BrianDye's '95 Sport Registry!

Traded my old 95 (4 Door) for a mint 2001 Taurus SES, loved the car, drove great, great on gas, but it made me realize, im an SUV dude, not a car dude. (Unless its a muscle car or something classic ) I replied to a CL ad, about this 95 Explorer Sport, and the guy called me and told me about it. (There were no pics, nor information besides mileage, and that it needed nothing and ran great) I asked him if he wouldnt mind to email me some pictures of it before I come all that way up there (70mi) and he said he just put some on the ad, so I checked it out, and it looked like my 95's twin before I painted the stuff. One member on here pointed out that the last picture showed the top corners of the REAR doors, so I knew it was the wrong pictures. (I thought it was just the one, but they were all wrong)

So tonight I got there, (he brought it to his house because the dealer was already closed) and brought all the paperwork to transfer plates, and the title and whatnot, but I got there, and this thing was nothing what I expected, it was in MINT condition, chrome wheels shining like theyre brand new, paint looks no older than a year, and everything worked great, drove great, quiet exhaust, 4x4 works, all that good stuff, and only 138k miles. So we traded (signed all the papers, etc)

I cant get over how nice it is, theres nicer ones out there, but damn it wasnt what I was expecting haha.

Its got the stock JBL system, so its gonna be a PITA to put my system in!

(Snow)

I have NEVER in my life though seen such a DUSTY engine compartment

And I have never (even on newer cars) seen a functioning hood light!

AND a power antenna!!! (Dusty as hell on that side lol)

UPDATES:

Current Mods: (No order)

1. 3" off road lights behind the grille
2. 7 color changing LED bulbs in the reflectors on the door
3. 12" white LED strips (x4) to replace dome lighting
4. 36 LED reverse bulbs
5. 194 SMD LEDs in the gauge cluster, and temp. controls
6. Tinted taillights (Not the white part)
7. Removed roof rack (the bars, not the actual track yet)
8. Duralast Gold battery
9. Kinetik high power cell behind the backseats
10. Analog Voltimeter gauge in the center console
11. 194 SMD LEDs in the license plate lights
12. Scoche single din dash kit
13. Platimum Battery terminals
14. Removed CD changer
15. Became Elite!!!
16. Installed PAC Amp gain controller (Remote bass knob, uses RCA's) in the dash kit slot
17. Removed all dome light bulbs, still trying to figure something out for them...
18. Ran my own speaker wire until my wiring harness comes in the mail
19. Sanded & painted front wiper arms
20. Put SoundBox in the center console, mounted PS speaker behind grill (See page 4 video)
21. Added a Scosche In-line Noise Supressor (#ES034) Which eliminates bumps, and whining (interference) from speakers/subs etc
22. Ordered my Black Projector headlights! Hopefully ill have them by this week!

Future Mods:

1. 18/20 or 22" Rims
2. Lower 2"
3. Aftermarket CAI
4. Black 1 piece projectors w/ halos
5. 10,000k HIDs in the projectors
6. 10,000k HIDs in the fogs
7. Shave roof rack
8. Limo tint
9. Rear hatch update (98' Style hatch/tails)
10. Black altezza tails
11. LED taillights, and ALL blinkers/running lights
12. 16" flipdown monitor, or 2 10" flipdowns
13. Rust restoration
14. Heated mirrors w/ puddle lights (LED of course)
15. Paint the wiper valance
16. Newer style front bumper with cirlce fogs
17. Rollpan in back
18. Color changing underbody LED kit
19. HID Reverse lights!

 

[97sprt4x4]

psht, i could have given you mine, and mine was already painted black for yah. Lol, you shoulda asked!, Anyways, Those projector housings should look pretty sick on your truck.... i think you're the only one with a black ex that will have put them on. I thought about getting them, but they're too expensive, and i'm fairly certain that NJ will have a ****fit about them... we'll see. Looks good, and keep it up!

Justin

 

[BrianDye]

Lmao thanks for the offer

But yea, I havent seen many at all any color with the black housings, so im pretty excited to see what they look like on mine....2nd step to murdring it out haha

 

[BrianDye]

Well like I said I found some unwelcomed rust more towards the bottom of my front bumper, and I STARTED to sand it a little by hand with some 60-grit paper, I only had one sheet, which I used like crazy til it was smooth lol, then realized HOW much easier it would be if I had a palm sander, and no one I know seems to have one so I picked a new one up today while we were out, and plenty of rough paper, and smooth paper to finish it, im gonna tackle that in the morning, probably the back bumper too which I need to straighten becuase its sooo crooked from pulling people out of the snow lol.


