Going in for a paint job!!

[Rick]

Well the truck beat me. I didn't get everything done in time for the show tomorrow. I still don't have the back seat in and I didn't get to clean up the dashboard, radios etc from all of the dust from the shop. I almost finished, but it's now 1:00am and I've been working on it since 11:00 this morning. I was helping the guys at the shop from 11am to 6pm just to get it out there door.

Jeremy, thanks for your offer of help, but by the time I got it home there really wasn't much for you to do. The guys at the shop helped me put the bumpers and the nerf bars back on. Those are always a pain in the butt cause they're such a tight fit.

So tomorrow instead of entering the show n shine I'm entering the tough truck competition. One of the guys who helped build the course said I should be able to get through it without body damage. I will survey the course and decide for myself when I get there. Randy Ellis is the guy who I talked to his Jeep bodied rock buggy has been featured in a few magazines recently. It's an incredible machine with a full tube chassis and a Jeep body stuck on for appearance sake.

Enough rambling it's time to go to SLEEP!!

 

[Perry]

Hey Char,
What do you think of the PUMPKIN MASHER?
We haven't heard your thoughts on the Orange machine yet.
Rick, just don't get caught up in all the excitement of the tuff truck compittion. We have seen a lot of guys with some nice trucks get all excited and do more then they should and they end up on a trailer going home.
Just have fun showing off your new look.
Good Luck!!

 

[leebo]

You kill me Rick.....who else would go out and spend all that money for a custom paint job and the first thing you do is go wheeling with it. I like that. I was worried that you were going to use the explorer more as a show truck after the paint job but this makes me feal better. Good Luck

 

[Rick]

Well, things didn't work out as planned. What else is new?? Who would guess that a bad seam in my shorts would stop me from participating at the Trucknationals??

That's right a bad seam! If Gerald can admit getting Herculiner on his Hootus I can admit that when I was taking my truck off the trailer I bent over to loosen a strap and RIIIIPPPPPPPPP!!! I practically cut my shorts in half with one move and there I stood in my underwear! Well that was enough for me for the day. I carry a lot of spares for the truck, but I don't carry a spare pair of shorts or pants.

I WILL be back tomorrow though, Jeremy, I'm not sure if I'll be able to enter the Tough Truck contest tomorrow since I missed the first day, but I'll be at the Show n Shine if I can't make the other.

Oh yeah... I saw an Explorer out there that had more money in it than mine His was 2wd King coil over shocks on modified I-beams. A rear 4 link, full race style, even nicer than Perry's and speaking of Perry it also had their fiberglass front end. It also had a full cage and nice custom bumpers.

Ok, now go ahead and let me have it.... I'm ready

 

[mattadams]

Rick, lets see some pcitures (preferably of the great pumpkin all put together, not of the rip in the shorts)

 

[Perry]

Hey leebo,
I don't think Rick is crazy to get a cool paint job, then go wheeling with it. That is what we did with ours. I have been through the show and shine stuff, but I wanted a good looking truck that we could four wheel with.
I figure if you are going to do it, look good doing it!!!!

 

[tdavis]

Geez rick, I call that letting it all hang out!

 

[Goober]

It is called the 'show and shine' and not the s'how the moon', right?

 

[Perry]

PICTURES

HEY RICK where are the pictures????
If you got it out of the shop you should have a picture by now!!

Make sure and add on the list of stuff to take on a trip,
extra shorts!
By the way what happened with using duct tape? I know everyone carries that and it is good up to 200 mph.

 

[Rick]

Possible Hat Trick??

As I was leaving the Truckin' Nationals today a photographer from Offroad Magazine flagged us over to the side of the road. I am going to meet him tomorrow morning at 7:00am for a photo shoot and he mentioned a possible cover!

I still have an appointment with Fourwheeler next Friday and I'm supposed to meet with 4wd & Sport Utility the week after! That would be the hat trick of off-road magazines! I just hope they don't have a contract that says I can't appear in other magazines within a given amount of time. No matter what, it feels good that so many of them are interested in promoting Explorers.

Here are a couple shots from the show.

I have more news from the show and some photos of a really cool 2001 Sport Trac with a prototype 4" Superlift kit!

 

[mattadams]

damn Rick!

 

[leebo]

would it be ok if I marry your truck???

 

[mattadams]

what I MEANT to say was congrats on all the great opportunities, hopefully you'll get a cover or two, that would be some great publicity! The "Damn Rick!" was just me being jealous and jealousy getting in the way of a proper congratulations . I can't complain, I've been in four-wheeler more then most people (once) and I have just always wanted something written up about mine btu I know its not modified enough. Anyways, congrats again. Hopefully it will all work out good. I'm still jealous though

 

[Perry]

GREAT JOB RICK!!
I really didn't think you would get it done in time. Not that I didn't think you had it in you, but I know how long it takes to put a vehicle back together. You did a great job.
If you can't be on all those mag's at the same time, you can send them up north. There is a good looking PURPLE Explorer that would look good on a cover. O.K. so I'm dreaming along with Matt.
Now you can say you are a one of a kind EXPLORER!

 

[SteveVB]

SCHWEEET!!!

Looks great rick. Color is awsome, but I would bet in person it is even brighter- I remember someone telling me that it was difficult to get a good reproduction of orange in a photo or mag- is this true? Just curious.

 

[Phi 844]

Just one word

Just one word comes to mind Rick.....

WOW!!!!!

Looks good.

 

[-=DaemoN=-]

LOOKS AWESOME!!! can't wait to see it on a cover...

 

[megillet]

Looks Great

Rick,
Looking great there Rick, and I know that your beauty works as well on the trails as it looks, eh? Is that same rear bumper setup that you had before?? Do you have plans for it?? Thanks.

 

[2001ExpSport]

Looks really nice Rick, you know how to build 'em. Work of art. Let us know if you get oin the cover, I will definitely buy one.

 

[rock883]

As Cartman in Southpark would say--"Kiiiiick Asss!!" Man, that is great. So, when can we expect the all new revised write up on your truck? Can't wait to see it in a magazine. How long will it take to actually get it in a magazine? Like I know they do the shoot and all, but how long after will it be in a magazine? or does it just depend on what they have and when they want to put it in?