Dr. Jack

Hopefully I am starting this thread in the proper place. I am following the ideas of other members to keep a log so to speak of the 92 Explorer now know as Dr. Jack.
It all started a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, oops,wrong story.
A while back in the spring/summer time frame of 2009. I was asked by an EF member if I ever do any 4wheeling, I told him I had done a bit in Death Valley but not much, this is when he intoduced me to the EF family. We made plans for me to join him as a rider in the CCR09 at Ouray. We did a pre-run in Moab where I meet Bronco2guy, Amy, and Chad551. Then on to Ouray where I meet a lot of fine peeps in the EF family. I had such a blast that I decided to start a project, I have always liked off roading but all the groups I meet seemed to have a "better than thou" idea.
Giving myself two years for the project, I started keeping an eye on the forum and looking around for ideas, then the 92 Explorer of Dr. John "Jack" Lobdell popped up on Craig's list in New Mexico, by following the forum I became aware of the sale, and by contact with other members I came to learn that this was a special vehicle from a special member. Lady Luck smiled on me, as I was able to use my brother's trailer to go pick up the vehicle. Robert rode with me and am I glad he did, his help was great. Got the rig back home and am now beginning to go over it, will keep upates as I go

 

[reapereviltwin]

Are you planning on a body swap, or swapping the parts off Dr. Jack to the new vehicle?

If doing a body swap, don't forget to change out the dashboard so the VIN is correct.

A beer to go with your popcorn, Torbjorn.

The pics of the donor vehicle, not perfect but will do the job

 

[madbutcher]

A beer to go with your popcorn, Torbjorn.

The pics of the donor vehicle, not perfect but will do the job

I'll drink to that .. love the dash carpet:bdrunk:

 

[BKennedy]

Looks better than Dr. Jack at the moment. Still makes me sad when I see it, all the history of that vehicle. Glad you are doing a body swap so you can keep the spirit of Dr. Jack alive. Wish I lived closer, I would be knocking on your door to get er done.

 

[reapereviltwin]

I'll drink to that .. love the dash carpet:bdrunk:

LOL, when I first saw the dash carpet, my first thought was cracked and damaged dash, but it is actually in real good shape.

Looks better than Dr. Jack at the moment. Still makes me sad when I see it, all the history of that vehicle. Glad you are doing a body swap so you can keep the spirit of Dr. Jack alive. Wish I lived closer, I would be knocking on your door to get er done.

It does look better than the Jack at the moment and that really blows. I know what you mean about being sad with all the history with the vehicle, that is the main thing that bothers me about the roll over.

But with every storm cloud there is a silver lining, Bandit Customs have been going over different improvements that can be done easier with the body off and that is what is planned for the rig. These are things I can do but I can't do them no where near as good as what Russell and Kris can do.

I hope to be able to get down to Austin a few times while Jack is there and get in on the fun, but with my hours one weekend will be a miracle to get off work.

There are things I am gonna remove from the rig to make it easier on Bandit Customs to do their magic before it goes to Austin. While the rig is there I am going to be working on different items.

There are a few things which has been with the Dr. Jack since I got it that are probably going to change in the appearance, such as going with out the flared fenders, they look sharp but make it hard as heck to see the wheel. Also will get rid of the hood scoops, once again, they look nice but interfere with my field of vision.

I will never change the recardo seats tho, they were installed by Jack.

Jack's rig will continue to wheel with the EF.

I don't remember who said it, but the phrase " Dr. Jack 2.0" was used.

 

[NICE59FORDF100]

Don't worry Mike, once we are done with the Jack, you wont even be able to tell there was anything wrong. Ive already got a windshield guy for when we do the swap to take care of the glass. were shooting for end of july for when we will be able to take him on!

 

[reapereviltwin]

Don't worry Mike, once we are done with the Jack, you wont even be able to tell there was anything wrong. Ive already got a windshield guy for when we do the swap to take care of the glass. were shooting for end of july for when we will be able to take him on!

Believe me Russell when I say I am not worried one micron with Jack going to you and Kris. I know the rig is coming back looking like I never took a leap off the deep end. With the things we talked about in Moab and on the way back, I can't wait for Moab 2016.

End of July sounds good!!!

 

[reapereviltwin]

Just an update.

Even tho there have been no activity for the Dr. Jack the last few months, it has not been abandoned for getting it back on the trail.

There have been a few changes and then changes to the changes since August's change of employment status.

[MENTION=173980]easymc[/MENTION] and I spoke about it and decided to start the work on The Green Buffalo and the Dr. Jack over at his place and do the work on the Green Buffalo first. At first the work days were short due to the temps, we would start around 8 but then stop around noon due to the heat. (and of course our hour break after 5 minutes of work) You can see the work area we have on his thread and can tell they are less than ideal but workable.

