Seeing as how I am up to my chest hairs with explorers, might as well actually create registries for them 
Got one for Blue (as severely lacking as it is) so I'll start one for Shade.
Shade is my 1997 Ford Explorer Limited. The truck is completly bone stock, as I plan to keep it. Much to Kris Guilbeaux's angst, I will not be lifting it, and it will not be called that which shall not be spoken
Anywho, I purchased Shade from Manhatten, Kansas back in March of 2010. Shade was my first 'second' explorer (and a second gen at that) of mine, so I was pumped. I never really remembered what made me search for a second one, but I blame the forum: I found this rig on craigslist, and the seller was advertizing it as an Eddie Bauer...when I saw the pictures, I knew this was not the case. So I called the guy up and asked him about it. Appearently, him and his wife bought the truck at an auto auction for her to drive and kept it for a couple of years. Then it started making this god awful noise up front and they parked it....
...Did I mention this truck is the SOHC motor?
So, being niave about the whole death rattle issue, I asked the guy how much for it. He told me he wanted a thousand even as is. I told him I would come up the following monday and pay him $750 cash...and he reluctantly agreed. Awesome I thought...but I would still like to look the truck over some more...hmmm
Then V8powerbaby (Nathan) said his friend and fellow forum member Elasser65 was up in that aera, So I called him up, and he graciously agreed to swing by and give it a good look over. Afterwards, he gave his approval and the sale was set in stone (thank you by the way for driving over there and looking at it!!)
So it was set. I, Russell, was about to purchase my second explorer! But wait...how exactly was I goin to pay for it? Oh crap....But wait! I had a 1996 Thunderbird LX sitting in my garage I wasn't doing anything with...
...So I sold it the following day for, surprisingly enough, $750.00. Alright cool, but how was I going to get it home? Well, as fate would have it, Kris Guilbeaux, as some of you may know, was planning on making a trip up to see me that same weekend I was to get this explorer...and he has his V8 Mounty...So after much begging and pleading and offerings of gas money, Kris agreed to tow it back for me...After some grinding on Blue of course
So, the next day, we loaded up our gear and tow bar (Kris wanted to flat tow it) we were on our way for the 6 hour drive..Saw a lot of Oklahoma and Kansas...which was flat fields, LOL. Then towards late afternoon we arrived. I fell in love with the truck! It was so pretty, and in reletivly good shape. Sure, a few cosmetic things, but very sound looking and very solid. I paid the man, put in the battery from Blue (it didnt have one) and started it right up...
...and woke the dead. Did I mention it has the SOHC motor?
Whew this thing rattles! Loudest noise Ive ever heard come from a motor. But Kris assured me it was the balance shaft (it has control trac, BW 4405 4wd) and drove great. So We busted out the tow bar, removed the front bumper, and hooked him up!
I was so excited! My very own second gen, and a full fledged limited at that! I couldnt stop oogling it
We said our goodbyes to the previous owner, title in hand, and took off out of the neighbor hood as dusk was forming. After the third turn, however, we hear this crash, then something spewing, then Shade started drifting...
...Uh Oh...
The passenger rail of the tow bar snapped and plunged right into the Tranny cooler, A/C condenser, and radiator. So ATF was leaking, R-134A was filling the atmosphere, and I thought Kris was going to have a heart attack. I calmed Kris down, assured him everything was ok, and on the bright side, we knew the A/C was charged
So We pushed Shade back to the previous owners house (couldnt run it long since the tranny cooler was busted) and got a hotel room for the night. The next day we secured a u-haul trailer (LOL's all around here folks) and loaded it up and was ready again...
(Kris looking pimp as ever)
...And started out journey back to my place. Everything was pretty smooth sailing. On the way home, stopped at my fav salvage yeard, and picked up another tranny cooler for free, and got it home
We unloaded Shade at his new home, Kris took the uhaul trailer back while I did my very first repair in the cold rain in the middle of the street installing the tranny cooler, and finally, drove Shade into my driveway...
Thats pretty much the story of how Shade entered my life. Since then, I've put about 3000 miles on him ( i know, death rattle, its a no no) until I discovered brake fluid leaking from somewhere, so I havent driven him lately. A big thanks to Kris for putting up with my fanatical optimism during this adventure, LOL. But Please, gather over some more photos of him
And of course, when I pull into work, I spot another, so guess where Russell parked?
