Entrant #47: Greg's 1980 F150 Ranger XLT
Owner: Greg Tanner aka gtanns
Location: Vancouver, BC
Model: 1980 F150 Ranger XLT; short box 4x4; 351M
Engine: 351M, rebuilt w/ CompCam flat tappet mild aggressive and weiand 8010 intake; currently with stock heads and a shaved block it has 9.2;1 compression. The stock heads are 78 cc combustion chamber.
I just got trick flow alum heads 195 cc intake and 72cc combustion chamber (not yet installed)
With a shaved block & my 78 cc stock heads having 9.2 compression already, the 72 cc trick flows will give a higher compression and good kick in the top end.
With the current stock heads, it dyno’d ≈ 430 lb/ft @ 3500 and 374 hp @ 4900
Driveline: D44 up front; rebuilt C6, and stock t-case; ratios are 3.55 with 31 spline axles and I have an Eaton TrueTrac LSD in the 9” rear end. B&M 40427 torque converter I think it’s about 2000; new steering shaft and Moog components.
Upgrades:
As I got settled into Vancouver, I finally saved enough to start realizing the project. I get American holidays, so on Thanksgiving 2018, a buddy and I rented my engine and pulled it in my apartments underground garage. I got the engine rebuilt by Rob Borden and his team at Canadian Crate Engines, and then the next piece was finding a place to get my custom gas tanks made, and also get the body worked on. The truck needed cab corners, but most of the other panels were good from my initial parts finds in 2012. My wife’s uncle has a body Shop, that cleaned up the truck really nice. I’m pretty sure this was a 2 part epoxy. I then had 3M Satin Black vinyl applied over the paint. Benefit being that I can peel off the vinyl in later years and either paint, or re-vinyl.
I’ve dreamt this truck as a do-anything eye turner. It’s been great to finally have it out and cruisin. Have gone on a few camping trips yet, more to go! Shelly .. cause She’ll do anything
Location: Vancouver, BC
Model: 1980 F150 Ranger XLT; short box 4x4; 351M
Engine: 351M, rebuilt w/ CompCam flat tappet mild aggressive and weiand 8010 intake; currently with stock heads and a shaved block it has 9.2;1 compression. The stock heads are 78 cc combustion chamber.
I just got trick flow alum heads 195 cc intake and 72cc combustion chamber (not yet installed)
With a shaved block & my 78 cc stock heads having 9.2 compression already, the 72 cc trick flows will give a higher compression and good kick in the top end.
With the current stock heads, it dyno’d ≈ 430 lb/ft @ 3500 and 374 hp @ 4900
Driveline: D44 up front; rebuilt C6, and stock t-case; ratios are 3.55 with 31 spline axles and I have an Eaton TrueTrac LSD in the 9” rear end. B&M 40427 torque converter I think it’s about 2000; new steering shaft and Moog components.
Upgrades:
- Waiting now for Hydratech power brakes because my engine vacuum is making the stock brakes very spongy now; wildwood disc brake upgrade on rear axle.
- Fitech Fuel injection unit for cold starts, elevation changes and fuel injection!
- All interior exterior lights are LED’s including projector headlights and;
- Separate AGM starting and house batteries w/ custom trays/; 1100W Krieger inverter installed behind driver seat; I ‘flush’ mounted the on/off switch for the inverter in the top of the storage pocket in the dash under the gauges (see photo, and the custom glovebox in background)
- Carpenter friend created a stiff glovebox from particle board that I’ve lined with black felt.
- Large dual core alum rad with electric fans - also power steering & transmission rads from Modern f250, mounted between grill and engine rad;
- PA horn underhood attached to the CB Radio (Uniden Pro 520 XL) - I drill pressed the original antennae mount so I could fit the cb antennae cable permanently into the stock antennae mount (don’t run a stock antenna anymore);
- Intermittent wipers are from my father-in-laws 1989 F150 lawn ornament;
- Upgraded tachometer for the modern ignition system and volt reader needle from RCC Innovations. I painted my gauge cluster white and put red LEDs as all of my interior lights.
- Scored the mint dash two years ago from a Bullnose Lariat @ pick-a-part for...$25! :) On the dash I traced the shape of the 4 sections of faux speaker hole perforations with flimsy cardboard and black hockey tape, inserted them in each of the 4 sections and then stuck finishing nails in the surrounding foam and used black spray against it all, so now the perforations look black underneath, but that section of the dash is reinforced quite effectively
- All interior plastic was removed cleaned and prepped VERY thoroughly, and then I used red Duplicolor vinyl and fabric to spray the parts red. I did this first in 2012 and then again round 2 on my final resto this last 18 months.
- I used black 4 way stretch snowmobile vinyl (Raptor Xtreme) and traced the original red vinyl seat inserts with the black vinyl and hand stitched the old original red fabric onto the new black vinyl inserts. I used DAP Wildwood contact adhesive with the same black vinyl to apply to the roof of the cab (over dynamat) and on the outer section of the doors, and behind the seat under the window.
- 5x7 Kenwood touchscreen display with gps nav; dynamat/pad everywhere; jl audio door mids and tweeters mounted in the dash and a good amp mounted behind the seat.
- Bed is coated in rhino liner; Truxedo roll up tonneau cover (really like this!)
- Tailgate has LED reverse lights wired into the XLT tailgate plate.
- BF Goodrich All-Terrain 31”x10.5xR15 T/A KO2; full size spare under bed behind axle; took jack and spare tire kit from late model Dodge Ram, and welded piece to the winch to access behind rear wheel
- 180L / 47 gallon custom 3/8 aluminum welded tank(s) on either side of the driveshaft, connected both tanks at the front with a ball valve and 1/2” hose running in front of U joint and along transfer case plate; driveshaft loop on frame crossmember. I got these tanks so I could have fuel capacity and also carry a full size spare behind the rear axle
- Custom sport rear bumper; class 3 Curt hitch
As I got settled into Vancouver, I finally saved enough to start realizing the project. I get American holidays, so on Thanksgiving 2018, a buddy and I rented my engine and pulled it in my apartments underground garage. I got the engine rebuilt by Rob Borden and his team at Canadian Crate Engines, and then the next piece was finding a place to get my custom gas tanks made, and also get the body worked on. The truck needed cab corners, but most of the other panels were good from my initial parts finds in 2012. My wife’s uncle has a body Shop, that cleaned up the truck really nice. I’m pretty sure this was a 2 part epoxy. I then had 3M Satin Black vinyl applied over the paint. Benefit being that I can peel off the vinyl in later years and either paint, or re-vinyl.
I’ve dreamt this truck as a do-anything eye turner. It’s been great to finally have it out and cruisin. Have gone on a few camping trips yet, more to go! Shelly .. cause She’ll do anything
