blksn8k2

The the two short PS hoses came today from NPD. Fit like a glove.

On the next gen Ranger body, does anyone know what the extent of aluminum body panels will be? I've read that the Bronco uses AL for almost all of the bolt on body parts (hood, fenders, doors and tailgate). About the only steel body parts are in the cabin floor structure. What about the next gen Ranger? I'm curious what, if anything, Ford has done about weight reduction on the Ranger. I've been discussing this on ranger6g and one of the members quoted the weight of his current gen Ranger Raptor and it is substantially heavier than my '18 4x4 Supercrew F-150 with the 5.0L which seems unimaginable.

One of the other tasks I need to finish is installing the power steering hoses. Back then Ford used what it called "Non-Integral Power Steering" on their compact and intermediate models which included the Mustang. What that meant was that there was a slave cylinder attached to the steering linkage that was fed hydraulic fluid (automatic transmission fluid) from the power steering pump. What a plumbing nightmare! There are a total of six separate hoses which consist of a high pressure line and a return line from the pump to the control valve and back and each of those is divided into an upper and lower section of hose. Then there are two more short hoses that connect the control valve to the slave cylinder. Lots of opportunities for leaks. Like most of the other parts for this car, I bought those hoses back in the late 2000's. Turns out the two short hoses, which have a section of metal tubing with bends and flared fittings on each end, were not bent correctly and are basically impossible to install. I now have a pair of "concours correct" hoses on order from NPD. You can still buy the hoses I already have from other vendors and when I checked the current customer reviews they all said the same thing...they don't fit worth a damn. The reviews for the ones I just ordered were mostly all positive. Live and learn... These are the two "shorty" hoses I already have: This is an OEM hose: And these are the hoses I have on order: One other task I had to complete was adjusting the position of the control valve on the steering linkage. There is a required distance of 4 7/8" between the center of the grease fitting on the valve and the connecting rod stud in the linkage. That also has an obvious effect on how well those two hoses fit.

With no Fords on track the past few seasons I would have to believe IMSA has lost a fair number of fans, myself included. That should be reason enough to allow Fords to be competitive again.

Thought I would throw in a few photos from early on so you can have some idea of the amount of work I went through to get it to this point.

Thanks. But believe me, it didn't look that way when I started. When I was in junior high one of my neighbors had a brand new Black Jade '69 Sportsroof Mustang with the R code 428 CJ and 4-speed. It was a Drag Pack car which meant that it was also a Super Cobra Jet with a 3.91:1 rear axle. I had to walk by his driveway every day after school and see that thing sitting there. He added a set of Cragar five spoke wheels. I thought it was perfect. One evening after school my Mom sent me to the corner general store to pick up some groceries. When I came out of the store carrying two paper bags of groceries I had to cross the main street through town. As I started across I could hear something coming up the street from about a quarter mile away. It was my neighbor in that Mustang. All I could hear was that shaker hood scoop sucking air and the roar of the exhaust. He damn near ran over me before I could get to the other side. I've been a Ford guy ever since. ?

I think I have the exhaust where I want it now. Taking out that extra inch of length in the middle made all the difference. And as far as the engine, I'm down to plug wires, vacuum lines and fluids. National Weather Service says 8-13 inches of snow by tomorrow afternoon. Looks like about 3 inches so far. I know what I'll be doing tomorrow...

First trial fit of the exhaust. I need to pull it back off and shorten the pipes in front of the mufflers to get a little more clearance at the rear axle. I need to remove about 1" and it should be good. Better to have been too long than too short. Geez, where have I heard that before?

Hard to see in the above photos but there are recent photos on other sites (ranger6G for one) that clearly show it has retained the Watts link rear suspension from the current ROW Ranger Raptor. That is a good thing IMO. Better than the Panhard bar for this application although that is used on the Bronco. With the Panhard bar having it's upper pivot point attached to one side of the frame and the lower pivot point attached to the axle on the opposite side, the axle shifts slightly side-to-side as it travels up and down. The Watts link eliminates that since there are a total of five pivot points, one on each frame rail and three at the center of the axle. Which brings up another interesting fact which is that the Ranger Raptor uses a rear axle with a removable center section, similar to the old 9" Ford. That adds more strength at the center pivot of the Watts link since it is attached to a more solid point than if the axle had a removable cover plate on the back side which I believe is what the Bronco and the current NA Ranger use. Based on the second photo from ranger6G it does not appear as though they switched to a Watts link on the Bronco Raptor as it looks to still have a removable rear cover on the axle. As was explained on the ranger6G forum, the Panhard bar design does allow for more articulation so that might be a good reason to retain it on the Bronco. Another interesting side point is that those would need to be some interesting tailpipes for them to snake through all that. I'm betting the exhaust splits after the axle which is how it was done on my '89 Thunderbird SC. On the current ROW Ranger Raptor the exhaust dumps under the bed and before the rear axle.

Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold, Edelbrock aluminum water pump, Comp Cams camshaft and Hooker Super Comp ceramic coated long tube headers. Also planning to use a full length 2 1/2" Magnaflow stainless steel exhaust system which includes an X-pipe. I intend to use the stock Mach 1 oval shaped exhaust tips in lieu of the Magnaflow tips. BTW, I did find a speedo cable gear clip. I had an old FMX auto trans lying in the shop with a stub of the speedo cable still in it. Here's a few more photos. The first is of the driveshaft I bought for the car back in 2009. It came from a company that specializes in Mustang reproduction parts called Dead Nuts On. LOL. It has the correct paint markings and even came painted with a coat of clear to prevent rust. I also bought a rebuilt Autolite alternator from them which also has the correct markings. I had to take a photo of the driveshaft since it's the prettiest part on the car that no one will ever see. LOL The other photos are of the Magnaflow exhaust. I have it laid out on the garage floor right now so I can measure and mark where I need to make a few cuts. The system came designed to mate up with the downpipes that would have been attached to stock cast iron exhaust manifolds. However, because I'm using the Hookers and the collectors are not only farther toward the rear of the car but also closer together, I need to remove about 6" from the end of the pipes where they enter the X-pipe as well as several more inches from the other end of the same pipes where they attach to the header reducer flanges. Basically, what I'll end up with is two 45° bends with a couple of inches of straight pipe on each end. Also, if you look closely at the tailpipes they are not bent the same on both sides. The driver side has a different bend over the rear axle and that is to clear the shock absorber on that side. All 428 4-speed Mustangs came with staggered rear shocks to control wheel hop during acceleration. The passenger side shock is in the normal position in front of the axle while the driver side shock is behind the axle. Believe it or not, I had to buy another complete system from JBA just to get the correct driver side tailpipe. Of course it doesn't attach to the back of the muffler quite the same way as the Magnaflow system which means it will need to be modified (shortened) as well. JBA was the only place I could find that makes that tailpipe in 2 1/2" stainless and they would not sell just the one tailpipe. I asked. The stock system was 2 1/4" non-stainless and you can buy those just about anyplace that sells Mustang parts. Now I'm wishing I had a lift...

Finally getting back to my Mach 1 restoration project. Last winter it was the '75 Bronco project and this will be my winter project for this year. This is not going to be a "concours" restoration but rather a mild restomod. By that I mean it will have some period correct performance modifications like an Edelbrock intake manifold and water pump, Hooker Super Comp headers, Comp Cams camshaft and Magnaflow stainless exhaust system which could all be converted back to original if desired. According to the Marti Report, this car is one of 320 '70 Mach 1's equipped with a non-ram air 428 Cobra Jet/4-speed combo. The car was originally ordered in Grabber Blue with Mach 1 trim, black interior, black hood stripes, 4-speed trans, tilt-steering, AM/8-track stereo, full tinted glass and a tachometer. It was originally sold by a dealer in North Carolina. It came with a 3.25:1 axle ratio with an open differential. I have upgraded that to a 3.50:1 with Trac Lock and 31 spline axles. I bought the body shell back in the mid 2000's and started repairing the body and getting it ready for paint which was completed in 2013. Prior to that the body was really rough. The only original sheet metal parts remaining are the roof, rear quarter panels, rear wheel well housings, rocker panels, deck lid, hood and the center portion of the firewall. Everything else, and I mean everything, was replaced with either better used OEM parts or new parts mostly from Dynacorn. That included a complete one-piece floor pan including the driveshaft tunnel, the trunk floor, intermediate pan over the rear axle, tail light panel, torque boxes, toe boards, front and rear frame rails, doors, front fenders, inner fender aprons and shock towers, core support, outer firewall panels and inner and outer cowl panels. The only part of all that that I have not done by myself was the Grabber Blue paint. Why would I go to that extent? Because of the "Q" engine code in the VIN. A lot of folks will tell you that aftermarket parts don't fit very well. While that might be true for some things, what has impressed me the most about this project has been how well it has gone together and how well those major body and chassis parts fit together. For example, I was really dreading the engine and trans install because every part they attach to had been replaced. But guess what? Every mounting bolt fit perfectly which proved that miracles do happen! I have also added power front disc brakes and power steering which the car did not have originally. I replaced the entire interior with a Mach 1 Deluxe interior kit from TMI. The hardest part of that was teaching myself how to install the seat covers on the original frames. After the car was painted and after installing the interior, all new wiring, fuel and brake lines and all new suspension components the car sat for about eight years. About a month ago I installed the engine and transmission and have been progressing from there. Yesterday I installed the radiator. I still need to do a lot of little stuff like vacuum lines, plug wires, etc. After that will be the driveshaft and exhaust system and at that point it should be just about ready to fire up for the first time. And, I still need to install the grille, front bumper, headlights, hood, etc. but it's finally getting closer to being a complete car again. Most of the parts I'm installing now I have had for at least ten years and just keeping track of where all that stuff is has been a major challenge. One of the best investments I have made for this project was buying a complete set of fastener kits from AMK. That has saved a ton of time and effort. Unfortunately, one of the parts I'm looking for now is a tiny little metal clip that holds the plastic gear on the end of the speedometer cable and that was not included in any of the AMK kits. I think...