Got one for Blue (as severely lacking as it is) so I'll start one for Shade.
Shade is my 1997 Ford Explorer Limited. The truck is completly bone stock, as I plan to keep it. Much to Kris Guilbeaux's angst, I will not be lifting it, and it will not be called that which shall not be spoken
Anywho, I purchased Shade from Manhatten, Kansas back in March of 2010. Shade was my first 'second' explorer (and a second gen at that) of mine, so I was pumped. I never really remembered what made me search for a second one, but I blame the forum
: I found this rig on craigslist, and the seller was advertizing it as an Eddie Bauer...when I saw the pictures, I knew this was not the case. So I called the guy up and asked him about it. Appearently, him and his wife bought the truck at an auto auction for her to drive and kept it for a couple of years. Then it started making this god awful noise up front and they parked it.......Did I mention this truck is the SOHC motor?
So, being niave about the whole death rattle issue, I asked the guy how much for it. He told me he wanted a thousand even as is. I told him I would come up the following monday and pay him $750 cash...and he reluctantly agreed. Awesome I thought...but I would still like to look the truck over some more...hmmm
Then V8powerbaby (Nathan) said his friend and fellow forum member Elasser65 was up in that aera, So I called him up, and he graciously agreed to swing by and give it a good look over. Afterwards, he gave his approval and the sale was set in stone (thank you by the way for driving over there and looking at it!!)
So it was set. I, Russell, was about to purchase my second explorer! But wait...how exactly was I goin to pay for it? Oh crap....But wait! I had a 1996 Thunderbird LX sitting in my garage I wasn't doing anything with...
...So I sold it the following day for, surprisingly enough, $750.00. Alright cool, but how was I going to get it home? Well, as fate would have it, Kris Guilbeaux, as some of you may know, was planning on making a trip up to see me that same weekend I was to get this explorer...and he has his V8 Mounty...So after much begging and pleading and offerings of gas money, Kris agreed to tow it back for me...After some grinding on Blue of course
So, the next day, we loaded up our gear and tow bar (Kris wanted to flat tow it) we were on our way for the 6 hour drive..Saw a lot of Oklahoma and Kansas...which was flat fields, LOL. Then towards late afternoon we arrived. I fell in love with the truck! It was so pretty, and in reletivly good shape. Sure, a few cosmetic things, but very sound looking and very solid. I paid the man, put in the battery from Blue (it didnt have one) and started it right up...
...and woke the dead. Did I mention it has the SOHC motor?
Whew this thing rattles! Loudest noise Ive ever heard come from a motor. But Kris assured me it was the balance shaft (it has control trac, BW 4405 4wd) and drove great. So We busted out the tow bar, removed the front bumper, and hooked him up!
I was so excited! My very own second gen, and a full fledged limited at that! I couldnt stop oogling it
We said our goodbyes to the previous owner, title in hand, and took off out of the neighbor hood as dusk was forming. After the third turn, however, we hear this crash, then something spewing, then Shade started drifting...
...Uh Oh...
The passenger rail of the tow bar snapped and plunged right into the Tranny cooler, A/C condenser, and radiator. So ATF was leaking, R-134A was filling the atmosphere, and I thought Kris was going to have a heart attack. I calmed Kris down, assured him everything was ok, and on the bright side, we knew the A/C was charged
So We pushed Shade back to the previous owners house (couldnt run it long since the tranny cooler was busted) and got a hotel room for the night. The next day we secured a u-haul trailer (LOL's all around here folks) and loaded it up and was ready again...
(Kris looking pimp as ever)
...And started out journey back to my place. Everything was pretty smooth sailing. On the way home, stopped at my fav salvage yeard, and picked up another tranny cooler for free, and got it home
We unloaded Shade at his new home, Kris took the uhaul trailer back while I did my very first repair in the cold rain in the middle of the street installing the tranny cooler, and finally, drove Shade into my driveway...
Thats pretty much the story of how Shade entered my life. Since then, I've put about 3000 miles on him ( i know, death rattle, its a no no) until I discovered brake fluid leaking from somewhere, so I havent driven him lately. A big thanks to Kris for putting up with my fanatical optimism during this adventure, LOL. But Please, gather over some more photos of him
And of course, when I pull into work, I spot another, so guess where Russell parked?
