New excitement turned nightmare...

[Steeda90GT]

Remove outside 4x4 decals at once.

 

[moogvo]

Naaa. I like them. That's why I put them on! I will also be popping a hole in the roof to install a 2-way radio antenna, making holes in the taillight and front turn signal lenses to install strobes and mounting lights behind the grille. I am considering mounting an LED strobing light bar on the roof, but may decide not to go that route. then I will be putting on side steps and a bull bar. Eventually, I will lift it a little and go with some larger tires. Nothing extreme... Just mild upgrades.

I got the dealer to sign a contract today agreeing to install an engine. He has purchased a 2008 Mustang 4.0L SOHC engine with 35k miles and a warranty. He agreed to have the work completed within a week and then give me a 90 day warranty on the explorer instead of the As-Is, Georgia guarantee it came with when I bought it.

I am excited about this purchase again. I am hoping for the best!

Tom

 

[joe doe]

nice explorer sport my man .but why i am i thinking a 08 motor wont go into a 01??the mustang uses the same bell housing as an explorer?

antenna

wilson 5k .....if your going to run a amplifier with your 2 way this location is best for lowest reflect .

Shot at 2009-09-09

 

[moogvo]

Hi Joe...

the mustang swap is quickly becoming a popular swap here on the forums. The engines are nearly identical aside from the bolt ons like the intake, fuel injection and accessory drive parts. You can only use the "Long Block" from the mustang. Everything else has to come from your explorer engine. Aside from that, it is pretty much a direct bolt in swap.

The antenna... I can't use the area over the front seats since I have a sun roof. I will be mounting the antenna directly over the rear dome light with the radio mounted in the rear compartment on the driver's side... probably on the sheet metal over the fuel filler neck. The face/control head will be mounted up front where I have easy access to it, and a speaker will probably be at home on the side of the center console.

The Wilson antenna you show in your picture is a nice antenna and is a great choice for a CB installation, but my radio is not a CB, and so the antenna requirements are quite different. My radio is a UHF/VHF FM radio, more like the types of mobile radios the police and fire department use with repeaters.

If I were to ever install a CB, I would certainly agree that the Wilson is a great antenna.

BTW. Where did you mount your radio? Do you have any pics?

 

[Dono]

This whole motor issue could be the best thing imaginable.
Hot truck, with an almost new motor. Nice!

Not without its pain in getting there though.

 

[moogvo]

I am definitely not sorry that i bought this vehicle. even if i would have had to replace the engine myself it would still have been worth it. that's why i didn't even consider the dealers offer to take it back for a refund. it would have been stupid of me to let it go. LOL! I am really a Bronco II fan, and I looked high and low to find one in good shape. I got one earlier this year and built the engine in my front yard. When I finished it, it ran GREAT but looked rather assy. I sold it and have regretted it ever since. This Explorer is basically a Bronco II with many more creature comforts... Problem is that I probably won't be inclined to drive it through the woods as I did the B2.

Motor after I finished it:

I will miss him!

waiting to get it back is the hardest part!

 

[joe doe]

since there was not alot of mounting options i chose to do some cutting with the dremel .i have rear air and radio controls so there was a wire harness to move out the way ,a mount to cut to make depth for the radio install .but everything is functional and i picked up a spare part so i can return it to a stock look very easily .

i wanted the radio in front of me .

Shot at 2009-02-19

Shot at 2007-04-04

this is the console mounting brackey which i cut to make depth for the radio install .the mount is still fully functional .
being it sounds like your radio has a remote head you have more optons .

Shot at 2007-03-23

Shot at 2007-03-23

i love my sport ,its a 2000 with 151,000 on the clock .i have owned it since it was 2 years old .i will probably own it until it gives up the ghost.

Shot at 2011-02-21

you will love yours as well .

 

[moogvo]

Yeah. I bought a spare from Joe Dirt so I can put it back if I ever need to. I do have the option of mounting the RF Deck of the radio anywhere I want it and remote the control head to a convenient position up front. I am one who hates to see wires and want everything to look factory. We'll see how this one turns out. I have a choice of radios to use in this project. I have 1 that is standard commercial radio size and another that is about 4 inches wide by 1 inch tall and about 6 inches deep (a little smaller than your frequency counter). The bigger one is PC programmable and has 1000 memories for frequencies it has amber backlighting which would probably look pretty good at night. It has remote mounting abilities. The other one is programmable by direct entry from the microphone and has blue backlighting. I don't have and may not be able to get the remote mounting kit for it, but the RF Deck is very small and will fit almost anywhere. Both are dual band (VHF/UHF) and have the same 50 watts output on high power. I suppose it will come down to which one seems to fit better and appeals to me at the time.

 

[Red Delta]

Dig the shirtZ.

 

[moogvo]

Dig the shirtZ

Thanks! Thanks to Stacey and Marisa for hookin' me up last time I was at the shop. What a bunch of GREAT people!

 

[moogvo]

I talked to the car dealer earlier today. He told me that there was a hold up with a gasket that is deals only. He says that I will have an Explorer with a 2007 Mustang engine with 30k miles on it by 10 am in the morning. We'll see...

 

[alohamonte]

how'd it turn out?

 

[BrianDye]

Soooo.......!

 

[Red Delta]

Thanks! Thanks to Stacey and Marisa for hookin' me up last time I was at the shop. What a bunch of GREAT people!

What shop? If you say the GearZ shop, I will be insanely jealous. I heart Stacey, he was the only reason I watched Spike. I heard that he quit Trucks! because they wouldn't let him keep the projects.

All the better for us, why keep his talent limited to just trucks, his car builds are awesome. The Banshee is wicked and that Cougar that he's working on right now, is gonna be ri-damn-diculous.

 

[moogvo]

Ok. lemme write this post over... I tried to post from my phone and it wasn't good. LOL!

OK... So Red Delta... Yes. the GearZ shop. Stacey is one of my clients (and I am blessed to have the opportunity of working with such a great company!). I always enjoy visiting with them. They are all AWESOME people. (Season 6 is just around the corner, so make sure your DVR settings are up to date! LOL!)

Ok... so now... On with the Explorer...

The Mustang engine is in and it is running great! Everything you need to know about the swap is here on the site. We were able to get a 2007 Mustang 4.0 with 30k miles and a 90 day warranty for $700.00. They are MUCH cheaper than 4.0 engines from Explorers! MUCH! The swap took 2 days and the only thing I am not happy with is the nut that is stuck between the layers of the hood. I can hear it rattling around in there, but I can't get it out. I am going to have to get inventive, I think.

Bad 93... I am normally very passive with people. I tend to let people get away with a lot before I buck up. This was one of those cases where I was not going to be ripped off. It worked out for me in the end.

I WANT this car...

 

[Baddecision93]

What a good story. I wish I had the tenacity to deal with shady dealers that you do. I just tend to come in and ask if anyone needs a doormat to walk all over .