The Fordubishi

[Fordubishi]

Maybe a LONG weekend....... the first time I built the truck took me about 3 weeks to get everything in and it running. I used the stock drive shaft but had front half shortened and a ford yoke welded on.Used a 82 Crown Vic passengers side exhaust manifold and a 71 Bronco drivers side as they dumped in the right places.Relocated the floor shifter hole for the 83 Mustang shifter and made a rod the correct length, and of course the new tranny x-member.Few other things were adapting the Ford Dura-Spark to the Mit's wiring and using a Mits Alt. with Ford brackets.

you can go with a B&M shifter. MSD 6a ignition box an older style Ford Alt to not have to modify as much as I had to. With the exhaust you can always run the pipes to the passenger side and get a duel in and out 2 chamber muffler placed under the box where the stock pipe runs and everything will be tucked up above the frame.Or run 2.5" primaries to a single 3" pipe and muffler in the same location.Any Headers will have to be modified to clear the steering box.

[Fordubishi]

First car show for the truck but last show for the season around here. 2000+ cars/trucks for a single days show with around 15,000 people showing up so I never could get pic's of the stuff I wanted.

IMGP0001.jpg
end of the day as people were leaving.

[DroppedMitsu]

Sounds like a big show, I need to get to one here soon. The trucks looking awesome though, must be fun driving it again huh?

[Fordubishi]

Yeah it sure is. Found a few small problems I need to address over winter. (we get what's call snow here Camoit and not the stuff you sniff it's frozen rain) The ring and pinion have some rust on them from sitting without oil for 12 years and are howling, but that's not a big deal to replace.

On my way to the show I hit some construction and had to slow down to 50mph (80kph) and had a Caddilac CTS tailgate me till the end of the construction,When the construction ended I floored it,the truck down shifted to 3rd and I left the CTS like it was a 4 cyl. I ended up hitting 100+mph (160-170KPH)in a few seconds and watched the CTS get real small real quick in the mirror. Damn I love my 302 in a 2200lbs truck

[slappy302]

Have you always had the bags on it I won't have the money or the parts for the bags curious if there is any spring shock setup I could use when I drop the 302 in it?

[Fordubishi]

Originally I had the stock springs on the front and rear leafs in back.The weight of the engine dropped the front an inch or so and the back I used a 1" drop block on the stock springs. With the 4.something gears it was nuts so I swapped the rear to a ranger axle with 3.45 gears and drove it for a few years till I did the rear air bags.

[slappy302]

Ok Ima spend a couple lunch breaks at local junk yards and find some stuff thanks for that I was really confused with thy situation haha

[slappy302]

Also what years can I get the power steering box from?

[Fordubishi]

Any Sec gen from 87 up, I used a 88 Ranger power steering pump and made a high pressure line from a 96 F-150 by cutting off the imperial fitting on the box side and flaired on a metric one. The Ranger PS pump runs 1100-1250 psi so it's the same as the original mits one that runs 1099-1250 psi

[slappy302]

Sweet I'm so glad you guys answer I have a fox body joined a forum asked one question got zero responses don't get how people can be so rude haha but thanks for your help seriously

[slappy302]

Also I know the rangers a five lug what did you do about the front? Did you change it also and if so how and what did you use?

[Fordubishi]

Did the 86-95 Toyota 2wd conversion http://www.mightyram50.net/phpbb3/vi...70&t=267#p1515 will explain it.

[Fordubishi]

Had a few problems with the relocated gas tank so I went and got a 17 gallon fuel cell from RCI. Did some fab work on the mounting and relocated the Holley blue fuel pump below the tank. It fits real nice under the box and is only 7" deep where as the stock tank is 11" deep so the filler neck will be hidden under the box floor and axcessed through a door made from the piece I cut out. I will get pic's as I'm doing the install.Factory gas tank is also 17 gallons so.........

Fuel Cell.jpg
30" long, 17" wide, 7" deep

[Fordubishi]

Fuel Cell all installed, need to find or make a filler door but for now it works.

Cell Installed.jpg
Installed and Fuel pump on isolators

Filler neck.jpg
Filler neck now below the floor

[Fordubishi]

working on the fuel cell locking door. took a little while but got it all made and installed.

Gas door.jpg
Took a few hrs but its the right size.

Bed Gas Mod.jpg
cut and modified the bed to except the door

Gas Door Closed.jpg
Door installed

Gas Door Open.jpg
Door open to axcess the cap

Gas Door Locked.jpg
What it looks like all locked up

[Acuta73]

Very nice.

Plan on my second tank going to the fender behind the original filler, but I like that idea, too!

[camoit]

OR, just go out and get your self a new flasher from Grote. Part # 44891 It will keep you from dealing with the resistor problem. Any Napa or heavy truck repair shop can get it. Connect white wire to ground.

Attachment 2966

My lighting wiring is apart right now; this is awesome info! Thanks for the tip!

-RHP

Sorry but I had a problem with this unit on my build. But there is a solution. Ignore all other information. Unless it's working on your rig.
See this thread.
http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...asher-Problems

[Fordubishi]

Oh well I'm working backwards again...... Have to pull the engine and tranny as I have a tranny seal leak and a few small things to do. not a huge deal and it will be easier to put in the Lokar shifter system. Need to replace the harmonic ballancer, water pump is still leaking so need to address that too.Ordered a 5 gallon air tank. Engine should be out tomorrow and back in by Friday if I can get all the parts.Guess that's what happens when you let seals sit unoiled for 12 years. $5 part ends up taking 8+ hrs to replace. Camoit knows all about how small things end up taking forever to finish

[camoit]

Thats all I'm down to,,, Is the small things. Ask the wife, she keeps telling me the same thing. How much longer is this going to take....

[Fordubishi]

Engine and Tranny are out, new shifter detent is installed,front tranny seal replaced,Front crank seal on order(pick up tomorrow). Found a small problem in the tranny where the throttle valve was sticking so I fixed that while I had it open.Also found the tranny was hitting the floor is 2 spots because after market mount is taller then the factory one by about 1/2" so I have to modify my X-member a bit.I Hope the US economy stays crappy for at least another 6-12 months as parts are now cheaper here then ordering online from the US Granted I have to wait a few weeks to get the part but I don't have to pay all the shipping and duty that way so I saved just over $100.00 ordering it from here then through Jegs/Summit.

[camoit]

Lets see,, They raised the tax rate, increased the spending limit, started to ban guns and ammo, And things are slower now then last year. So ya you are going to get your wish.

[Fordubishi]

Got my new shifter installed so the engine can go back in next week sometime.

Lokar Shifter.jpg
Lokar 8" Midnight Series shifter and boot.

[Fordubishi]

welded in the new mounts for my second air tank so I now have a 3 gallon and a 5 gallon for the air system.Painted it all up and used the last of my purple but thanks to Greenteagod I will have more on Monday !!!!

Duel Tanks.jpg
Duel tanks installed.

[Fordubishi]

Started working om my Mini bikes to put in the back of the truck for shows. Repainting one to match the truck and the other I will do paint later to look like a 90 Honda VFR 750R (RC-30)




How the second one will be painted.

Now all I need if Camoit to find me a mini boat and I'm set

[BradMph]

Those are friggin cooool! Funny though, a guy with a big V8 minitruck and he has mini-bikes. I kind of expected to see a V8 sticking out of one of those bikes, lol