2001 Explorer XLT Heritage Edition?

[C420sailor]

More important, that’s a clean looking Trucklet. Any idea what’s wrong with it?

 

[XLTrunner]

It's a clean, good looking truck...inside and out. Way better than the typical Explorer I see at the U Pull. With no visible sheet metal rust and only moderate rust on the undercarriage, who knows why someone gave up on it? I did notice the t-stat housing had been leaking profusely.

 

[mic98xlt]

I find this thread very interesting also. If by any chance you are able to get more pictures of the vehicle, I would love to see them.

 

[XLTrunner]

I'll try and get some pics this weekend when it warms up enough to melt the snow that's been covering it for the past two wks.

 

[XLTrunner]

For anyone following this thread with an inquisitive mind.

Here are a couple photos. I had a chance to go back to the JY and did a thorough inspection of this oddball with the stitched "Heritage Edition" seats. I studied the seat covers and there is no question in my mind, based on comparison to rear seats, texture of the leather, style of seams stitching, color shade and typical wear I've seen on similar mileage Explorers with leather seats, that these seats & covers are matched and original to this vehicle. The remaining question is whether somebody actually took the front seats out and had the covers stitched with
Heritage Edition"...which I find highly unlikely. With that said, I can find no other indication that this is anything but a std. 4-dr XLT. I'm not an '01 Explorer expert with trim options offered, so anyone with knowledge please confirm whether this vehicle displays any unusual color combinations, trim, etc. Based on data tag on door, this is a (FL) Toreador Red with (RC) Platinum Metallic lower paint.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Even if the seats are 100% factory, I’m fairly certain there is nothing at all special about this truck, other than someone else modified it with silly seat stitching.

If you look around the scrap yard I’m sure you’ll find even sillier modifications, that were much more work.

If it were real, it’d have outside badging, and someone here surely would have had one, or heard about them.

 

[Mbrooks420]

It’s even got a lowly open diff rear

 

[94Eddie]

Even if the seats are 100% factory, I’m fairly certain there is nothing at all special about this truck, other than someone else modified it with silly seat stitching.

I have seen dealerships modify new vehicles and sell them as "limited editions" to move stock that has been sitting around or to differentiate their vehicles from other dealers in the area. It doesn't happen as much these days as it has in the past.

 

[XLTrunner]

That's kind of what I'm thinking...that a dealership may have branded this with Heritage Edition seats to move end of model year stock as the restyled '02's were due to be released in a couple months. I even compared style of stitched lettering to an Eddie Bauer and a Limited. Definite likenesses in the cursive lower case letters "i", "e", "t", " and "d" that "Heritage Edition" shares with "Limited". "Eddie Bauer" lettering was completely different than either of the other two.

As for spotting other Explorers with owner mods, I see very little of that at the local U Pull...and, I've picked thru dozens upon dozens over the years. It's just doesn't seem to be a thing in this area.

 

[C420sailor]

I used to be a tech at a Honda motorcycle dealership...and a whole lot of that was done.

We’d take a new bike, powdercoat the wheels, put an aftermarket exhaust on, an undertail, a few other little bits...then slap decals on the bike and call it a ‘limited edition.’ The uninformed customers ate it up. $$$