The Ranger XLT @ Holley Ford Fest 2024 in Bowling Green KY After Missing HRPT 2019 and Power Tour 2021

[The Bandit]

great progress! We are all ready to see it back on the road.

[DuckRyder]

Also, I would just like to reiterate what a bad idea aircraft stripper is on powder coat...

Things I wish I had not done today...

Also, there is a reason it is wrinkle finish and that is that the casting isn’t very good.

Hopefully I can get stuff painted today and get the engine back together fully in the next few weeks...

I have taken at least a few pictures along the way, but my host has broken their uploader, maybe that will get fixed too.

[DuckRyder]

Allright,

So Scat Stroker kit did have a few challenges, but it is pretty...











Got that assembled:



Put some heads on it:



Then painted some parts













Put some parts on the engine



Put some more parts on the engine



Put the engine in the truck



Put some more parts on the engine







There are a lot of things I would like to have done, notably headers and exhaust, that did not get done, but she’s back on the road...

Oh, and the rear axle is still leaking, so at least I know it isn’t out of fluid.

[Ohiotinkerer]

Damn that's a pretty sight...... ......... Nice work......

Weather down there in Georgia must be alot nicer than up here........ ........I couldn't even think about doing that right now..........

[sargentrs]

Absolutely beautiful!

[The Bandit]

Wow!! That looks great in there!
Glad you got it up and running again.

[crazyhorse]

Mr Duckryder, congratulations, you have done a good job.
Hope everything goes well.
Good luck with it.

[yellercat]

looks super duper Duck, that's what I call a 'save' , nice work!
May have to shout at you about my engine config sometime soon, at the machinist now.
yellerc@

[DuckRyder]

Thanks gentlemen...

The weather wasn’t that nice, the painting was back in DEC and it was barely warm enough to spray and keep in garage to cure. Newer preval sprayer did not seem to work as well as I remember it working. It misted rain on me and Mrs DuckRyder several times while we installed the engine. I will say I don’t really think the lift plate was the hot ticket with the sheet metal on, none of my friends could come help so it was me and her and it was a bit of a wrestle... been easier with a leveler... and on level ground... as it was it was her 90lbs trying to move the hoist (or just keep it from rolling down hill) while I stood where the radiator should be and lifted the front of the engine...

YellerCat, ring away, what you building... ? Hows the dana doing you?

Put about 65 miles on it so far.

[DuckRyder]

So y'all thought I hadn't done anything? Well, you'd be more or less right but I got a little done.







Gear lube on brakes no bueno





Let us hope 3rd time is the charm.





Pardon the junk jack, my good one bit the dust. Theres a jack stand too, you can't see it behind the jack.

[DuckRyder]

Remember how I said I had rigged the booster because I could not get one with the non-adjustable rod?

Here is the rigging:



I looped a ring of safety wire around the booster behind the hex and one around the rod in front of the flat and tied then together with another loop.

This actually would have worked fine, except that I cut the spare manual brake booster rod too short so the pedal was low and the brake switch didn't operate properly.

Enter McMaster Carr:



Ball Joint Rod End 7/16"-20 Thread, Right Hand 60645K35 1
High-Strength Steel Threaded Rod 7/16"-20 Thread Size, 1 Foot Long 90322A140 1
High-Strength Steel Hex Nut Grade 8, Black-Oxide, 7/16"-20 Thread Size 94895A190
Mil. Spec. High-Strength Steel Hex Nut Grade 8, 3/8"-16 Thread Size, MS51967-9 94191A300
Zinc Yellow-Chromate Plated Grade 8 Steel Washer for 3/8" Screw Size, 0.406" ID, 0.812" OD 98023A031
Zinc Yellow-Chromate Plated Hex Head Screw Grade 8 Steel, 3/8"-16 Thread, 1-1/2" Long, Partially Threaded 91257A628

I also elected to use nuts on the brake switch:

Zinc Yellow-Chromate Plated Steel Thin Hex Nut Grade 8, High-Strength, 1/2"-20 Thread Size 93839A825

The biggest problem with this plan is that the hole in the rod end is 7/16 the hole in the brake pedal is 3/8. I was not able to locate a 7/16 20 threaded rod end with a 3/8 hole in the bearing, nor was I able to locate one with sufficient male threads to work without using a female rod end and threaded rod. Either or both would make it cleaner.

I made a spacer out of an old fuel injection hose clamp you could fashion basically any piece of flat steel of the proper thickness into a spacer.

I thought I took a picture of this but apparently did not.

And Viola -



I'm sure you could source the bolts, washers and nuts locally in smaller quantities more economically.

[sargentrs]

Thanks for posting your mod, Robert!

[DuckRyder]

Apparently i've been inordinately lax in photo taking

So, when I was reassembling the top end I noticed some wear on the adjusters for rockers, so I ordered some Harland Sharp adjusters to replace them.Went ahead and installed those and tight lashed the valves.

I had planned to also install these:



But they have factory style baffles and contact the Erson end supports in the area of the black mark so I have to decide if I want to use spacers or modify the baffles.



Also fixed a leaking PS return hose.

[DuckRyder]

Well that looks a little more like what we want to see:

[DuckRyder]

So Mr DuckRyder what you been up to?

Well a lot and not much.

I’ve driven the Ranger XLT a few hundred miles. I’m satisfied the rear axle leak is fixed.

I ordered a clutch fan but the fan is back ordered (thanks for the info RobRoy).

Probably the most interesting thing is the Marti report. I always thought the truck was local I know it spent a good deal of time in Carrollton GA. Thanks to Marti I know it was sold new less than 25 miles from my house. The dealer is still in business. I also confirmed it was built pretty much as I thought and it was sold very quickly, quickly enough to make me think it might have been ordered for someone. I may go over post the “situation” and see if they have any records and if they will sell me what they have even if they redact the personal info, but it is a long shot.