That would be a major SOB to do spark plugs though. I think you would need to bolt in the new firewall section. Maybe make an access panel for the oil fill. Then again, platinum plugs last 100K miles.

I really don't think this is so far fetched. Just the steering would take some time and patience and trial and error. Rack and pinion would be the only way to do it. Keep it simple.

I guess looking at this I see the appeal of a stock frame under the cab, every bend in the 2x6 steel would need to be welded, ground down, plated and braced. Keeping stock frame wherever possible is that much less to worry about.

Are you looking at building a prerunner? Do you want 4WD or 2WD. If you want an Explorer get a 91-94. If it's 2WD it will have I beams and 4WD will have TTB. You can get a lot of travel with them. The rear suspension will be your main hurdle. If you keep the leaf spring setup you will be limited on the amount of travel but with a 63 inch Deaver or National spring you can still cycle 18 inches. You will have to come through the floor for the upper shock mount though. If you want more travel than that you will have to link the rear. If that's what you want then get a Ranger instead.

The reason Ranger guys back half is so they can get more compression travel while maintaining a low stance for better center of gravity. Some notch the frame instead. There's no reason to go through all that. You can get a lot of travel using the stock frame.

Also, cost will be a factor. If you keep it simple with coil/leaf springs it will cost a whole lot less than if you build a link system and use coilovers front and rear. I’d like to coilover the front of my Explorer one day but that won’t be for a very long time.

A-arms are a must. Moving the engine back half way into the cab is a must. And cutting the front frame just in front of the newly setback engine for center mount arms with coil overs is also a must.

I know I beams are the way to go if you plan to keep stock geometry for the most part, but this would only be fun for me if I built most of it myself. And I do it the way I have it in my head.


Also I've seen way too many Explorers and Rangers land on the front end and break shit. If I'm going to build a jumper, engine will need to go 12-24 inches back.

I should have enough money to get this started if I sell my boat. Not just for money but for garage space. But I like my boat, it's a dilemma. I could replace the neon with the ranger, but then I won't have a DD to work on while I'm building the truck. So I don't know. I need more garage space and more money.

Realistically too I would need a pipe bender. And I'm afraid to ask how much those cost.

And 2wd. I want to build something that has a sandrail like suspension up front, except plated for strength for the added weight. I see rod/ rod ends and lots of plating on the bottom arm in my head.

I think I'm done with the Vette for awhile. Just going to install the Holley pump when I get a chance, and some drag radials on the rear when my tires are bald. There's no reason to intercool that thing. It already makes too much power for the diff/ traction it has.

And I don't feel the need to spend thousands of dollars and years of time dialing in the rear end right now.

You can get a basic manual one in the hundreds range. Nice hydraulic ones start in the low thousands. You'd also probably want a cold cut saw and pipe notcher (or mill). All things I want too. :)

It's tubing, not pipe.

So let me prepare you for some of the costs you are going to be looking at. First off, heims. You will need 8 just for the inside mounting points of the upper and lower arms. They run around $100 each for good ones in the size you will want. Then you need 4 uniballs at about $150 each. So you have now spent about $1600 with tax and you haven't even started to fabricate anything yet. Now for the chromoly tubing. Well that's around $120 for a 20ft. section. You probably need about 100ft to do the front with an engine cage so there's another $1200. Then you'll want to get a set of coilovers. I'd go with a set of 2.5 Kings. So that's about $700 each without hardware. So add another $100-$150 for harware and then another $150 for dual rate springs. So that's around $2000 for the front coilovers. But then you'll want to have a bypass shock to tune the front. I'd use a 3 inch bypass with at least a 3 tube design for tuning. so there's another $2000 for two of them.

Get my point? Keep the boat and enjoy it. Wait to build an allout desert truck after you're making bank.

Point taken, but $800 for heims? Why not just use fatty rod ends and rod? The fat ass rod ends are like $20 a pop.