Ford Ranger build
 

Over the Christmas holiday, I managed to do some repair work to my Ranger and some modding as well.

Since the grille had been nearly destroyed by a deer encounter, I bonded a lot of it back together and filled it all in (I still need to do some more smoothing to it).

I also shaved off the antenna as well as the driver and passenger side mirror. Of course, I fashioned a driver's side mirror to go inside the truck.

I also shaved (or smoothed) the fender badges, the drip rails, and the body gap between the fenders and wiper panel. Also, I removed the wipers and Rain-x'ed the windshield. I put the wipers behind the seats in case I ever need them. Since the truck will get painted eventually, I thought this was a good time to do some body work.

I also added an air dam using some garden molding and began mocking up an engine belly pan using an old bedliner. It seems sort of heavy though and is not quite level with the air dam, but it gave me some starting points.

When I do the belly pan, it seems like it would be easier to remove the spare tire and throw it in the bed until needed, but would this affect mpg? Would it be better to leave it underneath the truck and make the belly pan hinged here so I can lower it. Ideally, I'd like to add a roll pan to the back and have it roll under and mold with the belly pan.

I must add that my first adjustments had been solely in driving, but the air dam was the first thing I added. While I don't have a ScanGuage, yet, the air dam has made the most noticeable difference to me. After adding it, I found that acceleration was much easier and that I could coast much further and had to readjust my reference landmarks that I had been using when driving back and forth to work.

Nice work so far! I have a 94 ranger that I will be ecomodding this spring and I also would like to do a belly pan on mine so I'm interested to see how yours turns out. As for the spare tire, I'd say throw it in the bed if it's in the way for the belly pan but if it's not leave it underneath.also, my ranger's a standard cab short bed and I noticed decent gains removing my tailgate. I don't know if yours being an extended cab would affect it but if you don't haul stuff in he bed I'd say try it it's free. Good luck with your mods and make sure you keep us posted

spare
 

The rear portion of the pan could become a diffuser which would cut drag a smidge more.If there was still room for the spare then a hinged panel is a good move.
On my Dodge,I created a closet for the spare to slide into.The floor of it creates the diffuser.
On the Toyota,I keep the spare in the bed.

@Aerohead - That's exactly what I was thinking - that I could roll the pan all the way under, drop it a little lower, and add diffusers to it. For my ability and material pile, I think throwing the tire in the back would be easier. And if I just chucked the tire hanger, that may save some added weight.

I was reading this thread: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-far-4571.html where the guy said he removed about "250-300 lbs. (jump seats, consoles, spare tire carrier, mudflaps,other misc. parts)" by removing those parts.

I like my console too much, but have already deleted the mudflaps. The jump seat and spare tire carrier could be a weight saver potential. What about the bedrails, though? How badly do the affect aerodynamics? :confused:

Any new news on your Ranger? I have an 85 Ranger and might do a few aeromods like an airdam, and a coroplast aeroshell in the bed.