Exterior Mods complete: Before & After pics

[Greg_DonWindsor]

Below is a pic of my 2000 Limited Explorer when I first bought her back in 2010, almost 3 years ago, with 77,500 original kms (50,000 miles):

I've since pulled the pinstripes, removed the antenna, swapped out the original 18 inch Foose chrome wheels for 20 inch KMC Hoss, upper and lower billet grille inserts, CCFL HID headlights, smoked black chrome tails, and recently tinted the front windows (not heavily ticketed in Alberta thankfully!) to complete the blacked out look I was after (my apologies for it's dirty condition):

I've now reached 140,000kms on the odometer (88,000 miles), and thanks to lots of mods and uncompromising treatment (full synthetics, performance air & fuel delivery mods, etc.) achieve 22mpg highway, which is 2 more mpg's than advertised when it was new on the showroom floor 13 years ago! I have all you guys to thank for your inspiration, ideas, answers to my questions and pointers. Keep Exploring!

-Greg

 

[obie]

Looks good! Much more aggressive stance and front end now. What percent tint did you do?

 

[UtahX]

Very Nice! Take the floor boards off.

 

[Mrhobby100]

pardon my French but that **** looks good!!! Like a stealth explorer.

 

[colintrax]

Looks great! I say leave the running boards

 

[Greg_DonWindsor]

Very Nice! Take the floor boards off.

I think that would look pretty awful unless whatever I replaced them with connected cleanly to the fender flares. Any ideas?

 

[Greg_DonWindsor]

Looks good! Much more aggressive stance and front end now. What percent tint did you do?

I'm not sure what the percentage was, I just asked them to match the rear passenger windows as close as possible.

 

[pbnj22]

pics of the engine bay? and what specific performance mods have you done? torque monster headers will help your fuel economy on the high way even more

 

[1996BLKBauer]

Your picture makes me want to lose the pinstripes on my truck. Your truck looks sick! it has a really mean look.

 

[pbnj22]

love the black bumper! i will be doing that to mine when it finally warms up and the snow goes away!!

 

[Greg_DonWindsor]

pics of the engine bay? and what specific performance mods have you done? torque monster headers will help your fuel economy on the high way even more

I do but I'd have to wait to get back to the city to post some, I'm on shift in an oilsands camp right now. Mods are listed in my signature, but to break it down:

Performance:
- K&N intake with Amsoil EaAU filter
- 75mm MAF sensor
- optima yellowtop
- Gibson stainless cat-back exhaust
- Replaced cats with straight pipes
- Superchips cortex 91 octane tune
- E3 diamondfire plugs and bosch wires
- full synthetics (oil, tranny, t-case, front and rear axles)

Chassis/Suspension:
- Bilsteins at all 4 corners and 5th shock
- add-a-leaf rear springs
- HD Upper and lower control arms with HD ball joints up front, all new bushings
- EBC rotors and pads

My truck has the 4.0 SOHC so the torque monster's don't fit, but I'm just waiting on my tax refund to get the ceramic coated gibson headers, and some proper magnaflow cats to finish my exhaust setup completely. Definitely looking forward to that mod!

 

[blueka]

love that... nice job! leave the running boards... unless you can find the runningboard delete kit...


Si

 

[Greg_DonWindsor]

Your picture makes me want to lose the pinstripes on my truck. Your truck looks sick! it has a really mean look.

Appreciate it! Pinstripe removal is easy, all it takes is a hairdryer and some rubbing alcohol (to remove any remaining adhesive residue). However, once you pull them you'll be exposing some shiny, untarnished clearcoat that has never seen the light of day. I'd recommend a buff and wax immediately thereafter to make the difference less noticeable. If you're fussy like me it'll just bug you too much otherwise, as it's pretty obvious, especially on darker colors.

 

[Greg_DonWindsor]

love the black bumper! i will be doing that to mine when it finally warms up and the snow goes away!!

Thankfully for me the color-matched bumpers are standard issue on the limited trim

 

[explorer-aus]

Friggin' awesome.

 

[pbnj22]

ahh i thought you had the 5.0 lol either way nice truck, i would like to do alot of very similar things, most of the exterior and the optima battery..

I do but I'd have to wait to get back to the city to post some, I'm on shift in an oilsands camp right now. Mods are listed in my signature, but to break it down:

Performance:
- K&N intake with Amsoil EaAU filter
- 75mm MAF sensor
- optima yellowtop
- Gibson stainless cat-back exhaust
- Replaced cats with straight pipes
- Superchips cortex 91 octane tune
- E3 diamondfire plugs and bosch wires
- full synthetics (oil, tranny, t-case, front and rear axles)

Chassis/Suspension:
- Bilsteins at all 4 corners and 5th shock
- add-a-leaf rear springs
- HD Upper and lower control arms with HD ball joints up front, all new bushings
- EBC rotors and pads

My truck has the 4.0 SOHC so the torque monster's don't fit, but I'm just waiting on my tax refund to get the ceramic coated gibson headers, and some proper magnaflow cats to finish my exhaust setup completely. Definitely looking forward to that mod!

 

[pbnj22]

Thankfully for me the color-matched bumpers are standard issue on the limited trim

i did not know that... lucky for you.. it is a much better look in my opinion.

 

[GRNMACHINE]

love that... nice job! leave the running boards... unless you can find the runningboard delete kit...


Si

x2!! Those wheels are Nice!!

 

[1996BLKBauer]

Appreciate it! Pinstripe removal is easy, all it takes is a hairdryer and some rubbing alcohol (to remove any remaining adhesive residue). However, once you pull them you'll be exposing some shiny, untarnished clearcoat that has never seen the light of day. I'd recommend a buff and wax immediately thereafter to make the difference less noticeable. If you're fussy like me it'll just bug you too much otherwise, as it's pretty obvious, especially on darker colors.

I am the same way, So this sounds like a whole day job, because if I am buffing and waxing that all is done by hand... Thanks for the heads up, I am still trying to find some pinstripes, and logos in case I want to switch back.

 

[Greg_DonWindsor]

I am the same way, So this sounds like a whole day job, because if I am buffing and waxing that all is done by hand... Thanks for the heads up, I am still trying to find some pinstripes, and logos in case I want to switch back.

When I did mine, I peeled off the pinstripes, cleaned the residue with rubbing alcohol, then got busy on the paint. I started with a lubricating spray and clay bar. I then cleaned off all the clay residue with rubbing alcohol. Then, I used two different abrasive compounds around the entire truck with an electric rotary buffer. Next step was a less abrasive hand-glaze for a final cleaning. Then I did about 4 coats of pure Zymol carnauba wax all by hand as well. It was a lengthy process, but looked incredible when I was done. The whole job took about 2 full days, but the shine and protection will make it all worthwhile!