Paul's '91 Sport

[Paul]

I like heavy duty velcro for my microphones. It holds very well.

At my pace, I’ll get them sorted sometime before 2025. . .

 

[Paul]

So the Ham install was a project, and I've got a few others in the works, but had some time between motorcycle tasks so knocked out a few "not so much" projects today. . .

Kind of beat up my James Duff skid plate in Moab this past May - - not too bad, but dinged up the corners and scuffed it up on Metal Masher. . .

Not much visible in the above pic, but pried it off, beat out the dents and went to black with textured bed liner. . .

Liked the stainless look before, and was going to go with gray over the texture, but so impressed with how much better it looks in black - - really ties in with the black Line-Ex of the bumper and fill plates.

Also found a neat spot for this gear pouch that has just been sitting in my glove box. . .

. . . below the dash on the passenger side.

Paul

 

[Paul]

Hate the idea of working on rig projects (or any project), and then not taking the vehicle out to enjoy the efforts of the labor. Not that the skid plate was a major effort, but the Ham took some time, so decided to go out and find some snow, which is late for us at elevation here in the PNW.

None of the "usual suspects" wanted to join me, so I headed out solo to a place called Coplay Lake. Lots of rain at lower elevations over the last few days added some drama. . .

At the lake. . .

Not nearly frozen enough to walk on. . .

Enough other vehicles were out on the trail, so not really "solo", but during the descent ran across a Nissan Maxima(?) high centered on 6" of snow. . . What the driver was thinking to go up a mountain, er, hill in a passenger car with bald tires was baffling to me. Another rig showed and we were able to push him back into his tire tracks, but seriously, what if he really was out there alone? No phone service, 10+ miles to civilization, no rations or fluids, no cold weather gear, no strap points, no recovery gear, and obviously, no clue. . .

Only damage was his under-engine air deflector, and hopefully a bit of pride. . .

Paul

 

[410Fortune]

It happens every single day! Poor cops and park rangers have to deal with these people constantly

 

[gmanpaint]

Glad you managed to get it out of the house!

 

[Rick]

Hate the idea of working on rig projects (or any project), and then not taking the vehicle out to enjoy the efforts of the labor. Not that the skid plate was a major effort, but the Ham took some time, so decided to go out and find some snow, which is late for us at elevation here in the PNW.

None of the "usual suspects" wanted to join me, so I headed out solo to a place called Coplay Lake. Lots of rain at lower elevations over the last few days added some drama. . .
View attachment 447900

At the lake. . .
View attachment 447901

Not nearly frozen enough to walk on. . .
View attachment 447902

Enough other vehicles were out on the trail, so not really "solo", but during the descent ran across a Nissan Maxima(?) high centered on 6" of snow. . . What the driver was thinking to go up a mountain, er, hill in a passenger car with bald tires was baffling to me. Another rig showed and we were able to push him back into his tire tracks, but seriously, what if he really was out there alone? No phone service, 10+ miles to civilization, no rations or fluids, no cold weather gear, no strap points, no recovery gear, and obviously, no clue. . .

Only damage was his under-engine air deflector, and hopefully a bit of pride. . .

Paul

Looks like a beautiful area. The waterfall is awesome.

Char and I once found a Vega deep into a trail. If it was a stolen car I could understand it being where it was, but if it was someone's transportation, I have no idea why they would have kept driving until they got stuck and blocked the trail. I used my winch to pull it off to the side so we could finish the trail. If the driver of the Vega was solo he had a long walk out.

 

[Paul]

Still have a project on the work bench, but a few of the regulars wanted a snow run, so about a dozen (just too damn many!) rigs showed for a run around the Greenwater area here in the PNW. Not much snow for us this year, so hard to get really stuck, but a few of us found a way. . .
Line Up:

Broncos and stuff:

Views of Rainier never get old (to me anyway. . ):

A fun day,

Paul

 

[Paul]

So, while not an upgrade, I've been looking forward to this for a few years now. . .

(Collector Vehicle Plate) . . .

Delayed as I would have put these on the 1991 Explorer (B3) if it was still with us, as it takes 30 years to pass in order to obtain these here in Washington (this rig is a '94).

