The Gardner Mods LSA Drift Ranger Build – 2018-2019

Purchased as a stat write-off water damaged vehicle in full running order, the plan was to make a ford ranger tyre killing machine.

There was a lot of planning involved with a lot of back and forth about what engine to put in it, after the talk of the Turbo’d BARRA went out the window because it was too long, and we would have to cut into the firewall (which we didn’t want to do).

After the BARRA there was no passing the Ford Coyote 5.0L motor. With a lot of research into the pricing of the motor and measuring room in the engine bay we unfortunately also had to turn away from the Coyote as we didn’t have enough room for it, and would eat into a lot of the budget of the Ranger Drift Ute Build.

After careful consideration we couldn’t turn away the Supercharged 6.2L V8 LSA, and after a lot of searching we had found a wrecked GTSR with just the mods and power we were after, so the journey began and  the rest is history!

  

  

The Build (broken down):

  • Engine – 6.2L Supercharged LSA V8 (out of a HSV GTSR) with 18% Overdrive Pulley – Upgraded Valves and Valve Springs – Custom Grind Camshaft To Suit – ATI Superdampner – Accusump – Custom Catch Can By
  • Kays Fabrication – Custom Intake By Kays Fabrication
  • Cooling System – Custom Made by ADRAD – Twin Aeroflow Oil Coolers – Powersteering Cooler Supplied by Burson Autoparts
  • Oils – Martini Racing Sint 30R/T Engine Oil (Smurfs Blood) – Racing Formula RF-700 Brake Fluid
  • Brakes – DBA X Gold Street Series Rotors – DBA Xtreme Performance Brake Pads – Wilwood Brake & Clutch Master Cylinder – Wilwood Clutch Pedal
  • Fuel System – Taarks Fuel Cell – Taarks Surge Tank with Twin Walbro 460 Fuel Pumps – 1000cc Injectors – Aeroflow Fuel Rails – Taarks Fuel Pressure Regulator – Running E85 Through E85 Compatible Teflon Taarks
  • Fuel Hose and Dash Fittings
  • Suspension – Custom 4 Link Rear Suspension by Kays Fabrication – Viking Coilovers – Modified Front Knuckles by Kays Fabrication – Modified LCA’s By Kays Fabrication – Custom UCA’s – GKTech Tie Rod Ends
  • Drivetrain – Hyper Series Twin Plate Exedy Clutch – Custom Lightweight Flywheel – TR6060 Gearbox With Customer Shifter Kit By Malex Motorsport – Custom 2 Piece Tailshaft – Modified Factory Ford Ranger Diff
  • ECU – Link G4 Thunder ECU – Link MXS Strada Dash – Link ECU Lambada Sensors – Link ECU Fuel, Oil and Coolant Sensors
  • Tuning – M1 Tuning Oxenford by Ben producing 600hp & 1200 NM of Torque
  • Wiring – 12 Volt Performance Custom Mil Spec Wiring Loom – Engine Protected By PDM Supplied By 12 Volt Performance
  • Interior – Sparco GRID-Q Bucket Seats – Sparco Harnesses – Sparco Steering Wheel with Quick-Release – Custom Roll Cage by Kays Fabrication
  • Wheels – Lenso Spec X – 18×9+00
  • Tyres – Nexen Nfrea SURG4
  • Exterior – Utemart Flares – Wrapped By Clarkesigns – Custom Rear Window Spoiler – Custom Tailgate Spoiler – Custom Side Steps

World Time Attack Challenge Sydney- 2019

Coming off the back of the Drift Ranger’s performance at World Time Attack, it not only impressed the crowds but proved it’s a strong contender in the drift scene.

The Ford Ranger Drift project has been in the works since early 2018 and after a lot of blood sweat and tears not only from the Gardner Mods Crew, but from a lot of special people along the way.

It recently made its debut at the 2019 World Time Attack Challenge (WTAC) in Sydney.

After a long journey, minimal testing and minimal seat time, it was ready to be put through its paces from none other than Levi Clarke, with barely any seat time, very little set up and tweaking of the car, Levi made it perform like he had been driving it all year!

With the team working night and day with Peter Kay (Kay’s Fabrication) and Levi Clarke, not only on the Drift Ranger but Levi’s S15, it definitely made it an event to remember and will be an event the Gardner Mods Drift Ranger will compete at for years to come!

The Gardner Mods Drift Ranger was well-received from not only fans, but also sponsors who were seeing it for the first time.

It was featured at the LINK ECU tent where the crew absolutely loved it. LINK ECU being one of our first sponsors we were more than happy to see the reaction and love from the whole crew.

  

  

Again this wouldn’t have been possible without these special people and sponsors… huge thank you to:

Payless Tyres

Exedy Australia
Link ECU
Lenso Wheels
NEXEN TIRE GLOBAL
Utemart.com.au
Clarke Signs
Burson Auto Parts
Kay’s Fabrication
Malex Motorsport
Peter Kay

Payless Tyres

Penrite Oil
Levi Clarke
Dave and Gary Gardner
        

       

      

        

 

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