88’ Raingutter Ranger

[FasterNU]

This is gonna be so cool! Smart move keeping the oem core support.

All you need is the header panel to locate the lights (at least on 93-97)
So ... IMO. that thing is gonna take up too much space and move around too much if kept on the factory style rubber busings.... I ended up welding 2ghetto's core support to the chassis to re-inforce it.

 

[FasterNU]

Been sitting on this most the day, looking for some input. To fit the radiator I either have to ditch the core support (already has 2 coolers mounted in it, headlights, and lets me easily locate in "space" where my fenders and hood mount to) or move it to the back of the truck (probably will still have front/rear windshield, have to plumb it all the way to the rear which I was trying to avoid). Any thoughts?

If you get a big enough radiator to cool a 500HP V8... it's gonna be tight for sure, depending how much you moved your motor back of course. I would keep the radiator in front by all means necessary.

So on the old Rangers... the metal core support holds the lights? on 93-97 the header panel holds them. If that is the case.. that will def make your life more difficult to keep factory lights as you will need to fab mounts for them..

And looking at your pics and how high it is bumping.... how on earth do you plan to have fenders and bedsides?? Tires look way higher than body lines!

 

[FasterNU]

^^ go look at Thomas Built ranger build for what your fiberglass is gonna end up looking like. LOL. You look like you will have some problems up front too.

someone gonna have to bring back the TT style glass with big ass bubbles up top to accomodate all the uptravel!

 

[MTSuarez]

All you need is the header panel to locate the lights (at least on 93-97)
So ... IMO. that thing is gonna take up too much space and move around too much if kept on the factory style rubber busings.... I ended up welding 2ghetto's core support to the chassis to re-inforce it.

The core support already has two coolers mounted into it so just working around it right now. Frame is notched to receive the core support and will have it hard mounted.

If you get a big enough radiator to cool a 500HP V8... it's gonna be tight for sure, depending how much you moved your motor back of course. I would keep the radiator in front by all means necessary.

So on the old Rangers... the metal core support holds the lights? on 93-97 the header panel holds them. If that is the case.. that will def make your life more difficult to keep factory lights as you will need to fab mounts for them..

And looking at your pics and how high it is bumping.... how on earth do you plan to have fenders and bedsides?? Tires look way higher than body lines!

^^ go look at Thomas Built ranger build for what your fiberglass is gonna end up looking like. LOL. You look like you will have some problems up front too.

someone gonna have to bring back the TT style glass with big ass bubbles up top to accomodate all the uptravel!

I drew the radiator up in CAD, if you look at the most recent pictures, I laid the radiator forward to have it fit in the front (will be changing the ports to allow it to work).

As for fiberglass I'm sure the fronts are going to be close to nothing, I'd rather it handle good than worry about the fenders. If I really want to I can just decide to not notch the frame if it is too much. The rear bedsides will be cut out like Parson's old rig.

 

[FasterNU]

Excited to see the end result!! Been one of my favorite builds to follow on here

I wonder how the time equates too. You spend a lot of time on computer... but eliminate a lot of the manual work. Still can't skip out on the tedious stuff like wiring, plumbig etc though!! So much damn time in these builds that people never realize.

 

[DialedShockPrep]

Most people with cooling issues derived from a lack of shrouding, and less from the actual size of the cooler. Factory vehicles have a massive sheetmetal wall in the front of the car that blocks all airflow around the radiator, with an opening in front of the radiator for air to pass through the radiator. This creates a massive pressure differential and forces much of the air THROUGH the radiator and doesn’t let it bypass around it.
Everyone removes that header panel and slaps in a much larger radiator than stock with no ducting or shrouding and can figure out why their truck runs hot. You would be surprised at how small of a radiator you could get away with running if the face of it has proper shrouding and it’s sealed off well.