GIJOE's Desert Explorer | Page 3 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

GIJOE's Desert Explorer

*Update#5 07-18-2008* (See bottom of page 4)

*Update#4 04-06-2008* (See middle of page 4)

*Update#3 03-14-2008* (See top of page 4)

*Update#2 03-08-2008* (See bottom of page 3)

*Update#1 08-22-2007* (See page 3)

Thats right I am back :)

Heres the new Explorer:
1998 Ford Explorer XLT 2WD 5.0L V8
This one is identical to my old one.
Hopefully I wont Roll this one.

Most of you already know what I was trying to do with my old Explorer but for the people who dont know here you go.

Plans:
This is going to be a full blown race truck and prerunner. I plan on racing either 1450 or 1400 in MDR and maybe SCORE.
Heres just a few plans right now I will add more later.
-Full roll cage
-Camburg long travel front suspension (Already have)
-3 linked in the rear
-custom 9 inch rearend
-King coilovers and bump stops on all corners (maybe King havent decided yet)
-Fiberglass front and rear fenders and fiberglass hood
-Custom front and rear bumpers
-4 racing seats
-Tires and wheels
-All required racing equpiment

Heres pictures of the new Explorer.
2X2.jpg

2X1.jpg


Heres a picture of my Camburg long travel kit.
LT.jpg
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





its about time!! haha.. after about a year of asking gijoe "can i buy your kit since you rolled your explorer... c'mon man, u dont need it, just give it to me!"
glad to see you back man.
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Hahaha I know man but I had always planned to buy another explorer. Even before I rolled the other one.
 






so u have ur own shop or wut? i need some work on my truck when you make it big.
 






No I dont have a shop. I wish I did.
I had to go out and get a really job.
 






a real job...those are no fun...hey if you want any help this summer let me know, i'm going to be working in anaheim all summer...glad to see you're still going to stick to the project
 






Yep a really job and I am starting another really job soon. So I am going to have two jobs and be really busy for awhile.
Cool thanks I will let you know if I need help which I might.
 












Update 08-22-2007:
Ok well I haven't put any parts on yet. I am still getting parts and upgrading others.

I just traded in my uppers and spindles back into Camburg and spent a little more money to get the upgraded upper control arms with the heims. Also the upgraded spindles that are setup for the bigger brakes and hubs. Also I got the Wilwood big brakes for the front, and they have a bigger bolt pattern it will change it from the stock 5x4.5 to 5x5.5

I also have decided to get triple bypass shocks for the front as well which means I need to get my coil-overs revalved. And I am going to get new bumps for the front which are the 2" King bumps. I am going to use the 2.5" bumps I already have for the rear.

I then have just purchased a lot of tools so I can get started on building the cage and putting the suspension on. The tools I got are:
-Miller 140 w/auto-set MIG welder
-Milwaukee 4.5" grinder
-Milwaukee Sawz-all
-Milwaukee 1/2" drill
-Dewalt 14" chop saw
Now all I need is the JD2 model 4 tubing bender with a 1 3/4" die and the JD2 tubing notcher.

Here are two updated pictures with just the front glass and front clear corners on.

Explorer11copy.jpg


Explorer10copy.jpg
 






sweet....can't wait to see the rest of it
 






Sweet!
 






Well I got the new front suspension parts today.
Lets just say I wont have to worry about braking these parts. These hubs are huge compared to stock.

Also I hope to get the rear glass mounted and remount the front glass this next week.

I will try to get pictures of the new parts posted in the next few days.
 






Update 03-08-2008:

Well like every project plans change or after trying different things you find out parts will not work or it just isn't feasible. So that being said I have now completely scraped the idea of linking the rear. Instead I am now going to run a Deaver race leaf pack. Which I now have in my possession.

Ok now for the real updates cause I know thats all you guys really care about.
Here's the stuff that's installed or modified.
Exterior:
-Front and rear fiberglass fenders installed with fender washers. So I can remove all the fenders fast and easy.
-Hella horns installed.
-The radio antenna is now hidden.
-Removed the roof rack.
Interior:
-Pioneer D3 in-dash TV with navigation installed.
-Pioneer bluetooth installed.
-Sirius sat radio installed.
-Apple Ipod with billet aluminum case hard mounted inside the center console.
-(4)Diamond audio D3 speakers installed.
Engine:
-Optima red top battery installed.
-MAC Performance intake installed.
-(2)MSD coil towers installed.
-(8)Denso iridium spark plugs installed.
-(8)BWD spark plug wires installed.
-Torque Monster headers installed.
-Spintech muffler with dual 2.5" inlets and a single 3" outlet installed.
-(2)High flow cats installed.
-Custom stainless steel exhaust by JP Performance 2.5" pipe from header to muffler to a 3" pipe after muffler.
-Jet Performance computer programmer used.

*I am now using 91 octane in my Explorer.*

This is it for the installed parts but don't worry I have a lot of parts I have bought that are waiting to be installed. But I am hold off on updating everyone on that stuff until I can get pictures of it all for you guys.

Well I think it's time to show you guys the updated pictures. So here you go.

7.jpg


6.jpg


8.jpg


9.jpg


11.jpg


12.jpg


13.jpg


14.jpg


1-1.jpg


4.jpg


5.jpg


2-1.jpg


3.jpg


10.jpg


15.jpg
 






What effects did you use in the touched up photos in post 48? Looks awesome. ANy difference with the 91 octane?
 






I didn't know you were the one that owned the white explorer on the parnelli jones tires. I saw that thing years ago before the roll and loved the way it looked, one of the trucks that made me lift my mountaineer. I also didn't know you were preparing to build up a new prerunner explorer. I'll be following the build up, sounds like it will turn out great. :thumbsup:
 






What effects did you use in the touched up photos in post 48? Looks awesome. ANy difference with the 91 octane?

In those photos I used a program called Photomatix Pro.

Yes there was a huge difference in 91 octane. I used my programmer and tried all three octanes 87, 89, and 91. I got the most performance and the truck ran better and faster I feel with the 91 octane. That and I have even more engine mods planned so I was going to end up having to run 91 octane anyways once I am done.
 






Gotcha. Truck looks good. Keep up the good work. :thumbsup:
 






^^agreed keep it up.
 






alright another desert explorer :thumbsup: looks like you got a lot goin on with it and your gonna have a full fab shop too. i think i've seen you over on dezertrangers a little. i don't check there much so hopefuly you keep wiht the updates on this site. can't wait to see this thing transform
 






ewww dezertrangers..... cant spell DR without the drama, i think thats what their moto is. :) jk. i use them too. hey gijoe, howd u install the rear door handles with the fiberglass. i got the rear fiberglass but never figured out how to re-install the door handles outside of the fiberglass?
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.











Back
Top