Even tho we were one stooge short of three stooges working on the rigs, we did what we were capable of. We were not worried about what we were capable of or not what we were capable of since we have the EF peeps.


Upon getting the donor vehicle, the original plan was to use the motor out of it for the Buffalo's motor swap and the body for the body swap and then cut it up and sell as scrap. But going to the scrapyard is out now, the frame is going to [MENTION=232637]Bandit Customs[/MENTION] for a project there where it will be put to good use. It was then (re)decided for the body swap to take place at Bandit Customs, also at this time the front brakes are going to be swapped to disc, and Russell had an idea on the conversion of the rear to disc. When he explained it to me, I was just WTH, it's Bandit Customs, so why not.

Upon my return from Md and Pa, the Dr. Jack will be transported over to Robert's where the shock mounts will be changed and prepped , (and the donor's frame) will be on stand-by to go to Austin. By prepped, the bumpers, fenders, rear seats (rear seats will not be reinstalled) will be removed, and what else Bandit Customs needs out of it. Also, all of the electrical wiring I have put in piece meal since I have had the Jack will be removed so it can be rewired properly.

Before it can be transported, I also have to redo the floor of the trailer.

It never ends, and neither does the fun of hitting trails with EF'ers! :smoke:

 

[Rick]

One thing leads to another, then another and on and on Oh the joys of being married to our vehicles

 

[reapereviltwin]

Pics are from the donor vehicle.

Getting the xmission and xfer case out. Used the 96 X I got from Bandit Customs to pull it on the ramps, after disconnection, we had very little room, xmission jack used to lower them still connected, and then a chain and Robert's F150 with a chain to pull them back. Xmission is bad, and all we are keeping from the xfer case is the electric shift motor.

Tomorrow the Dr. Jack is going over to Robert's to do the stripping of the fenders and removal of the front and rear bumpers. It was a b!$ch to vacuum that glass from the carpet.

 

[reapereviltwin]

Started the prepping of the Dr. Jack today. Had a durr this AM when loading the rig on the trailer, when I was getting ready to drive up on the trailer, I could not see the wheel on the driver's side due to the damaged fender and was not going to guess where the wheel was. ("Lighting bolts strikes head and light bulb goes on") Said to myself, "You dipstick, use the dang winch on the rig" Easy as pie getting the rig on the trailer.

Over at Robert's moving the transmission and transfer out from under the donor vehicle, yep, just ran the winch rope to it and dragged it out easy as ever. Then we used the engine hoist to raise them up high enough so Robert could back his P/U under them, put in the bed, then backed up and just dumped in the recycle pile.

Then to removing the fenders. Murphy's law kicked in, the hood release would not disengage the lock. The only way to get the hood to raise was to break the grill (got 2 spares) and unbolt the whole locking assy. I have had no problem with the hood release prior to this, I normally would raise the hood when I ran the motor every couple of weeks just to observe the motor.

Then on to the removal of the fenders, no problem.

Decided to wait to remove the front bumper, since the winch will come in handy to move the donor around.

 

[Rick]

It's good to see progress being made

 

[reapereviltwin]

It's good to see progress being made

Slowly but surely.

Removed the bumpers today, not much left but to removed the wiring for the off road lights and air compressor.

We were amazed on the balance of the bumpers on removal.

The Jack and the donor

The original fenders are going to be installed, so there will still be part of the original vehicle installed on the exterior.

 

[NICE59FORDF100]

Looking great guys! Can't wait until y'all drop them off here at Bandit Customs!

 

[Rick]

It's great to see more progress being made. They look like naked twins right now.

 

[5spdman]

Don't know why I never found the thread since Moab...progress looks like it's coming right along for the new build! Be ready in 5 months?

 

[NICE59FORDF100]

Don't know why I never found the thread since Moab...progress looks like it's coming right along for the new build! Be ready in 5 months?

im really hoping it only takes us about a month or so to have the body swap done and everything else ran down and completed for moab!

 

[5spdman]

Nice! Keep the pics and the progress comin!

 

[reapereviltwin]

Removed the ARB controls and compressor today, one thought while removing them, "how the heck did I install it like this"?

Removed the toggle switch panel.

 

[Rick]

Remind me not to ride shotgun with you

 

[reapereviltwin]

Nice! Keep the pics and the progress comin!

They will be Caleb! Many plans.

Remind me not to ride shotgun with you

LOL, That was put in there at a spur of the moment of WTH, why not? I plan on wiring up a buzzer or horn to it and mount it under the passenger's seat so I can :bsnicker:.