Saleen XP8 Hood and Spoiler home - next step paint & install on Big Whit

[YTF0rd]

looks awesome

 

[CDW6212R]

That test fit looks great. I might also try the hood fit with the grille in place too, in case anything needs a little tweak after it's all on etc. Adjust the height at the front corners of the hood well, so that the hood doesn't ever hit the top of the (grille I think, or header panel). One of mine was hitting occasionally, and it was stock. The corner and side bump stops should control that. I know that you want it right.

 

[MuscleJunkie]

Oh I missed that post. Too bad the truck is gone, I could want the side pieces.

I like the Dark Tourmaline Pearl of the 93/94 Limited, but I'm planning to change it to the factory 99-01 dark green. I liked those as much, and that color was very rare to see also.

Oh yes, while you are still putting together your truck, keep an eye out for a 2002(mid year on) to 2003 Sport. That hatch will bolt on, plus it has the wiper in the glass, and no holes in the hatch. A few members here have done it, and I think they got the wiring figured out well enough now. I'm hunting too, but rarely.

I'll have to keep the hatch idea in mind. Does it work with the stock 2000 rear lights or do you have to get the sport lights?

Thanks

 

[CDW6212R]

The hatch shape is the same, so any lights from 98 to the 03 Sports will work. But the trim(moldings) is different. I'm not sure if there are any holes in the hatch for the trim, which is a good question.

Your Limited hatch has a thin molding along the bottom, and there are holes drilled for that. My 98 Mountaineer has a molding that is just stuck on with no holes. I left off that one piece from my 99 when I used the 93 hatch. I'm still on the fence about that Limited trim, but it's hardly noticeable.

 

[mcclureautomotiv]

Nice save! Looks good!
I would love to find a hood like that! I took a kia Sedona spoiler and cut 3" out of it and plastic welded it. It's not a saleen, but the closest I could find! My rear wiper didn't work, so I shaved the liftgate to clean it up. I also cleaned up my front bumper, those holes looked terrible!

 

[MuscleJunkie]

Nice save! Looks good!
I would love to find a hood like that! I took a kia Sedona spoiler and cut 3" out of it and plastic welded it. It's not a saleen, but the closest I could find! My rear wiper didn't work, so I shaved the liftgate to clean it up. I also cleaned up my front bumper, those holes looked terrible!

Nice looking truck. The Sedona spoiler came out well. I remember reading another thread about another member doing something similar. I felt really fortunate to have had the opportunity to buy the Saleen XP Wing/Spoiler and Carbon Fiber Hood. I had been looking for 7 years.

What wheels are you running on your truck?

 

[CDW6212R]

Nice save! Looks good!

...

Very nice truck, well done.

I also would love to know what model and trim is that?

I need to find those front fender flares, since I finally located an aftermarket wheel that I like(Volk GTC(17x9" and 16mm offset)). My fronts will stick out a bit, and the back should be just right.

 

[MuscleJunkie]

Very nice truck, well done.

I also would love to know what model and trim is that?

I need to find those front fender flares, since I finally located an aftermarket wheel that I like(Volk GTC(17x9" and 16mm offset)). My fronts will stick out a bit, and the back should be just right.

Those are great rims Don. Remind me of those from the Mercury Mountaineer Ford Racing Prototype that is up on Craigslist right now. You need to hurry and get those on a vehicle!

I just picked up a set of 18 X 8.5 Speedline 1908 (Explorer Specific 10mm offset used by Saleen on the XP8 Explorer) Magnesium Rims for Big White and can't wait until the truck is finished at the paint shop so I can get them on.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=430760

Oh it looks like his truck is a sport model right?

 

[mcclureautomotiv]

Oh it looks like his truck is a sport model right?

Thanks guys!

Yes, it is a base model 99 sport, 4.0 ohv, 2wd, 5speed. I added a 97 limited grille, xlt smooth bumper with fogs, nerf bars from another sport. Then painted the entire thing with Duplicolor paint shop paint.

My wheels are 17x9 aftermarket cobra r that I custom painted and made centercaps from plexiglass.

I saw that spoiler build on here, that's what gave me the idea. The first attempt was using epoxy to join it together, but in the az sun the spoiler would flex. It ended up cracking. On his build, he used fiberglass. I have a plastic welder, so I just welded it up and no issues now for 3 months!

