Finally getting to aesthetics, need opinion! | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Finally getting to aesthetics, need opinion!

mz35z

Active Member
Joined
October 7, 2015
Messages
78
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Location
Michigan
City, State
Hazel Park
Year, Model & Trim Level
1996 Ford Explorer Sport
So my 96 sport is finally back operational. Purrs like a kitten and sitting on new 31's. I have a little rocker panel rust and peeling paint. I'll be cutting out the rust and welding in new sheet metal soon.

I need your guy's opinions on colors for the body. It's stock puke green right now :fart:. I really like matte army green or Olive drab (maybe the same color?)

What have you guys used for colors on your custom paint? I'd love to see pics and get opinions on matte vs. gloss colors or tips on welding in new body metal.

Thanks guys!!
 



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Color choice is totally subjective. I think I know the color you have now (willow green?) and in my opinion it is absolutely the most horrible color ever to be found on an Explorer, followed closely by that pink'ish tan color I've seen on a few older Limited's. That being said, any color would be an improvement over willow green.
 






My 99 Limited was what I call a puke green, some people like it though. Here's the wrecked picture, and since I reused most of my 93 Limited body, I painted the front part to match. I like this Dark Tourmaline Pearl, but I'm going to change it next year to the later(95-01) OEM dark green that I call a forest green.

Projectthread002.JPG


Projectthread106.JPG
 






Color choice is totally subjective. I think I know the color you have now (willow green?) and in my opinion it is absolutely the most horrible color ever to be found on an Explorer, followed closely by that pink'ish tan color I've seen on a few older Limited's. That being said, any color would be an improvement over willow green.

Yes it is that Willow green. Haha. I'll probably go with an Olive drab or slightly darker. I think I have seen that gross muted pink in junkyards before. :p

My 99 Limited was what I call a puke green, some people like it though. Here's the wrecked picture, and since I reused most of my 93 Limited body, I painted the front part to match. I like this Dark Tourmaline Pearl, but I'm going to change it next year to the later(95-01) OEM dark green that I call a forest green.

View attachment 164942

View attachment 164944

That Pearl is a nice color. Thanks for your input guys!
 






Dark metallic green/forest green is one of my favorite colors, but every time I see a willow green Explorer I think to myself that the original purchaser must have had to have been color blind, or that they got a huge discount on the truck because of the color. I call it medium bile green metallic. Yuk! The pink'ish tan non-metallic color reminds me of what Crayola Crayon used to call "flesh-tone" before political correctness.

I've owned/own the following color Gen II Explorers & Mountaineers:
- White
- Wedgwood Blue Metallic
- Toreador Red Metallic
- Black
- Silver Frost
- Dark green'ish-blue metallic (name unknown)
 






Dark metallic green/forest green is one of my favorite colors, but every time I see a willow green Explorer I think to myself that the original purchaser must have had to have been color blind, or that they got a huge discount on the truck because of the color. I call it medium bile green metallic. Yuk! The pink'ish tan non-metallic color reminds me of what Crayola Crayon used to call "flesh-tone" before political correctness.

I've owned/own the following color Gen II Explorers & Mountaineers:
- White
- Wedgwood Blue Metallic
- Toreador Red Metallic
- Black
- Silver Frost
- Dark green'ish-blue metallic (name unknown)


I did just that with a Dodge dart I own. Big discount on a Blaze orange dart. I was going to sell it after getting my x, but my wife loves it. I gave it to her. Haha. Benefit of construction barrel orange is that people definitely know you're there. Maybe a little safer for her.

I just found some cheap WWll army green color I may snag online if I cant find a good store around me.
 






Back in the early 70's Vovlo's came in bright colors (green, orange, yellow). Volvo said it was a safety thing. Maybe... I suppose, IDK. Of course Ford and Chrysler mussel cars had some bright colors to, but that wasn't done for safety reasons. It was just cool at the time (like shag carpeting, lava lamps and Nehru jackets).
 






Back in the early 70's Vovlo's came in bright colors (green, orange, yellow). Volvo said it was a safety thing. Maybe... I suppose, IDK. Of course Ford and Chrysler mussel cars had some bright colors to, but that wasn't done for safety reasons. It was just cool at the time (like shag carpeting, lava lamps and Nehru jackets).

I did like the old charger orange. Cars should have a little more creativity on colors. Everything is a muted nasty color. Muted silver, blue red etc.
 






Yeah, I don't think any manufactures currently offer the color green. Everything seems to be white, silver, grey or black.
 






Speaking of green, here's a 98 Limited in that rare green I'm shooting for. It's called Charcoal Green Metallic.

98 Limited Charcoal Green Metallic.jpg
 


















Color choice is totally subjective. I think I know the color you have now (willow green?) and in my opinion it is absolutely the most horrible color ever to be found on an Explorer, followed closely by that pink'ish tan color I've seen on a few older Limited's. That being said, any color would be an improvement over willow green.

Yes it is that Willow green. Haha. I'll probably go with an Olive drab or slightly darker. I think I have seen that gross muted pink in junkyards before. :p



That Pearl is a nice color. Thanks for your input guys!

Hey my truck is willow green, I like willow green, remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder :laugh:



11-9-18-04.jpg
 






Hey my truck is willow green, I like willow green, remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder :laugh:



View attachment 164971


Yours is identical to mine! Except someone plasma cut off the CV joints (don't know what happened there) and I got some rust I need to handle. Haha. Is yours a manual also?
 






The CVs are cut due to a transfer case or differential issue, almost surely.

Pretty sure every manufacture offers several greens, currently.

You can get some good bedliner options in olive drab. Would also make doin the body work much easier.
 






The CVs are cut due to a transfer case or differential issue, almost surely.

Pretty sure every manufacture offers several greens, currently.

You can get some good bedliner options in olive drab. Would also make doin the body work much easier.

I never thought of using bedliner. That may work if it sprays on well. Have you ever used spray on liner before?

Yeah thats something I need to work on next. Trying to get the 4x4 working. I'm guessing its the diff as they removed the front drive shaft also.
 






The gloss of today's paints are from the top clear coat. The actual color is a flat finish with no gloss. You can use another top coat for a satin finish if there's a color you really want.

Check your front differential seals, see if it's been leaking. Without rotating the differential wouldn't be hurt, but if the front shaft had been in it while leaking, that can ruin the gears if it got empty.
 






Rustbucket to Blue Beast Conversion

I liked how this project turned out. They make several colors. You can adjust the grain with the gun to a degree. I’ve used herculiner on several cars. I’ve always rolled it on.
 






The gloss of today's paints are from the top clear coat. The actual color is a flat finish with no gloss. You can use another top coat for a satin finish if there's a color you really want.

Check your front differential seals, see if it's been leaking. Without rotating the differential wouldn't be hurt, but if the front shaft had been in it while leaking, that can ruin the gears if it got empty.

I have only poked around a bit on the diff. Couldn't spin it by hand and noticed there was once a leak that is completely dry now.

Thanks for the help guys!
 



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go with the colour you have now. doing a colour change is a total pinta. to do it properly, you would have to take the entire truck apart. as for the welding, all you can really do if you have never welded before is grab some scrap the same gauge as your going to weld and practice on it
 






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