Touched-up the white paint on the explorer plate surround, and added the U.S. Flag to cover the gray-scale "Year and Month" sticker locations. . .

Looks so good I had to break-down and wash the whole rig! ! !

Paul

 

[Rick]

I love that you painted the Explorer on the license plate frame. I hadn't seen anyone do that before.

 

[Paul]

I love that you painted the Explorer on the license plate frame. I hadn't seen anyone do that before.

. . . and made it a two-door (windows). . .

. . . that plate surround is from the old B3, circa 2010 or so. . . , it migrated with the other cool stuff onto this rig. Actually had to shorten the unit to get it to fit within the frenched-in box for the license plate, but works for me. . .

 

[Paul]

Guilty as charged. . .

 

[Paul]

Yesssh, too much life-stuff lately, so some of the more significant upgrades (really not that significant…) put off for a while. Did add a 12V and dual USB power outlet in the cargo area . . . and that’s about it.

The 12V is for the ARB fridge, and the USB ports are for everything else…

Have USB outlets on the switch panel up front as well, can’t have too many nowadays.

Have a good one,

Paul

 

[EddieMoney]

Hi Paul,
What's your view out the front window like with the overhead shelf?

 

[Paul]

Hi Paul,
What's your view out the front window like with the overhead shelf?

Great for me - - not so much if you're over 6 feet tall. . . I'm built low-to-the-ground, and if taller, you'd still be able to move the seat back. Have the shelf in the Ranger too, so it's common for my rigs.

Actually feels weird driving the wife's Escape without the visor shelf. . . FWIW, I'm a towering 5'8". . .

 

[Paul]

So, "janky" probably a good term for how my exhaust was routed / cobbled together on the Explorer. It had been modified when it was on the old 'Sport, and when I acquired the new rig, the muffler was shot. . . As the 'Sport had a relatively new Borla muffler (replaced for free in ~ 2010 from an original 1994 purchase - - so a 'shout out' to Borla for honoring their 1,000,000 mile warranty), we swapped the whole exhaust system when we transferred all the cool stuff from the old rig to new. . . It wasn't a direct fit, not certain if there was a change from 1991 to 1994 - - or 'Sport to 'Ho (Ford to Mazda). So it was cut, some flex pipe was added, too many muffler clamps, threaded rod for a hanger, etc. etc. You get it, . . . janky.

Noticed the sound of an exhaust leak and was getting an O2 sensor code reading, so I figured it was time for the upgrade. Seems like finding an exhaust shop that actually does custom exhaust is getting harder these days, lucky for me found a great shop local that was able to knock out the project on a walk-in basis.

Two hours after walking in the shop:

Able to continue use of the Borla . . . (above)

Exhaust not too close to rear shock, picture a bit compressed . . . (below)

Routing out of the rear stayed in-board of the frame rail (previously had snaked between frame and leaf spring) so the new set-up offers much less restrictive exhaust flow and still plenty of clearance for the Roto-Pax fuel cell (empty for the welding phase) - - and with the spare on the bumper, no tire ever going underneath again.

Now to throw on the new shocks that have been sitting on the shelf for the last year. . .

Paul

 

[Turdle]

I bet it sounds good

 

[Paul]

I bet it sounds good

Yuppers . . . no more tin can rattle from the cat covers . . . (don't tell Mom. . .).

Actually have a set of Borla headers (talk about near-unobtainium), also sitting on the shelf off the old Explorer . . . working on bartering the Ranger seats to a buddy to help with that project in the near future. . . driver side not too bad, passenger side - - Fuq Meh!

 

[Turdle]

I'll help for food

 

[Paul]

I'll help for food

Ha! That means a whole lot more lately than it used to. . .

Thanks for the offer, just can't afford another mouth to feed . . .

Paul

 

[Paul]

Got a chance to run to Tahuya with Kevin and Jonathan. Lots of rain lately (shocker, I know), so plenty of water.

Couple of “gremlins” - - electrical for Kevin’s Bronco + a muffler adjustment, then some alternator hiccups for Jonathan’s Ranger.

Still a fun day…