Truck-Loving Hero Builds Ford Ranger Dually With 7.3-L Twin-Turbo Diesel Engine
The “why” isn’t nearly as important as the “how” in this case.
While we've seen our share of desert-thrashing Ford Ranger pre-runners in the past, this homebuilt dually creation is something else entirely. Instead of capitalizing on the truck's small size and relatively light weight to build an off-road all-star, the owner of this '95 model swapped in a monstrous 7.3-liter Powerstroke diesel engine along with an extra turbo to develop a love-it-or-hate-it truck for the ages. Whether or not it can actually tow much is unclear, but this pickup has to turn more heads than any other Ranger ever concocted.
According to a quick write-up on Engine Swap Depot, the Ford belongs to William Medeiros, who documented parts of the build process on the Ranger Station forum. In order to make room for the venerable diesel V8, the truck's old power plant had to be taken out and the engine bay expanded (a 4.0-liter V6 was the largest unit available for this generation of Ranger, or any for that matter). The firewall and transmission tunnel were modified to accommodate the compression-ignition lump, and a new, taller hood was needed to fit the twin-turbo setup and intercooler piping.
You can see the engine running in a short clip here:
Given its position in such a cramped space, the Powerstroke needs a bit of help keeping cool, which is supplied by 32- by 18-inch aluminum four-core radiator and two electric fans.
Power is sent to an E4OD automatic transmission, which came standard in many of the old body style Ford heavy-duty pickups. An upgraded rear-end was more than necessary to keep up with the engine's additional torque, so Medeiros fitted a Dana 70 axle out of an '81 Ford F-350. The extra weight up front is handled by a Dana 35 Twin Traction Beam with upgraded Dana 44 knuckles and a set of 3/4-ton, eight-lug spindles.
Dual rear wheels are there more or less to complete the look, but we'll give them a pass since proper fenders have been built to cover the extra tire width. The massive shackle hanging from the rear hitch is a nice touch, too.
We can't say that this is a build we'd take on ourselves, but for the sake of entertainment and keeping the internet's unbeatable reputation for absurdity alive, we're glad it exists.