Well I had a good run with my 1996 Explorer XLT that we had owned since 2007 but the rust had finally gotten to her....she had 126k on when bought and 213k when she was sent to Ex heaven with no transmission or engine work ever done except for regular maintenance....
With that being said a replacement was bought before I made the decision was final...I came across a 2000 Explorer XLS 2 hours from me on Craigslist. The Explorer was a typical XLS, 109k miles, same options as my 1996 had with the exception of nerf bars instead of running boards, and of course having that FUGLY faded trim! I used trim restore on it once and it lasted about 3-4 weeks....
Modifications/changes because ya know its a "FrankenExplorer" some mods are just parts from another Explorer
01+ Sport HVAC Panel
TT/Shackle again
Removed the nerf bars
33 X 12.50 Mud Claws
99 power leather seats
Sony headunit with BOSS Amp and Pioneer 1200W Sub (not a competition system)
96 Bumper with fogs already attached
96 grill (because it was already painted black)
Uniden CB
PA 883 Body Lift and still need to raise the rear bumper (don't need this for 33's but it looks more bada$$ and will allow me to put 35's on next year)
Previous Owner stuck a vacuum actuated front axle under the truck for unknown reasons and didn't hook it up so I ran vacuum lines to it to have functional 4WD
Removed the XLS trim and two weeks later I went to the junk yard and pulled gold trim from a 2000 Blue Eddie Bauer for $20.00 and installed it on my truck, still need to cut off the excess metal in the far rear)
Future Mods so far?
Remove trim at rocker panel, fill holes and bedliner them.
Still need to install my 4.88 geared axles and M1354 under the truck....
35X12.50's
Jeep limited slip carrier in the front
Rock Sliders maybe?
Maybe....just maybe Superlift with a coil over swap....
Heavy Duty Front End parts and will do that by following the advice in Gman's thread for HD 2nd Gen Front End Parts.
SAS someday maybe....its not at the top of the list since I d.d. the truck more than I take it offroad....
And on to the photos.....
Stripped the old girl....
And....XLS in stock form....
TT With the 33's swapped on....
The start of the BL....
Someone needs a little help these days....but she loves the truck and insists we take it places....
And the weekend after the Explorer was done I find my girl like this....
I asked what she was doing and she said she wanted to make her bike bigger....
96 Grill, bumper and after the BL...
FUGLY XLS trim removed!
Much better! Eddie Bauer trim installed!
And as you see the body metal exposed there is normally chrome here on Eddie Bauer's and XLT's but I'm going to cut that off under the trim....
Before/After....
CB Installed...
And these pictures are just some things in my collection because I have such an "obsession with Explorers" as I've been told haha....my Ford Explorer coffee cup and Christmas tree ornaments aren't even pictured here...
Have this at the living room hutch now...(And yes the toys are kinda dusty, they're a pita to get every crevice clean so from a distance they look good)
Pictured is a special 1995 Ford Explorer Envelope with an exclusive Explorer postal stamp! Idk how my wife found it but she's freaken awesome!!
And if you're on Facebook, visit facebook.com/explorermadness
With that being said a replacement was bought before I made the decision was final...I came across a 2000 Explorer XLS 2 hours from me on Craigslist. The Explorer was a typical XLS, 109k miles, same options as my 1996 had with the exception of nerf bars instead of running boards, and of course having that FUGLY faded trim! I used trim restore on it once and it lasted about 3-4 weeks....
Modifications/changes because ya know its a "FrankenExplorer" some mods are just parts from another Explorer
01+ Sport HVAC Panel
TT/Shackle again
Removed the nerf bars
33 X 12.50 Mud Claws
99 power leather seats
Sony headunit with BOSS Amp and Pioneer 1200W Sub (not a competition system)
96 Bumper with fogs already attached
96 grill (because it was already painted black)
Uniden CB
PA 883 Body Lift and still need to raise the rear bumper (don't need this for 33's but it looks more bada$$ and will allow me to put 35's on next year)
Previous Owner stuck a vacuum actuated front axle under the truck for unknown reasons and didn't hook it up so I ran vacuum lines to it to have functional 4WD
Removed the XLS trim and two weeks later I went to the junk yard and pulled gold trim from a 2000 Blue Eddie Bauer for $20.00 and installed it on my truck, still need to cut off the excess metal in the far rear)
Future Mods so far?
Remove trim at rocker panel, fill holes and bedliner them.
Still need to install my 4.88 geared axles and M1354 under the truck....
35X12.50's
Jeep limited slip carrier in the front
Rock Sliders maybe?
Maybe....just maybe Superlift with a coil over swap....
Heavy Duty Front End parts and will do that by following the advice in Gman's thread for HD 2nd Gen Front End Parts.
SAS someday maybe....its not at the top of the list since I d.d. the truck more than I take it offroad....
And on to the photos.....
Stripped the old girl....
And....XLS in stock form....
TT With the 33's swapped on....
The start of the BL....
Someone needs a little help these days....but she loves the truck and insists we take it places....
And the weekend after the Explorer was done I find my girl like this....
96 Grill, bumper and after the BL...
FUGLY XLS trim removed!
Much better! Eddie Bauer trim installed!
And as you see the body metal exposed there is normally chrome here on Eddie Bauer's and XLT's but I'm going to cut that off under the trim....
Before/After....
CB Installed...
And these pictures are just some things in my collection because I have such an "obsession with Explorers" as I've been told haha....my Ford Explorer coffee cup and Christmas tree ornaments aren't even pictured here...
Have this at the living room hutch now...(And yes the toys are kinda dusty, they're a pita to get every crevice clean so from a distance they look good
)Pictured is a special 1995 Ford Explorer Envelope with an exclusive Explorer postal stamp! Idk how my wife found it but she's freaken awesome!!
And if you're on Facebook, visit facebook.com/explorermadness
