BearHug
Member
- Joined
- July 4, 2015
- Messages
- 48
- Reaction score
- 10
- City, State
- Anchorage, AK
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1994 Explorer XLT
Hello Everyone,
I thought it be fun to hear some stories about the history of your first gen Explorer. A lot can happen over a few decades, and I’m sure there are some compelling tales to share on your Explorer’s origins. After talking with the previous owner of my 1994 Ford Explorer XLT, and doing some digging through glove-box documents I was able to discover a fairly neat story. In February 2015, I became the third owner of my Explorer.
The 4x4 was originally purchased from a dealership in downtown Anchorage in 1994. I thought it was neat that the owner’s manual still has a “Ford Explorer” pen as well as colorized 4x4 supplement guide.
The original owner is the mother of the second owner. While with owner #1 it was put into action as a shuttle for an RV camp. It was used to transport airline passengers to and from Anchorage International Airport (now Ted Stevens International Airport) in Anchorage, Alaska through the 90s. I imagine it got some good use during the summer tourist months. I only recently discovered that in a certain light on my car’s back left side that numbers are still visible from some kind of decal or paint for the shuttle service.
The car later became a daily driver for the second owner sometime in the late 90s/early 2000s, and was often used by family members visiting through the years. When I purchased the car it came with about seven keys to start the car – owner #2 said they had gotten copies for family members over the years and accumulated all the copies. Some of the keys have the word “Explorer” engraved into the metal.
The car would at some point in the late 2000s become a second car for owner #2 and saw its usage decline to almost nothing.
I met the previous owner on a frosty morning in February. Temperatures had been regularly in the negative territory, and I needed something reliable to get me between work without sliding out on the ice. The car was bone stock, and still retained much of it’s entirely red interior though it had a funky, funk in there – later discovered the red floor mats had been compromised; they all smelled of vomit so I tossed and replaced with some rigid mats. The car had the shocks of a jalopy, but I liked it so I made the investment – since replaced, so key for a nice ride!
He told me the car had some “electrical gremlins,” which I’ve been battling in one form or another since I’ve owned it – will explain that in detail in its own thread.
After settling on a price, I purchased the car and owner #2 took a long look at the Explorer before letting it go saying he was “going to miss it,” and for me to “take care of it.”
The car would die on me days later while going to work in the snow at 6 in the morning. A man in a large Ford pick up helped me try and jump -- to no avail – and then helping me push it off the road – my front grille snapped during this process. Replaced the battery later and all was good. Grille since replaced from another XLT – Anchorage is a gold mine for dead Explorers and parts.
I’ve since done a good amount of upgrading, and transformed it into the most reliable car I’ve ever owned. It’s been a fun learning experience, and I hope to continue the nice 115,000 mile history of my Explorer by adding another 115,000 on the clock.
What's your story?
I thought it be fun to hear some stories about the history of your first gen Explorer. A lot can happen over a few decades, and I’m sure there are some compelling tales to share on your Explorer’s origins. After talking with the previous owner of my 1994 Ford Explorer XLT, and doing some digging through glove-box documents I was able to discover a fairly neat story. In February 2015, I became the third owner of my Explorer.
The 4x4 was originally purchased from a dealership in downtown Anchorage in 1994. I thought it was neat that the owner’s manual still has a “Ford Explorer” pen as well as colorized 4x4 supplement guide.
The original owner is the mother of the second owner. While with owner #1 it was put into action as a shuttle for an RV camp. It was used to transport airline passengers to and from Anchorage International Airport (now Ted Stevens International Airport) in Anchorage, Alaska through the 90s. I imagine it got some good use during the summer tourist months. I only recently discovered that in a certain light on my car’s back left side that numbers are still visible from some kind of decal or paint for the shuttle service.
The car later became a daily driver for the second owner sometime in the late 90s/early 2000s, and was often used by family members visiting through the years. When I purchased the car it came with about seven keys to start the car – owner #2 said they had gotten copies for family members over the years and accumulated all the copies. Some of the keys have the word “Explorer” engraved into the metal.
The car would at some point in the late 2000s become a second car for owner #2 and saw its usage decline to almost nothing.
I met the previous owner on a frosty morning in February. Temperatures had been regularly in the negative territory, and I needed something reliable to get me between work without sliding out on the ice. The car was bone stock, and still retained much of it’s entirely red interior though it had a funky, funk in there – later discovered the red floor mats had been compromised; they all smelled of vomit so I tossed and replaced with some rigid mats. The car had the shocks of a jalopy, but I liked it so I made the investment – since replaced, so key for a nice ride!
He told me the car had some “electrical gremlins,” which I’ve been battling in one form or another since I’ve owned it – will explain that in detail in its own thread.
After settling on a price, I purchased the car and owner #2 took a long look at the Explorer before letting it go saying he was “going to miss it,” and for me to “take care of it.”
The car would die on me days later while going to work in the snow at 6 in the morning. A man in a large Ford pick up helped me try and jump -- to no avail – and then helping me push it off the road – my front grille snapped during this process. Replaced the battery later and all was good. Grille since replaced from another XLT – Anchorage is a gold mine for dead Explorers and parts.
I’ve since done a good amount of upgrading, and transformed it into the most reliable car I’ve ever owned. It’s been a fun learning experience, and I hope to continue the nice 115,000 mile history of my Explorer by adding another 115,000 on the clock.
What's your story?
