Joe Dirt's 2000 Ex-El-Tee "Deuce"

Welcome to the registry for Wedgie 2.0, who has been affectionately named "Deuce"

From Shad's info to save keystrokes:

Here is the run down:

2000 Ford Explorer XLT 5.0L - AWD
Deep Wedgewood Blue
Gray Leather
Yada, yada, yada...

Highlights:

• Transmission rebuilt at 160,000 miles, and filled with synthetic
• Lifted 2" in front with torsion keys
• Lifted 3" in back with Add-a-Leaf and Warrior Shackles
• New Superlift shocks at 166,000 miles
• 31" x 10.5" tires
• As much rust as some southern trucks- she's clean...

Interesting fact- it was an XLT fitted with air-ride shocks from the factory. System was disabled with the kit and shocks were put on to avoid costly repair.



Next to Wedgie:

Today 1/28/11 was the first car wash.

And yes, it needs to be cleaned...

Um... This is going to be my biggest challenge to date.

But it's going to be fine. It's an incredible place to start- the steering wheel isn't even gummy or rolled. I'm very pleased with the canvas...

Anyway, after the car wash, I snapped some pics for starting point reference.
So, here are our obligatory before pictures...

Door seams always oiled

Hatch looks brand new as well!

Nothing on the rocker seams ...but a paint chip

Rockers nice. No rust even at the back- just grime and ice. I think the mudflaps really helped...

 

[Joe Dirt]

Engine bay done aside from refinishing the upper intake which I may do this summer, and sandblasting and retrimming the vanity plate.

Before:

After. I missed a spot under the MAF, dammit:

 

[BrianDye]

Why no more V8 Emblem?

And if you dont mind me askin, how long does it take you todo the whole thing?

It seems as if that would take hours!

 

[Joe Dirt]

Why no more V8 Emblem?

And if you dont mind me askin, how long does it take you todo the whole thing?

It seems as if that would take hours!

Engine bay done aside from refinishing the upper intake which I may do this summer, and sandblasting and retrimming the vanity plate.

I have the vanity plate at work to sandblast today.



It was just a general Meg's super degreaser, light hose off, leaf blower, Meg's hyperdressing job, took about an hour start to finish.

 

[BrianDye]

Well it looks brand new...GREAT job

I want a whole new upper intake, but it seems that it gets pretty in depth as far as just taking them off.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Nah- not that bad. Probably the hardest part is getting the old crusty vac lines and stuff to release.

 

[lynchy wa]

Bloody hell mate!!! Like Brian said, brand new! Even makes a lazy bugger like me think about cleaning my engine bay...hmmm....thinking.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Only thing I don't like is the shine. Have to dilute the Hyperdressing a bit more for satin finish...

 

[lynchy wa]

Next time maybe. Will the heat in the engine bay take some of the gloss off? Like armour oil (sorry about mentioning that, if I said bosch too, some might say I have automotive tourret's) on plastic bumper's in the sun?

 

[Joe Dirt]

Not sure- I've never used Hyper Dressing in an engine bay before, I usually just went matte from Simple Green. I'll have to see what it does, but it is usually applied with each wash after a quick puff to rid of the dust. I may wipe down and re-spray the hoses with a thinned Hyper Dressing. It's reduced to 2.5:1 right now.

CLICK

 

[lynchy wa]

Good stuff, I've just learn't my thing for the day. I didn't know you could vary the finish! There's hope for me yet , maybe.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Revisiting... I could be bored since Deuce is clean...

 

[NHarris]

Wow... that ford is AWESOME!

 

[FROADER]

Nice, Joe. A '65 was an option as my next project for a while. There was a good deal on my local Craigslist for a decent one. I definitely miss my '63.5... I also had a '64 for a short time.

 

[Joe Dirt]

I'm eyeing hard, it was for sale last year, and it's up again this year. I'm discussing the feasibility with the other half... I'm itching to go racing again. Might have to go chase down a Dart...

 

[rickybobby]

Is it a big block or small block Joe

 

[lynchy wa]

Go on mate, you know you want to. Wicked, wicked ride!!!!

 

[Joe Dirt]

Currently it's a 390, but would be swapped 460 if all goes through...

 

[BrianDye]

 

[bats]

The look on your face when it started was priceless!! Would have been cool if you used Galaxie by Blind Melon as the closing track (Yes, it's a song about Hoon's Ford Galaxie!)

 

[Joe Dirt]

Well, I didn't win the auction on the Galaxie. It went for $7,300. It was decent, but not $7,300 decent. So, the search continues. :thumbdwn:


In the meantime, I started some other projects. I had a scuffed Explorer emblem, and wanted to not look at the crap paint in between the letters.


Pardon the crap pictures. My camera decided to give up the ghost. Too much kitchen grease.


Stripping:

Cleaned off:

And reinstalled with a Gen IV XLT badge

I like it a lot.

And don't try the "hey Dirt, I think it's a little crooked" crap. That badge was measured, taped out, more level to the truck, centered, and straighter than most of y'all's houses are. It took me about 25 minutes to strip the old stuff off, and 45 minutes to get the new badge set. It involved a micrometer and a machinists ruler. Go figure.