Its killing me having these black housings on the shelf in my room just staring me down, but I gotta wait til monday when my HIDs get here, I havent had the luxury of HID since like November I think last year when I still drove my 92 Its gonna be an amazing night monday haha

 

[BrianDye]

Also, im getting one of 2 of these 20" rims:

This set is 250$ but has some chrome peeling, missing 2 centercaps, and needs new tires, has 5x4.5 explorer bolt pattern

,

This set is 400$, 2 good tires, 2 okay tires, but its a GM 5x4 2/3 (or something like that) but he has 1" spacers that make them into 5x4.5 for explorers

I love both pairs, and if I got the ones that are peeling, id strip the chrome off, and have them painted black, but in the long run they'd cost so much more (4 new tires/tubes, 2 centercaps, paint, stripping, etc) so im thinking ill probably try and get the extra 150$ and get the clean set

 

[97sprt4x4]

Also, im getting one of 2 of these 20" rims:

This set is 250$ but has some chrome peeling, missing 2 centercaps, and needs new tires, has 5x4.5 explorer bolt pattern

,

This set is 400$, 2 good tires, 2 okay tires, but its a GM 5x4 2/3 (or something like that) but he has 1" spacers that make them into 5x4.5 for explorers

I love both pairs, and if I got the ones that are peeling, id strip the chrome off, and have them painted black, but in the long run they'd cost so much more (4 new tires/tubes, 2 centercaps, paint, stripping, etc) so im thinking ill probably try and get the extra 150$ and get the clean set

My only gripe is that you're going to need to cut your studs down to use the stud adapters and still have the rim sit flush, plus if you're front end components aren't new, you run the risk of making any wear much much worse. IMHO i would wait and buy a set that you actually like, (from all the rest of your threads, probably black) and buy them like two at a time. That way, god forbid you break a rim, or you need to sell them, you don't have to replace all your studs, to run the stock size tire.

Also with that in mind, if you're going to offroad like a few posts above, i would look for 18s for our truck. That mounty you saw had 35s, which is a huge stretch for us, without doing a lot of trimming. you may want to shoot for a 31-32 range with an 18 so you still have some usable meat and don't keep denting your rims.

Anyhoo, Can't wait to see the HIDs in those housings, i kinda wanna get some, but i'm not sure if i want to get retrofits.

Post pictures up ASAP

Justin

 

[BrianDye]

Well after an hour of sanding, not even getting the passenger side corner done, I decided to go over the whole bumper, to at least get the glossyness away, so it didnt look as retarted til it gets painted, and got to the drivers side and found SO much rust, and its SO thick, the metal is completely flaky, so I decided I just straight up need a whole new bumper But I did find them brand new ALREADY painted black on eBay for 45$ plus 70$ shipping which isnt horrible, but damn I wish I wouldda waited on this computer LOL.

 

[BrianDye]

I have another question, since im gonna just replace my bumper, id like to get the 99' style like I want, with the built in fogs, but all I can find on eBay the style I like, they say "BUMPER COVER"


Heres one for example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BUMP...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Now id of course have to buy the fogs for it, but is that all I need or is that just the shell, and id need the corresponding bumper?

 

[97sprt4x4]

the 99 bumper is somthing like the 95-98 bumper, but you can't see it, it's actually behind the plastic that is what everyone thinks is the bumper, your best bet would be to get the physical bumper from a JY or LMC.com. and then get a cover from wherever.

Justin

 

[BrianDye]

Yea, I found that out shortly after, its just like one long piece that im assuming the plastic mounts to?

Im pretty happy though, I found a buyer for my headlights, and found a large lot of part out explorers, and the guy said hes pretty sure he has the front bumper I want, along with the rear bumper and tailgate

Ive wanted todo that more than I wanted my projectors, and way longer too LOL, way back last spring was when I had that idea

 

[BrianDye]

I wanted to change the bulbs in the high beams of my black housings to the blue "Xenon" bulbs, I personally think theyre brighter, but I also love the blue reflection they give when theyre off. They just happened to be on sale today at AutoZone for 10$ so I figured why the hell not.

