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FireZapper's Purple Haze

Hey all, Firezapper here.
I'm retired from the Air Force after 20 years. Now I work for a company that assembles the chassis for mack trucks. I assemble the rear boogies.

I live in south central Pa. When I retired I was separated from my wife of 16 years. I'm now divorced and bought a home with my pop. My childhood home was in bad shape so we talked and got a better place. I have 2 girls (13 and 16) living with mom.
Me and my youngest
33423589621.jpg


Enough about me....

Purple Haze. 1993 Explorer Sport. Power everything, 5 speed.

Mods.
5.5 superlift
Superlift SOA in rear
Superlift shocks
513 gears
Welded rear
Detroit front
Warn hubs
34 10.50 15 Swamper LTB's
K&N drop in filter
3 Harbor freight 5" driving lights
Harbor freight reverse lights
Marine/auto fire extinguisher
Reese 2" receiver
Sony CDX-R30M Marine CD/MP3 Receiver
Pioneer TS-A6870R speakers
Custom BBP cage

Now for some pics.

What she looked like back in Apr 05. Bought her just too lift and play.
33423firstday002.jpg


After a couple weeks decided to put the 30 9.50's off the beater on.
33423snots_tires_002.jpg

33423snots_tires_006.jpg


That was just too hold me over a couple weeks.

Until I ordered these.
33423lift_001.jpg


Installing the lift
33423courtneys_picts_24237.jpg

33423purple_haze_016-med.jpg



The final results.
33423650.jpg

33423with_Alex_008.jpg



Oh and yes she will wheel.
Now my semi retired 150
33423DSC00005.jpg

33423greentrail1.jpg


All 3 of my toys.
33423all_3_001.jpg

Check out my gallery here or my photobucket Here to see more pictures of me and my toys.

Ed
 



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Finally painted the cage.

Used rustolem hammertone spraypaint
cage005.jpg


cage010.jpg


Used non-slip tape to protect the paint and stop sliding on the tube with muddy shoes.
cage012.jpg


Had to have orange somewhere.
cage009.jpg


cage017.jpg


Yes I know there are a few spots I missed with the color coat. But most all of it is primed.
 






Your paintjob looks good Firezapper :thumbsup:
 






You have built a nice vehicle... :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

So who did you coral for you "Build Crew"? Hey guys come on over for a BBQ and by the way bring some work clothes (I have a small project to do) :D

The cage looks great... How was the interior protected from weld spatter during construction (wool blankets)? How much time did it take to construct and a ball part est of what a similiar one would cost?
 






I love your truck. Really clean and i dig the roll cage....looks sturdy as hell.
 






DeRocha said:
You have built a nice vehicle... :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

So who did you coral for you "Build Crew"? Hey guys come on over for a BBQ and by the way bring some work clothes (I have a small project to do) :D

The cage looks great... How was the interior protected from weld spatter during construction (wool blankets)? How much time did it take to construct and a ball part est of what a similiar one would cost?


The "Build crew" was a bunch of friends from another site. We took all day sunday to put the front on 34's. Then 3 more evenings to do the rear, brake lines, bleed the brakes, mini spool and shocks. About 2 hours each night.



The Cage took 2 days. Massive buildathon by Pottsy and myself. He had a welding blanket to protect the windows but I wasn't worried about the headliner. Cost I will not go into but will say currently he has a hourly rate and materials. But Pottsy will have to give you the final price.
 






Having a few mechanically inclined buddies that have done similar work before greatly speeds up the process. The rear is a cake walk compared to the front.. Both require a fair amount of curse words, but the front takes the lion share.

IMO a cage is a good investment.. It obviously protects you when off-road, but can help out alot when involved in an on-road collision with another vehicle..
 












I was glancing through the latest copy of Peterson's 4 wheel & off road, and saw your off road beast in the reader's rides section. Looking good man. Just wanted to congratulate you on having getting it in the magazine!!! :thumbsup:
SCAN001.jpg
 






Someone beat me to it, but I was sitting there on the throne (where I always read 4W&OR) and I thought, 'Hey, there's an Explorer!'... then I thought, 'Ney... where do I know that name...' then I read, 'Ed and Courtney (father and daughter)".... and thought, 'HEY!!! I know those two clowns!!' Jeez, I remember when Courtney practically needed a booster seat in the F-150!! ;)

Congrats!! That rig's come a long way!!
 






I like the Sponge Bob seat cover...
 






Well guess I should update this because of the above post.

I put some 35 Truxus MT's on it for a while. Didn't like the way they performed. I broke more shafts in the 4 months they were on then I did the 18 months the 34's were on.
clean003-1.jpg


November 2006 I bought myself a nice xmas present.
Stubbler #7
tires001.jpg


So I knew a change was in order.

Add some of this.
tires008.jpg


And some of these
tires003.jpg


Delete some of this.
teardown019.jpg


Have the neighbors ask what the heck you doing.
teardown032.jpg


And this is the current state.
HPIM0886.jpg
 






Finally got my rear bumper built. BBP did it again. Spot on to what was in my head.

HPIM0967.jpg

HPIM0966.jpg

HPIM0964.jpg

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Also fixed the front bumper. Seeing as I'm a little hard on stuff.
This is what it use to look like.
frontbumperfix005.jpg


After I bent up the wings. I cut them off.
HPIM0888.jpg



Pottsy said he will make it bubba... He did.
HPIM0963.jpg

HPIM0962.jpg


HPIM0971.jpg
 






Just a little update.
Added a $40. craigslist find. Mounted it to the stock power base until I can get tubing bent to mount it to the cage. Only running a lap belt to the stock base currently.
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Got a quick release steering wheel set-up. Make getting my fat butt over the side bolsters a bunch easier.
Welded the adapter on. No one makes one for an explorer with a tilt column.
Photo0099.jpg

Photo0100.jpg



Still beating on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4leWVgWkwvI
 






Makes me miss my 92 Sport. :(
 






got to meet both firezapper and rookieshooter at all ford nationals 2011. two really great guys.

heres rookieshooter mounting haze




haze_Medium_.jpg
 






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