WIP - Explorer #94

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JEXP94
Posts: 56
Joined: February 16th, 2015, 2:45 am
Vehicle Make/Model: 1994 Ford Explorer XLT
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WIP - Explorer #94

Post by JEXP94 » December 29th, 2019, 6:51 pm

It is now time for me to officially post and start my own little thread tracking the progress of Explorer #94 and the different things I'm doing. Updates will probably start out slow and distanced in-between, but I can only hope to change that sooner rather than later.

To start off and christen this journey, I'm excited to say that, with the help of a very kind and generous MrDNA, I was able to obtain a brush guard AND tail light guard combo for my future Explorer!

The brush guard is not screen accurate but, with some slight modifications maybe, can be as close to screen accurate as one may be able to get, at least these days.

The tail lights, after my own research, do appear to be Maniks, but possibly a slightly different style. Either way, I can't believe I've got all of this in my possession now! The pictures attached are from before they were pulled off of a junkyard Ford Explorer, so obviously it can be seen that they are covered in a little bit of a rusty patina. I'm sure it wont be so hard to refinish them back to a good or decent condition. Nothing a little bit of elbow grease can't solve.

Either way, any sort of brush or light guard sets are just beyond extremely rare to find for a first-gen Explorer at this point, so I'll take whatever I can get my hands on!

As always, I'm still searching for a viable Ford Explorer as my base build. I've found many recently posted in my area but it seems to be that the users always disappear after 1 or 2 messages. Either way, the hunt continues forward. It is my personal pledge to myself to get this done within in the next few years.

For now, these guards will be worked on and then kept in my garage while I collect more for the build, and until I finally snag an Explorer.

I can't wait to join you guys with a finished build! So excited!!
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Dwight
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Joined: October 8th, 2018, 12:59 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL
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Re: WIP - Explorer #94

Post by Dwight » December 30th, 2019, 12:59 pm

Yay! Another Explorer builder. Glad to have you along this journey as I'm in the beginning stages myself. What are your goals for the explorer? Screen accurate/bubble roof/interior/etc.

Definitely keep on the prowl for a good starting base. I know they are hard to find in good shape but its worth the wait. I searched every single day on search tempest and FB Marketplace for months before I found the right one.

JEXP94
Posts: 56
Joined: February 16th, 2015, 2:45 am
Vehicle Make/Model: 1994 Ford Explorer XLT
Contact:

Re: WIP - Explorer #94

Post by JEXP94 » December 30th, 2019, 3:01 pm

Explorers aren't nearly common enough and probably for good reason - it's hard to find a good one to convert and even harder to find screen accurate parts for it! Keep in mind, it's a Ford ;p

I have in mind to go as screen accurate as possible. I'm definitely doing the bubble roof and computer monitor interiors, custom seats, track sensors and cameras, custom Dash, the whole enchilada. Of course it will take some time to do it all but that's part of the fun - if I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna go all out.

I've already found a place online for new interior carpeting so I've decided that as soon as I find a good base no matter what condition it's in, I'm tearing out and replacing the old carpet with new carpet and deadener, mostly for appearance and smell.

I also plan on doing what cyrix did with his build and put some automation into the mix as well with the automated tour program and presets for car show spots and fans. Maybe with some tweaking here and there but I want to do the same thing eventually.

I do search almost every day for an explorer. I've even now expanded my searches Nationwide with the open mind of shipping the right car but It would depend how much the potential seller works with me to make me comfortable on a purchase.

If you've got any tips or advice I can use for any part of the process though, feel free to lay it on me!

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Dwight
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Posts: 357
Joined: October 8th, 2018, 12:59 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL
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Re: WIP - Explorer #94

Post by Dwight » December 30th, 2019, 4:35 pm

I'm currently at the point where i've gutted the interior and about to lay down my first roll of sound deadener (SoundSkin brand). I'm with you though...if you're gonna do it, do it right and enjoy the ride.

The more I dive into Cyrix's Explorer (granted i've seen it in person a handful of times) the more I'm blown away. The lengths he went through for the automation and tour programming is astounding. Im working that stuff right now but i've got a lot to learn. Learning the stuff now though is best since the build is going to take me awhile regardless.

I decided to go with the factory carpet of mine since its in pretty good shape. I've got a buddy who does carpet cleaning and just gonna have him do his thang. I've heard its much easier to work with the factory carpet.

Just a few tips for you when searching for the right base....and this is why I say its hard to find a good one:

1) 2X4 (if you're going screen accurate)
2) Tan interior (to scour junkyards to put together a tan interior would be a pain in the butt.
3) Manual seats (mine weren't manual so I ripped them out and dumped them)
4) Automatic Transmission
5) Obviously not a rust bucket

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