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PLAN B Build

Some of you may know, and some may have suspected, but I'm starting a new project and it starts with a truck you all will recognize.

I picked up R.J.'s Navajo today. She is a little tired and was facing being parted out, but now will start a new chapter, a very different chapter. I give you Plan B.

(dead links)

So let's start off as to why "Plan B"? Well, it has multiple meanings.

  • It starts off as I really wanted a early Bronco. I first learned to drive on Zukmans '71 Bronco he had years ago. But myself owning a early Bronco was not going to happen. There just way to ridiculous priced these days.:eek: So this is My Plan B.
  • JP is not going anywhere, I really just wanted to to do another build and JP is...well, JP!. It works, but it has a following and presence that really can't be changed....it's almost become, dare I say, an Icon of this forum. :jp: So this is My Plan B
  • The Navajo was on it's death bed. R.J. himself had already give it a time of death... :dead: So this is it's Plan B.....or maybe for it C...But for my plan, we'll say B :D
So what does the Plan B build look like? You'll have to watch and find out. But I'll give you some teasers..

  • Starting Base : 1991 Mazda Navajo JX 4x4
  • SOHC - donor: 2000 Explorer Sport 4x2 103k
  • 5R55E - donor: 2008 Ranger FX4 45k
  • 1354 manual - still looking for
  • :sawzall: to smell the fresh air;)
  • Super Duty Axles - '99 F350 4x4 PSD
  • 40's - settling for 37's now
  • Grabber Blue
I think that should be enough to entice you all for now...

This is My Plan B
 
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Glad to see it will be living on and be around for a while. Will it be April's daily driver in the future?
 






Glad to see the hood & rear shock mounts make their way into yet another forum member’s hands! I talked myself out of buying this truck a couple times.
 






So awesome, Steve! And 40's on a Sport, can't wait to see this !!
 






Hey nice car! I like it already :D

Glad to see the car in the hands of a friend, and someone who can finally put in the work to give that lost puppy a new life.
 






Plan B sounds nice...I like Plan B, both as a vision and a name!
 






I like it! I can't wait to see what you have going!
 






Ya I guess it sounds kind of cool. Glad it ended up in the hands of an EF veteran.
 






So let's get this ball rolling:D

Last night I started ripping out the rear interior. Wanted to get a better of idea of how the cage was put in. Like most I've never really seen any pics of the rear interior of this thing and how nice it's tucked up into the body. It will work perfect for my plans.

...and just for RJ, I added something this truck has needed for years. See if you can spot it in the pictures:laugh:

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The original plan when I brought this home was to try and figure out what's up with the motor, and try get to run and smog first. But today I decided why mess with it, and waste time on the build? I have people that want to see progress on here:D I'll be moving it into the garage and begin breaking it all down soon.


Which brings me to stuff I don't need. Get in on a piece of Explorer Forum Memorabilia.:cool:
For Sale - PLAN B Parts thread /91 Sport parts (So Cal)
 






...and just for RJ, I added something this truck has needed for years. See if you can spot it in the pictures:laugh:

135696-b02784ad0e2ff39c34e17142f89d7fe0.jpg
135695-f7c77e5bfd533c9a36327f25630d351f.jpg
135697-2461ff55bf9a30954d0f81179d0b87f7.jpg



The original plan when I brought this home was to try and figure out what's up with the motor, and try get to run and smog first. But today I decided why mess with it, and waste time on the build? I have people that want to see progress on here:D I'll be moving it into the garage and begin breaking it all down soon.


Which brings me to stuff I don't need. Get in on a piece of Explorer Forum Memorabilia.:cool:
For Sale - PLAN B Parts thread /91 Sport parts (So Cal)

You added love? I can't see anything new in the pictures. Something dangling from the prized rear view mirror? Don't know
 






You added love? I can't see anything new in the pictures. Something dangling from the prized rear view mirror? Don't know


A CB....lol:laugh:
 






Neato...Might hit up Winter for some 40" MTRs. I don't think anything is happening with the Explorer.
 






Alright...I think this thread needs a little inspiration:sawzall:

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Yes the tailgate will go back on, just didn't cut that yet.:hammer:
 






Wow. Bye bye Navajo that I knew.
Are you gonna fit a ranger tailgate?
Interesting to see the cage all out in the open.
 






Neato...Might hit up Winter for some 40" MTRs. I don't think anything is happening with the Explorer.

That would be interesting. Cause Steve wanted to buy those from him years ago. Maybe now he can. Like 6 years later.
 






Awesome.

What are you going to do with the edges? Round them off, cap them, ??
 






Wow. Bye bye Navajo that I knew.
Are you gonna fit a ranger tailgate?
Interesting to see the cage all out in the open.

I'm going to use the original Navajo gate, but it will work like a regular tailgate. DB_1 gave me his tailgate hardware years ago, and plan to use it. This is one of the reasons I can't use the rear bumper. There is no room for the gate to fold down without a lot of modification to that bumper. Besides it's big and heavy and has a lot of overhang for my taste. The spare will still stay on a carrier in the back, just centered and a bit different.


Awesome.

What are you going to do with the edges? Round them off, cap them, ??

I'm going to use some lite square stock I have to take up the window gaps and square off and cap it off. It will be flush with the body in the end.


I also think I need to add to the cage a bit. The rear seat will stay, just maybe a upgraded. So I'll need to add some more bracing back there. Trying to think of one straight back under the new body line or one diagonal for some trianglation, maybe both.
 






At last my driveway/backyard will finally lose an explorer and a set of 1 ton axles!!!!:bounce:
Now anyone looking for a super Ranger project?? Full frame and super cab stripped down and ready to go.
 



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Got the tailgate cut and some rough cuts on the interior pieces. don't want to finalize those till I clean up the caps later on down the road. Besides it's lets junk in my yard.

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