Regards from Iceland

[ExIce]

Hi there,
been reading this forum for a few weeks and now it´s time to introduce myself.
I´m from Reykjavik, Iceland and recently bought a 1997 Explorer XLT 4.0 SOHC for a very reasonable price ($1640). The plan is to modifiy it to suit the kind of offroading we do here, that is driving on snow. The list includes 4.88 gears with some kind of selectable locker in front, rebuilding the rear LSD, 4" body lift, fender flares to cover the 38" Mudders on 12" steels (tires and wheels already waiting), offroad Y-pipe with easy breathing exhaust, extra lights, long range VHF radio (already in) and a boatload of mods seen on this forum.

Before the X I´ve had a 1995 Suzuki Sidekick on 36" Dick Cepeks, 1985 Toy Hilux TDi on 38" Ground Hawgs, 1998 Izuzu Trooper TDi on 38" GH and 1991 MMC Pajero TDi on 37" IROK. Pic of my latest (the MMC on the right):

Now where did I put that angle grinder ?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum!

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Very cool- I love the ice / snow vehicle look. Can't wait to see the X fully converted.

 

[Rick]

Welcome to the site I'm also looking forward to see your rig set up for the snow. Progress pics would be greatly appreciated

 

[Yomie]

Sweet plans. I have always loved the 'Ice truck' look, i grew up over there in Keflavik.. 1990-1996, only 6 years, but i was 10-16 years old.

Make sure to keep us updated with pics!!

 

[IZwack]

Yeah ummm, can you ... ship some of that snow/ice over here?
I'll PayPal you the shipping cost - thank you.

 

[Dopler174]

I havn't seen snow (Other than TV and Pics) for about 8-9 years.

 

[BrooklynBay]

What's the temperature there?

 

[ExIce]

Thanks

Thanks for the encouragement. I will keep you posted on the updates.
Right now I´m sitting with the gauge panel and the dashboard center on my dinner table installing my Kenwood instead of the factory one and white reverse glow gauge faces and I´ve already installed the long-range VHF radio.

BrooklynBay: The temperature over here is dancing around freezing point (0°C). Actually Iceland is not that cold of a place. Because we are an island in the middle of the Atlantic ocean we have the Gulfstream bringin us relatively hot ocean which heats up the land also. It rarely goes below -15°C on habitable places although on the glacier -25 to -35°C is often reached during the winter.

Yomie: Now the US Navy is gone and Iceland has reclaimed the navy base. It is going to be used as a University and educational/research center.

Just wish the weather wasn´t so fluctuating here, it could be more stable. If you don´t like the weather in Iceland, just wait 15 minutes

A pic (for you all the like the snow look) of the truck I miss the most:

 

[Rick]

If someone ever offered the wide flares for sale in the the US, I bet there would be a big market for them. Are they all custom made or do you have shops that sell them up there?

 

[ExIce]

Flares

The flares are made by a few small local companies that have been extremely patient in making flares for every type of truck that has been modified. Given that we are only roughly 300.000 here, the market is small and although the flares cost around $1000 to $2500 I doubt they are making any money on it because you have so many types of vehicles you have to make moulds for and maybe you will sell 5 sets in 5 years. But like with the Explorer we use the sets originally made for the 91-94 body and modify the front ones a little bit before painting. So a new set was not made for the 95-01 body style. But of course there are models which are very popular for modification here, like for example the Nissan Patrol and the Toyota Landcruiser and they sell maybe some few dozen sets.

Seen here are among the biggest flares I have seen. A 2006 LC with SAS and 44". This one belongs to the Search And Rescue unit I´m a part of.

 

[Rick]

That should be a factory option package

 

[Trckmagik]

I would love to build one of these. Any contact info for the fender companies?

 

[Yomie]

Yomie: Now the US Navy is gone and Iceland has reclaimed the navy base. It is going to be used as a University and educational/research center.

Just wish the weather wasn´t so fluctuating here, it could be more stable. If you don´t like the weather in Iceland, just wait 15 minutes

Thats what i heard about the base. Its funny because i still have my Yellow plate for my old toyota

About the weather, all i really remember was the constant WIND in the winter time, that was rediculous.

I promise, if i ever get back on track with money I will return to Iceland for a mini vacation. The waterfalls, glaciers, geisers, volcanoes, and lagoons all within a hundred miles, that place is beautiful!

 

[FROADER]

Welcome to the site. I too love the look of the snow trucks over there.

There is another member on here with a blue sport trac on 38s that lives in Reykjavik, Iceland.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157776&highlight=iceland

I LOVE this rig.

 

[ExIce]

More flare

Yomie: You are welcome to Iceland anytime (everybody else too ) Let me know and I will take you on a glacier on my Xplorer.

Trckmagik: Here are the most known:

Brettakantar.is
Samtak.is
ArcticTrucks.is Eveything called Brettakantar

I hope this helps. Just send these guys email. Everybody speaks english. There are around 61 IKR´s in $1.

 

[ExIce]

Liners

FROADER: Then check this out: Icecool

 

[FROADER]

Thanks for that link. I'm pretty sure I've seen the blue 6x6 before. The excursion looks good too.

 

[ExIce]

Finally

Hi guys,

as said earlier in this post my goal was to go for the (like someone here called it) the Glacier look. If I succeeded, you be the judge:

Thanks for the encouragement last January, I guess it paid off.

Best regards from Iceland,
ExIce

 

[FROADER]

Turned out great. Pretty much what you would imagine an Icelandic Explorer to look like.