 

[MuscleJunkie]

Thanks guys!

Yes, it is a base model 99 sport, 4.0 ohv, 2wd, 5speed. I added a 97 limited grille, xlt smooth bumper with fogs, nerf bars from another sport. Then painted the entire thing with Duplicolor paint shop paint.

My wheels are 17x9 aftermarket cobra r that I custom painted and made centercaps from plexiglass.

I saw that spoiler build on here, that's what gave me the idea. The first attempt was using epoxy to join it together, but in the az sun the spoiler would flex. It ended up cracking. On his build, he used fiberglass. I have a plastic welder, so I just welded it up and no issues now for 3 months!

What is a plastic welder? Never heard of it. How does it work? Any photos?

Just curious to learn about how you did it.

 

[mcclureautomotiv]

What is a plastic welder? Never heard of it. How does it work? Any photos?

Just curious to learn about how you did it.

Here's my plastic welder. The newer ones have the temp control outside of the box.

You basically clean the entire area around the crack, down to bare plastic, then take the crack, of the plastic you're working with, and piece it together, if needed. Then you take a plastic reamer in a die grinder and cut a nice v along the crack. Next you take which ever rod is the same plastic as the item you're working on, and use the iron head that has the hole in it to fill in the v. Then I take the flat iron and melt it in with the oem plastic. Let it harden a little, then smooth it out with the flat iron.

It comes with a bunch of different rod material. It has paperwork that tells how to id the types of plastic. Tells how to perform the procedure too! I bought it like 17 years ago and have only used it twice!

As far as making the spoiler, I found the center of the 3rd brake light and the center of the spoiler. Next I marked where it had to be mounted, put one side up at a time, and marked where center was on the 3rd bl. Did that with both sides. There is a metal plate that supports the center. I left this on until after the final cut/measurement. Then I welded the plate together, then installed it to aid in alignment.(I tried to epoxy it here, it lasted 3 days) Next I mounted the spoiler on the truck and welded the top. Then took it off and welded the bottom side. Sanded it and used a small amt of body filler to smooth it out. Then painted!

 

[mcclureautomotiv]

I also had to trim the leading edges on the sides. They were hanging onto the roof and would catch if the liftgate were opened. I filled the small holes with epoxy and sanded to shape.

 

[mcclureautomotiv]

This was my x the day I got it!

 

[MuscleJunkie]

So finally some updates. Some pictures while in paint today.

BIG WHITE in paint today

 

[MuscleJunkie]

1st look - straight out of the painting booth this morning.

BIG WHITE - 1st look out of paint

 

[CDW6212R]

I've always loved the Pearl White, it's a beautiful color. Those look like a great fit too, other than with the bumper off still.

 

[MuscleJunkie]

Here are a few more I took later this morning - shown with the hood closed.

Several - might take a bit for them all to load

More of Big White out of the paint booth - hood closed

 

[MuscleJunkie]

Well the XP8 hood is buffed and it has come out amazing.

Saleen XP8 Carbon Fiber Hood Buffed

 

[MuscleJunkie]

Rear window glass shocks / struts were modified today to keep the rear window glass from hitting the XP8 Spoiler Wing. Saleen no longer sells or produces the modified rear window glass shocks used in the XP8 Explorer.

Modified 2nd Generation Explorer Rear Window Glass Struts for XP8 Wing Spoiler (INSTALLED)

 

[MuscleJunkie]

Initial fitting of the front end parts today. Everything is coming together nice. Will fine tune the fitting before the pin strip goes back on along with the V8 Fender logos. Mylar was applied on the anticipated wear areas (based upon photos of other XP8 Saleen Explorers) on the bottom of the carbon fiber/composite hood as well as the mounting surfaces of the spoiler. The struts came out perfect and the glass opens to just before it would hit the wing.

Also noticed that the rear bumper has some areas under the edge of the step pad where grit has gotten in between the step bad and the bumper wearing the paint off. Decided to go ahead and replace and paint the bumper face bar while it is in the shop and use some mylar or other material to put between the step pad and facebar to prevent this from happening again.

Photos (pretty high resolution so it might take all of them a bit to fully load)
Front End Initial Fitting