I was wondering the same thing. I haven't found anything yet but I assume those specs will be released at some point for the ROW next gen Ranger. My guess is that since they did stretch the wheelbase 2" by moving the front axle forward that they could have also moved the front half of the cab forward enough to add some rear seat legroom. However, that would also mean that the engine compartment would have to shrink by a similar amount since the overall length of the truck supposedly has not changed. Ford has also said that they increased the width and track by 2". Although they have said that allows for more width inside the bed I haven't seen any official mention of any added interior width. You would assume that has been done as well but those numbers are strangely absent from all of the Ford info that has been released so far, or at least what I have seen so far. As I recall, the cab of the current truck is a bit narrower than most of the competition so you would think that if Ford actually added interior width (and length) they would at least mention that in their specs but so far all they seem to be focused on is upgrades to the center display and other technologies. I'm also hoping someone will eventually come up with a comparison of new to old interior dimensions. This may sound a bit off the wall but my personal preference would have been for Ford to take a similar approach to the North American mid-size market as Stellantis did with the Gladiator. Ford could have given us a Bronco pickup and left the Ranger to go about its merry way for other markets. That way the Ranger would not have to be compromised so as to not compete directly with the F-150 in our market. I doubt as many buyers would cross shop a Bronco pickup against the F-150 as they would a Ranger and even if they did the profit margins would be more similar. That also would have made it simpler and more efficient for MAP to build more similar SUVs and pickups in the same plant instead of having to build two fairly different vehicles, one of which is taking up production capabilities of a more upscale offering. With the addition of the Maverick to the NA market that approach would have made even more sense. You want a small, efficient truck - buy a Maverick. You want a more capable truck with more room and the ability to tow bigger trailers and haul more weight - buy an F-series. You want a more off-road capable and stylish mid-size truck with lots of options - buy a Bronco pickup. But instead we will probably continue to get the red-headed stepchild that's afraid to step on his big brother's toes.

Have there been any interior volume specs released yet? Specifically hip and shoulder widths? I know they have stated that the frame and track will be 2" wider than the current truck but does that also translate into more interior room? Since they have also said that the wheelbase was stretched 2" by moving the front wheels forward does that have any effect on cab length? I read somewhere that the overall length did not increase so unless the front of the cab got moved forward as well (fenders and hood shortened) you would not expect any change to the cab length. However, I also read or heard in a video that there was more rear seat leg room. Any real confirmation of that?

You're welcome. I'm kind of partial to the MK II body myself. It had a few aero upgrades and is much more aggressive looking. There are still companies making reproductions of both the MK I and MK II. Superformance is probably the most well known but also one of the most expensive.

Speaking of car-like, the '07 through '10 Explorer and Sport Trac had a similar design on the lower "bumper". BTW, all those muddy streaks on the hood were actually done by a black bear. If you look close enough you can even make out a few paw prints here and there. ?

They don't look nearly as hideous on models where they are body color. Regardless, it's still a huge improvement over the current model which looks too car-like IMO.

