Inherited Clean G1 - Overheated drive home, worth saving?

[kubrickan]

Hello, long time lurker.
My grandfather has had a 93 Explorer XLT my whole life, he no longer wants it and I of course wanted to scoop it up. Cosmetically, it looks brand new. Immaculately cared for. 120k miles, kept up on maintenance religiously. To take possession I had to fly to california and drive it home to Colorado where I live. His mech who he trusts checked it out and declared it road worthy after him maybe driving it 1000 miles cumulatively over the last 5 years.
It was a 103 degree day in the CA central valley and the thing immediately started to run hot driving over the first incline I encountered. Made it maybe 60 miles. Stopped a couple times to have it cool off before deciding to turn around. Around the third cooling stop, the thing wouldn't kick into gear. Noticed the trans fluid (auto) was low, took 3 quarts and was able to kick it into drive. Thinking there is a serious problem now, only focused on limping it back the 60 miles. Runs fine for 45 mins, overheats again, I stop and let it cool for 20, begin to drive. Last 5 minutes before it overheats again, stop, and same deal, trans won't kick into gear. Add 3 quarts fluid again (all I had), and it kicks into reverse but not drive. Have to tow it the last 15 miles.
Interested in anyones experience what could be wrong, it's at the shop now. More importantly, how much money would you dump into a cosmetically beautiful Gen 1 explorer to save it? Only dailying my 91 BMW E30 and wanted something with more offroad capabilities. Reading these forums I was thinking of a 2 inch body lift and some bigger tires for improved ground clearance. Was looking forward to it as a project car. Have a number of maybe the KBB value in my mind as the limit, and of course, I'll need to fly back to California and attempt the 1200 mile drive to CO again in a few weeks if I decide to save it. What would you do? I'm in love with how it looks and feels but do I save myself heartbreak early here and cut bait?

 

[410Fortune]

Keep that sucker
What are your mechanical abilities?
I would find a later mode used replacement engine and consider a 5 speed manual conversion

Old 93 with a clean body interior and title is for sure worth saving

Once the old 93 ohv and a4ld trans overheat they are pretty much goners. I wouldn’t mess around with them. Because these engines were plentiful and used until 2000. They were heavily upgraded after 1996 vs what you have now. In Colorado you can easily find a decent low mileage used one and swap them out
At the same time you can either have your auto rebuilt and upgraded to be much stronger then stock or better yet consider putting a clutch and 5 speed in it

 

[Turdle]

Lower radiator hose collapsing under suction,

Radiator cap leaking pressure. Replace those see what happens .

My bet because of the idle sit time.

You should get rid of that thing right now. Park it in my driveway please!!!

Look into shopping it to Colorado. Many times the price is less than plane ticket and gas.

 

[kubrickan]

Limited mechanical abilities.
Kept my E30 stock and have never had any major issues with it, so never had to learn how to repair much myself. Will have to pay my mechanic for this initial set of repairs. Hoping radiator hoses are the issue and no major transmission damage. Plan is to pay to get it drivable back to CO, so I don't have to mess with a trailer situation. If my mech in CA can get it drivable again for <$3k I'll be stoked.
Earmarked maybe $10k total to get it to a more "fun" state eventually. Given how underpowered they are, I assumed an engine swap down the line was likely, would like to find someone I trust in CO to help me with it or once I have time to have it sit and attempt it myself. Unfortunately don't have a place to store it except the street for the time being, so being able to have it move under it's own power is a must.
Worst case I'll post here to see if I can link someone else up with a beautiful explorer shell to work with if willing to tow it from Chico, CA, should I decide the logistics here aren't doable for me at the moment.

 

[Turdle]

I miss ours. Just too much everything for my spine to deal with. But, here's some inspiration or at least maybe an idea or 2 for you. It had enough power to do it's thing in Colorado.

Thread 'Jon And Sheri's Vitamin D Wagon'

Jon And Sheri's Vitamin D Wagon

As she sits now, But it didn't start out like this. We returned from our trip to Colorado Sept 2009 to find this waiting in the yard. It needs a few little sumthuns--but it is a great start I do think. Here is where we begin to take over the work started by trukmajik and...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[kubrickan]

I miss ours. Just too much everything for my spine to deal with. But, here's some inspiration or at least maybe an idea or 2 for you. It had enough power to do it's thing in Colorado.

Thread 'Jon And Sheri's Vitamin D Wagon'

Jon And Sheri's Vitamin D Wagon

As she sits now, But it didn't start out like this. We returned from our trip to Colorado Sept 2009 to find this waiting in the yard. It needs a few little sumthuns--but it is a great start I do think. Here is where we begin to take over the work started by trukmajik and...

www.explorerforum.com

Wow! Inspiration for sure. Love the soft top, dear lord what a beast. Why'd you let that thing go??
Am thinking rock crawling Utah desert machine eventually. My E30 is stock everything still, and I wanted to go obnoxiously modified with the Ford when I started to think about this project. How much would you say you spent modifying that sucker?
If you're interested in it, I can keep you in mind if this project is out of my league-- I don't even have a garage. I'm at the mercy of the repair shop right now to even get it home. Someone should use this pretty looking thing-- the blue interior, the clean lines, the thing is a hot wheels, I love it.

 

[DintDobbs]

@kubrickan The road paved itself for you - I'm with 410. If you've been lurking for long, surely you know what that man is doing with a 1st-gen in his shop right now. If not... here:

1992 explorer gets a solid axle and v8 5 speed

Here she is! My next victim This sweet, well used, and well setup family rig has come to my shop to get some upgrades The plan is simple Delete the ttb and install a high pinion Dana 44 solid axle V8 power plant with m5od-r2 manual, 4406 Manual transfer case Rebuild and upgrade the 8.8 rear...

www.explorerforum.com

That guy has been in, around, through, over, and under more 1st and 2nd gen Explorers than probably anybody else, in the world, ever. Listen to him.

I wonder how feasible it would be to jam a SOHC + 5R55E under a 1st-gen. The 5R55E isn't a favorite amongst this community, but I haven't managed to break either of mine (one at 197k and the other at 230k). If you're inclined to manual swap though, there are a few good options out there... The first step is to know what you want in the present, and know what you plan to do with it in the future.

If an engine swap is in the plans, the time is now, not later!

 

[BKennedy]

The overheating engine could be as simple as a bad fan clutch or water pump. It be a easy fix. The transmission on the other hand, sounds like it's a goner.

At this point it depends on what you want to do with it.

 

[Josh P]

If the transmission fluid isn't leaking out, going on the ground, it's going into the engine. Fixing the engine and transmission could be cheap simple things or it could be a perpetual money pit. The V8 swap is worth it just to get rid of the A4LD.