this is spin off of
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=212100

Why not start one for us ford guys...

This is where I'm going with my rig. I'd like to here from the guys that has done this.
I think AZford4x4's rig is a kick arse....

Right now what I have to work with is.
78-79 f250
460 /c6/ np205
Dana 60 Front
14 bolt rear
I'm gonna build a hybrid of some sort.
Is most of you guys moving the engine back in the frame ?
or are you just pusing the front forward and bringing the rear wheels closer to the cab.

Mine is/will be a hybrid I guess. Half the frame and all the drivetrain, and a lot of body isn't stock. I think if you aren't building your own frame it is easier to move the axle forward than move the motor back. You also get more approach angle this way if you use coils. I thought about moving the drivetrain back, but what would I gain? Then I would just want to bob the front. With 42's my tires sit about 3" in front of the vehicle.

More info. I am running a 302/c6/203/205. I am using an 89 extra cab Ranger. The rear (which I haven't done yet) will be moved forward. I am using body panels attached to the side of a flat bed so I can keep a little of the ranger look.

My current plan is to take a 78 bronco, pull the body off, and get the cab from a pickup to replace it. I'll do the 205/203 doubler, twinstick the 205, and stretch the wheelbase to 110" Eventually i'll go with 60's front and rear. I'll probably stick with the 351 and c-6

Originally posted by SittonHigh
More info. I am running a 302/c6/203/205. I am using an 89 extra cab Ranger. The rear (which I haven't done yet) will be moved forward. I am using body panels attached to the side of a flat bed so I can keep a little of the ranger look.

I'd like pictures when you get that started..
I would like to use an extended cab body on my full size frame as well..

http://orw.truckmoxie.com/groundhawg/

There's the link to my in-progress (more like in slow motion) trail mo-chine.

78 F250 frame, D60s, 400, C6, 205...it was my daily driver for a while. The cab is an 88 Ranger X-cab. The front end is my creation.

It has 63" Chubbie leafs in the rear, I'm working on the flat bed still. I moved the rear axle forward and sawzalled the rear off. Originally was 133" wb, now it is 110.5". Moving it forward was a bit more involved than I had hoped for, but it worked out so far.

Still has a way to go, but hopefully someday it will see the trails. Shooting for 38" tires due to size restrictions at one freaking place, otherwise I would probably go a little bigger.

Originally posted by Shoope1


I'd like pictures when you get that started..
I would like to use an extended cab body on my full size frame as well..

I ahve already started and had to put it on hold. I just restarted this month. So far I have my front tapered, frame redone, and engine crossmember.

Here is a pic of when I first narrowed my grille. THe Ranger frame is still stock in the pic, and the axle and tires are just slid under it. I have since redone the frame. Also I now have my axle and everything sitting at the heigth it will be and it is a lot lower than the pic. It is really low. I will get a pic next week when I put the front back on. I had a 3" body lift in this pic.

http://www2.freepichosting.com/Images/50008/8.jpg

Here is some pics of my frame I did last week. It is more complete now, but I haven't taken any more pics.





http://www2.freepichosting.com/Images/146468/0.jpg http://www2.freepichosting.com/Images/146468/1.jpg http://www2.freepichosting.com/Images/146468/3.jpg http://www2.freepichosting.com/Images/146468/5.jpg

are you using a 44 front or are you putting radius arms on a 60?

I like the narrowing of the front clip..

I am putting radius arms on a 60. I have thought about building my own links, but I want to see how I like this before I do. I can't decide what kind of links I want (3, 4, or links/wristed.....). SO I went with simple.

There has to be more heavily modified/Hybrid Rangers out there. Where are they?

I've got a buddy that is building a tera tired Ih framed Ranger bodied hybrid...

I would love to see a 4 door version...

Originally posted by Groundhawg
http://orw.truckmoxie.com/groundhawg/

There's the link to my in-progress (more like in slow motion) trail mo-chine.

78 F250 frame, D60s, 400, C6, 205...it was my daily driver for a while. The cab is an 88 Ranger X-cab. The front end is my creation.

It has 63" Chubbie leafs in the rear, I'm working on the flat bed still. I moved the rear axle forward and sawzalled the rear off. Originally was 133" wb, now it is 110.5". Moving it forward was a bit more involved than I had hoped for, but it worked out so far.

Still has a way to go, but hopefully someday it will see the trails. Shooting for 38" tires due to size restrictions at one freaking place, otherwise I would probably go a little bigger.

How big a tire could you have used? Would your rear tires be close to the cab if you used 44's? Also can you get me some pictures of the body mounts? How well did the cab fit with the f250 frame?

How big a tire could you have used? Would your rear tires be close to the cab if you used 44's?

I might end up having to cut the rear corners of the cab out even with 38s. Otherwise, that is probably my only limiting factor.

Also can you get me some pictures of the body mounts?

Yeah, no problem. Hit me with your email and I send some. I used some scrap c-channel to make most of them. I used Chevy truck cab bushings.

How well did the cab fit with the f250 frame?

It wasn't that bad. Mounting it up could have been easier, but I wanted to get the cab down on the frame as low as I could. I saw another hybred before I started mine, but he uses it for mud bogging, so having the built-in body lift was fine. The one problem is the Ranger cab mount holes are just barely outside of the 78 frame rails. So, it took some thinking to get it done, plus a little modification to what I thought was going to work.

Anything else, just feel free to ask.

Thanks for the comments. and for getting me some pictures.
I also like closer pictures of your leaf spring mount under the cab.

Couldn't you have just redrilled your floor for body mounts?

shoope_r@bellsouth.net