It took a lot longer than I expected but I finally got the replacement wheel. Pro Comp cancelled the invoice that Alex had made for a new wheel after he left the company but never informed me about any of that. After I contacted them asking what happened they tried again to send just the decal but eventually sent a wheel anyway which I received a few days ago. I removed the decal from the new wheel and glued it onto the other wheel that already had a tire mounted. I fully appreciate getting a free wheel but it made absolutely no sense to swap the tire from one wheel to the other or buy another $300 tire over a 10¢ decal. I've got plenty of other wheels and tires to use as a spare. If I ever decide to mount the spare on the back I will definitely buy another matching tire.

Just so you know, my F-150 does have the extra FX4 skid plates but none of that has to be removed to change the oil. ?

My older brother is still interested in the Maverick. I had done a build and price for him a couple of months ago but there are probably a couple of things I would change now that I have seen a few road tests, etc. I originally spec'd it out as an AWD XLT with the FX4 package mainly because of where he lives and the type of winters we sometimes get. I now realize he doesn't go much of anywhere that some of the items from the FX4 would be of much benefit over the standard AWD so I would probably not recommend that now. Once I watched a youtube video of a guy trying to do his first oil change that kinda unsealed the deal on the FX4. You have to remove several bolts and the front section of the under engine skid plate just to get to the oil filter. However, there is a plastic access panel in the main skid plate to get to the drain plug (which the guy in the video totally missed and then removed the entire skid plate LOL). My brother doesn't change his own oil but I can see whoever he gets to do it either screwing all that up and/or charging him an arm and a leg just to do an oil change. My guess is the skid plates would eventually end up in the trash bin anyway and he would never be the wiser. IMO the tires that come with the FX4 package also aren't a big enough improvement over what comes with the basic AWD package. Once he figures out whether or not he needs better tires he can always upgrade those down the road although he will probably just bitch about how much better his old Baja was in the winter even though he had to get rid of that because of the typical Subaru head gasket failures. I also believe for the FX4 package to be worthwhile it really should include the rear differential from the Bronco Sport Badlands but it doesn't. You also lose Sport mode in favor of Mud & Ruts and Sand modes with the FX4 package but I seriously doubt he would ever use anything but Normal mode anyway. LOL. I had also spec'd a moonroof only because his current Rav4 has one but he said he never uses that anyway so that's out as well. The one big option that I might recommend he add would be the XLT Luxury package. I realize that will more than offset the savings from dropping the other stuff but I think you get some really good upgrades with that package including the power driver seat, heated seats and spray-in bedliner, all of which he would appreciate a lot more than anything he would have gotten from the FX4 package or the moonroof.

My guess is that with all the focus now being on looking green Ford probably doesn't want anything like an announcement of a new gas powered anything to cloud that image. Wouldn't surprise me at all if we never see the 6.8.

Bingo! It's all about power and control. Do I believe in "climate change"? Absolutely. It's been going on since the earth was formed and will continue long after the last human being has breathed their last breath.

I added a set of billet aluminum spacers on the rear. I didn't like how much the rear tires were tucked in compared to the front. Now they are much closer to the same. Also, this is going to sound crazy but if you notice in the side profile photo of my Bronco in my last post the rear wheel on the driver side is missing the small 4WP decal from the simulated bead lock on the outer rim. I called 4 Wheel Parts to try and get a replacement decal for that wheel. They had no idea how to do that so they transferred me to a gentleman named Alex at Pro Comp who actually manufactures the wheels for 4WP. Alex checked and could not find a way to get just the decal either so he is sending me a complete replacement wheel! He said I could keep the other one and use it for a spare. Wow! Talk about customer service!

From TFL Truck:

On the Ranger Raptor powertrain, assuming it does get the 3.0L EB, has the argument ever been resolved over the engine block material? Seems to me there has always been some confusion as to whether or not the 3.0L shares the CGI engine block with the 2.7L Nano or if it was changed to an all aluminum block. I'm of the opinion that it does have a CGI block with an AL girdle between the block and the composite oil pan, same as 2.7. That makes the most sense to me especially considering that both engines are built at the Lima engine plant. Can any Lima employees confirm that?

Got them mounted yesterday. No doubt the old setup was more aggressive looking but these should be way easier to live with. I'll probably keep the old ones in case I want to use them for car shows or something.