend of mine gave me the truck 2 years ago because he couldn't get it running, i took the title and the truck and installed a crank position sensor, the rest is history.:rolleyes:
 
i have my Xterra for a DD now. i dont even drive to work except when the wife stays home sick. i guess this winter would give me some time to save up for parts. this CANT cost more than the 4.6 build!!!

maybe when i get this project done you can show the results to your wife and she'll give in to the swap!!! if not just do what i did, buy her a brand new car and she wont have anything to complain about.:D
 
If you do the Ranger swap, let me know how difficult it was.

I picked up a 5.0 long block about a week ago that needs a minor rebuild, and a nicer set of heads. It will be my first time tearing down/rebuilding an engine... allready got the top end off.

I wanted to swap it into my Jeep, but it is going to be too many nickle and dime problems to do it in the buget I have. The Ranger swap was the next thing that crossed my mind.
 
i'm still sorting thru the MANY pages of google results. it turns out the swap is very easy in pre 97 rangers so i'm good on that.

so far the parts list looks like

motor mounts
oil filter relocation
new radiator
notching the heater box
custom shorty headers
 
my problem is i always need something to work on or i feel useless!!!

i like having something to look forward to, buying parts for, and then building it myself. i've done all that with my car. i dont have anything else i want to do to it. so now i need a fresh start on something new!!QUOTE]


You couldalways come on over to Texas. My car is basically stock. It would satisfy all your needs. :D :shrug: :D
 
so now that my car is done i have WAY too much time on my hands. i have fixed everything on all my friends and familys vehicles and have quiet a bit of cash saved from these.

i have been thinking about what to do next.............
i have my little 95 Ranger with a 3.0 in it. the truck has over 250K on it and the engine is getting tired. i found a nice used 5.0 long block with AFR heads, roller cam (not sure what cam) and a Holley systemax intake on it for $1K. it is in my buddies fox right now. he is swapping in a TT 4.6 and doesnt need the old engine anymore. so now i'm thinking about a V8 swap for my old high school DD. most likely swapping the EFI for a carb and setting it up with a fairly aggressive cam and a large shot of N2O. i'll most likely back it up with a stalled AOD and swap in a 8.8 from another Ranger with a spool and some 31 spline axles.

i've been looking around and this swap has been done many times before. does anyone know a place to get some good info on this? what headers, oil pan ect i will need to get??

I could always yse you to help me install cams and heads on my car :D. You can go to RPS for more info about installing a V8 into a Ranger. I'm also a member there. There's a V8 section at the site and the guys a willing to help you with any problems you may run into. Pearl02.
 
Nice.

Any major additional things needed than what you listed a few posts up?

Still havn't gotten to work on my engine yet except for taking it down to the shortblock... it's still waiting to get on the stand.