Has anyone downgraded from a 2nd gen front end to a 1st?

Why would you want to do that? Just asking the question.

Call me old fashioned. I prefer the older, boxier look. However, I have done a lot to my Mountaineer, and wouldn't want to start all over with a 1st gen. I also prefer the interior of my second gen to the 1st gen that I had previously.

Are you saying you want to change out the front end body panels or the suspension components?

Sorry, I should have clarified. I put it in the bodywork sub forum, but then didn't say that I was talking about fenders and hood and such.

I have never seen it done, nor would I recommend it, but with the right amout of time, tools, knowledge and money its very possible.

Hey, anything's possible!

MONMIX said:

I have never seen it done, nor would I recommend it, but with the right amout of time, tools, knowledge and money its very possible.

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Why wouldn't you recommend it?

nobodyspecial said:

Why wouldn't you recommend it?

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Its a LOT of work and ,,,,, ummmmmm welll,,,,,, errrrrr in my personal opinion it would be ugly. Just my opinion. Sorry if it offends or hurts you.

The transition from a round tapered fender into a tall square headlight would be quite a daunting task to pull off.

I guess I didn't clarify too well. By front end, I was talking about everything from the doors, forward. Fenders and hood.

I don't have both generations side by side to compare, but it seems like the doors are the same shape, the panels should match up.

Offend or hurt? I am a big boy.

Sure, it's possible.

The right way to do it would be to either get a radiator support off a first gen and weld it in place of the stocker on the second gen, then first gen stuff mostly bolts on.

You'd have to be sure that stuff like the hood latch was in the correct position and you may have to do some fab work depending how well the fenders fit/hang, but sure.


It's not really THAT much work to swap a first or second gen front end between the two, Ford kept the core body of the Explorer almost the exact same, there were just some tweaks to allow the second gen front end to have that more aerodynamic shape.

It's not as simple as swapping parts, but if you have a reciprocating saw, a grinder, and a welder, tweaking the sheet metal to fit the parts you want on there isn't as big a job as some of the other body mods out there.



Of course, with a lifted Explorer, it'd be much easier to just get the fiberglass first gen front end and put that on there.

Hmmm... Fiberglass first gen front is something I never considered. Especially, since I will be working on a cage, that would be the perfect way to hang front fiberglass, if I caged the front end too...