^^I do believe I found myself a new avatar^^

I also had an idea when I got home, to fix my rear bumper bend problem (It was bent when I bought it, but got worse, because ive pulled a few people out of the snow)

I have this dike/hill behind my house, I can drive forward up it, but its too steep to hit from the back, so the bumper hits, so I figured give it a good love tap in reverse and it should help a little at least, well one try, I slid with the snow right up the hill, so I scooted over a bit where its steeper and *BAM* my bumpers straight as a board again! It looks so much better!

Yes its ridiculously dirty right now I know, but since the roads are all wet from slush and melting snow, theres NO point to wash it, as it would look the exact same by the time I got it home.

Sorry I really couldnt get any good pics, im hoping to wash it tomorrow, and get my new front bumper/liftgate and get some good scenery pics (After I get the black housings and HIDs in )

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

keep up good work brian

 

[BrianDye]

I also wanna get those $.99 "Pilot" brand chrome letters from AutoZone, and get "EXPLORER" and replace my explorer badge with them, I think it would look really good if they were all lined up perfectly, im just nervous about how long they actually stick/last with as often as I goto the carwash...

 

[97sprt4x4]

just make sure you clean up the area you put them down on really really good. and if you want to do it well, take a piece of painters tape and a level (yes a level) if you want to to look good you've gotta do it right.

as far as the rear lift gate you that should be relatively easy to swap over, just be careful not to crush any of the wires. Can't wait to see you newly developed truck.

Justin

 

[BrianDye]

I sold an old DVD player on craigslist today, met the guy at Meijers and figured id buy some paint and throw a few coats on my bumper, it'l look good for the time being.

But as for the lights, took me over an hour to get the HIDs in the sockets, with some drilling, but finally got them, wired them up, mounted the ballasts ETC, and it was 5:40, my gf goes tanning, and the place closes at 6 so I was like S**T! So I threw everything in the explorer and went and got her, having one black housing with the HID, and one chrome housing with halogen lmfao.

I went to the carwash like this too while she was tanning, and snapped a few pics before my digital camera completely died, and for the life of me I cannot find the charger anywhere.

Heres what I have so far though:
(Black w/ HID)

(Chrome w/ Halogen)

Look at the frickin difference! (HID=Drivers side, Halogen=Passenger side)

Im so happy with the black, it looks so much better, and having the HIDs is amazing. Im not satisfied yet though, they still need aiming, along with some adjusting, the pattern on the road is crazy and horrid looking. My old 92's diamond cuts were brighter, farther, and less of a pattern on the road besides LIGHT

 

[Glen4X4]

Truck is lookin good Brian!

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

looks good brian

 

[BrianDye]

Thanks guys!
I did another quick run over with the palm sander, and started painting

Gotta love hotel pool towels :

1st Coat

...I got bored

2nd Coat

My fogs were pretty nasty and yellow, so I decided to do a once over with the 120 grit sandpaper, and then VHT them, since they dont really put out jack **** for light anyways LOL. I cant wait to get my HIDs in them too!

I did one more good coat after this pic, so theyre a little darker, and alot more "even" now

Started painting the new valance too, I dont know why the hell I havent started this sooner LOL (Old< >New)

Sorry my camera lens was dirty.


I fixed another prob that was BUGGIN the hell outta me, when I put the LED strips in, I never did "finish" the rears, the wires were just crammed in so they lit up with the doors, and they had came undone a week or two ago, I still hadnt remounted the stock domelight to cover the ugly hole, and wires, which I finally did, and all is well

Heres where I mounted my ballasts, TEMPORARILY. They didnt even give me mounting cages like my old HIDs had, they just gave me 2 pieces of ****ty 2 sided tape, which CLEARLY wouldnt hold up in HOT or COLD. Not 5 minutes after I took this picture, the drivers side ballast came unstuck.

Front end so far: (Bumpers painted, no valance yet, nor fogs)

Whatcha guys think so far?

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

looks good brian

 

[Sbyrne97]

get a black ford emblem, and murder it out

 

[BrianDye]

Haha I was planning on TRYING the emblem mod tomorrow (Baking it, and seperating it, then painting it black) but yea, I did decide I want to murder it out, and its finally (slowly) happening its awesome