03 fliptrac $700 daily driver (summer of fun with 4 sport tracs)

[Fordtruckfan89]

Here's the link

 

[410Fortune]

Been working on a little something something for the sport trac

Prototype complete
A little bit of bodywork and I will have some one off mirrors
Can add heat and signals

 

[RangerX]

You’re a bit of a mad scientist, aren’t you? Dr. Frankenstein, I presume?

 

[Josh P]

You’re a bit of a mad scientist, aren’t you? Dr. Frankenstein, I presume?

Could be Livingston, it's a 40 year trip down the driveway to the main road, and a toll call to the nearest neighbor.

 

[410Fortune]

Sport tracs are the best of the best!
Explorer with a bed and a power down rear window
Composite bed and body panels = less rust
They are spring under rangers basically and they ride fantastic. They also look like a 4wd mustang = sporty
The problem?

The side mirrors are “meh”’

No options, I know I checked. No other ford mirror will come close to bolting to the door
The 06-11 rangers had square mirrors that are much larger with more vision and they look super awesome.
So naturally everyone with a hot rod sport trac (all 6 of us) have been wanting this
So I made it happen
Many hours of tinkering (okay 3) went into this prototype. First hour spent just figuring out how to get the 06 ranger mirror to separate from its base.

I looked at every option, hack and slash is the only way to make this work

Now to get the good ones out. I have one more set of trac mirrors and one new set of 06 ranger mirrors. The muth turn signal and heated glass is $220
Once i have built the housings and have success I will order the muth kit

All of this is practice for the next sport trac I build the white one we are driving is amazing rig… but it’s not my forever rig

I have a blue 04 trac just waiting for my attention. I already chose my suspension now I need to choose my drivetrain
As always please Send $$$

 

[dvdswan]

I haven't look yet, but are the bases easy to pull apart, unbolt/screw, or do you need to cut them open? I'm planning on doing the same thing with 02 Explorer heated/puddle lamp mirrors and the bases of the ST.

 

[410Fortune]

They are all different
Some of them come apart by prying and twisting, some of them have a nut and bolt
These 06 ranger mirrors have a plug that retains the spring, the plug twists and then will release. I destroyed the sport trac mirror figuring it out, it took me a bit but I was able to take apart the 06 base once I learned the plug twists to release the spring


The covers are attached with plastic that is melted to act like a rivet.

 

[dvdswan]

I figured I would go the j/y and find some broken mirrors off a ST or Sport and sample those. I figured they would be a buck or two for them. I've seen the trailer mirrors on STs but they are angled instead of flat. I like the look of the concept ST of years ago.

 

[allmyEXes]

Usually everyone is wanting to lift these Explorers and Sport Tracs, however me and my wife would like to lower our 2wd "highway" truck a little to make it easier to get in and out of. We are in our 60s now and the older we get, the more difficult it gets to jump up in the seat. I think that 2 inches would help a lot.
Would the way to do such be too shorten the rear shackles 2 inches then crank down the front and re-align the front end or would different torsion keys be necessary?

 

[410Fortune]

2”’drop should be obtainable
Run some shorter shackles in the back you may have to modify the leaf springs and possibly spring perches to drop any more

In the front the 2wd setups have lots of
Options for drop spindles and you can drop the front suspension w t bars to the bump stops rather easily lol lol

Mini truck styling!! I would put it on airbags so you can pull up…Lay frame, then step out like a og baller

 

[CDW6212R]

I love the idea of modifying side mirrors. Please post all details of how you attach or epoxy anything together. I have late 90's Continental mirrors to graft to my Mark VII bases, the later cars began the auto dimming and memory functions. I have a 97 Town Car memory seat module, plus wiring, which can control all of that.

 

[410Fortune]

And auto folding abilities as well if we really get crafty. I watched a bunch of videos about side mirrors before I dug into this, I was trying to see if anyone had detailed how they come apart… they are all different

How the memory module remembers the mirror positions for each driver is very interesting as there is no logic inside the mirror so it must record the amount of movement in/out and up/down between settings so it can return the mirrors to the correct location. It’s quite fascinating really, a lot it tech inside these late model mirrors…
I will be happy with heat and turn signals with updated looks that is for sure. Plus I call myself a customs shop so once in a while I should do something completely whacko

 

[CDW6212R]

Long ago you might remember Muth made the signal mirror glass for the 2nd gen's, a group buy I think it was. Those were about $160 IIRC, I wish they still had those.

 

[410Fortune]

They should still Sell that kit? I put the muth glass on eddies 07 with head and red signals I also added side cameras for the birdseye system.

When I was doing eddies truck I broke one of the muth mirrors because the mount was different on the pass side… they were great company to deal with.
Of course I had to pay for a new mirror, but still they were awesome customer service

I ditched the prototype and got to work on the final setup

This version is much improved
This is the 410customs square mirror mod
It will work on explorers too

Details to follow

 

[410Fortune]

Muth still has your glass

https://shop.muthco.com/carproducts

96-01 explorer $219
Same as the ranger kits
I personally would do this mod first

 

[410Fortune]

2004 sport trac side Mirror in my hand

Comparing it to a 98 explorer they look to be compatible which means this mod will also work on 95-01 explorers (and I believe the gen 1 is similar)

Now to get started building the first official set
New in box 06-11 ranger power mirror with color match paintable panel

The mirror glass is positioned to gain access to internal clips. Clips are released with a pair of screwdrivers carefully pry the glass assembly out of the mirror one corner at a time. Led Headlight is very useful for this project. Similar for both the sport trac and ranger style glads, carefully separate the glass from housing

Once the glass is out the Mirror is separated in two pieces, the mirror side and the base. This is done by turning the plastic spring retainer 45 degrees or so with plyers. Careful this will release all tensions on the spring (a lot) so protect your eyeballs hands and show trucks from any flying springs (point towards trash can wear gloves and protective glasses)

The sport trac mirror can just be cut instead of messing with the spring because we are gonna cut the “pivot peg” off the base anyways

That leaves us with a sport trac base and shaved peg like this

The rest of the sport trax mirror can be tossed

 

[410Fortune]

Now to disassemble the 06
Mirror

Once the 06 Mirror in two pieces we need to cutout the pivot and chunk from the base

The piece was cleaned up on belt sander to be absolutely flat on bottom and approx 1/4” tall overall at the base

This piece is then placed on top of the now flat sport trac base. The 06
Mirror is used to get perfect location and alignment, parts are marked and then I drilled 3 holes for mounting

I used stainless screws and counter sunk the heads a bit for clearance

Now the two pieces are attached

Holes were carefully placed to
Clear structure underneath as well. I had to cut access here to get the nut on

Now we need a cosmetic cover from the 06 base

I scribed a line where I intended to cut leaving as Much material as possible

This is the result, it makes a cover we
Can slide over the now Modified base

It slides over the whole assembly
Like this

Now to put the 06 mirror on the modified trac base

I spent some time
Cleaning and buffing the edges for a cleaner look. I could run them like this… but I think I’ll take it a bit further and do some bondo bodywork on the base for a smoother transition… the color match panels will be primed and painted white then they go on the truck

 

[donalds]

giggity

 

[410Fortune]

Pictures got
Jumbled hard to tell what’s happening
Im doing passenger side tomorrow I will get better pics make its own thread

 

[410Fortune]

My favorite mod thus far