2008 Ford Ranger - Race Truck - Off-Road Magazine

We're not in the habit of revisiting past feature trucks, but this situation's a little different. Aside from a few feet of framerail, this truck is a whole new build. It's hard to imagine by looking at the most recent photos, but you've seen this truck before. "Stretching for Success, " August 2006, showcased Shawn Giordano's Toyota, which sported Ranger bedsides, a 22R four-cylinder engine, and a wheelbase stretched to 112 inches.

After that first photo shoot, big changes took hold of the Toy. The 22R was shelved in favor of a 3.4 Toyota V-6. The leaf sprung rear suspension was ditched and a four-link took its place. These upgrades combined with Shawn's driving skill and a little luck took truck and driver to an overall win at an MDR race. It was time to jump up to a bigger league: Best In The Desert.

Best In The Desert (BITD) is a pro-level series that offers competitors the security of racing exclusively in the United States, entry fees that fall midway between MDR and SCORE, and chasing and pitting rules that create the safest racing conditions we know of. There's a lot to like.

Shawn's speed in BITD races raised some eyebrows, most notably those of Ford Motor Co. The Blue Oval approached Mr. Giordano and asked him if he'd be interested in campaigning under its banner. Shawn knew a good thing when he saw it, and the two parties inked a deal.

Since almost everything's been changed, we'll leave the details to the photos and captions. There are times we lose track of feature trucks and their drivers, so it was good to check back in and see that Shawn and his truck are still soaring.

It's all Ford under the hood these days. The 4.0 SOHC V-6 is already good, but this one benefits from a custom exhaust built by Richards Performance. There's a Culhane-built Turbo 400 transmission behind the 4.0, mated with a custom adapter.
It's all Ford under the hood these days. The 4.0 SOHC V-6 is already good, but this one be
Sometimes it's easy to miss the little stuff, hence the close-up of the custom-fabbed throttle cable brackets.
Sometimes it's easy to miss the little stuff, hence the close-up of the custom-fabbed thro

The framerails and front suspension pickup points are still Toyota, so JD Fabrication's Toyota long-travel front suspension leads the way on the racecourse. Jesse and Dave (JD) made a special version of their long-travel kit for Shawn's truck, TIG-welding the entire thing and incorporating extra doubler plates. Eighteen inches of clean travel are on tap.
The framerails and front suspension pickup points are still Toyota, so JD Fabrication's To
Giordano TIG-welded his own four-link rear suspension using chromoly tubing and plate. There are 28 inches of travel at the ready.
Giordano TIG-welded his own four-link rear suspension using chromoly tubing and plate. The
Way back when, this truck was a door slammer with a steel cab. It's all fiberglass on the outside now, an advantage of which is easier body repair after mishaps. Without stock sheet metal in the way, Shawn was able to build a roomier interior for himself and his co-driver.
Way back when, this truck was a door slammer with a steel cab. It's all fiberglass on the