Rolled '96 2 Dr. What are body swap options?

[Steve Hartman]

And of course, how hard is it to do? The good news is, I have a backhoe that extends to about 14' into the air! I am curious as to whether or not I could replace the 2 DR with a 4 DR. Or could I replace it with a Sport Trac or Ranger Body. All advice welcome! Incidentally, the car only has 173,000 with 90K on the tranny and it runs like a top with near perfect interior. Hate to have to give it away! Thank you!

 

[J_C]

I've never attempted this but from my vague recollection of past info, it's not going to work because the 2dr frame is shorter, and it or 4dr are wider in the back than a sport trac or Ranger. *I could be wrong*

If you can cut/weld/fabricate things, maybe you can make it work, but it seems like a lot of work for what you're going to end up with.

 

[C420sailor]

Swapping like bodies shouldn’t be hard, though. So that’s good.

 

[Stic-o]

4 door is a 11" longer wheelbase. Best option is find another sport and swap. You can probably find a newer one with a bad trans or blown SOHC cheap.

 

[Steve Hartman]

Swapping like bodies shouldn’t be hard, though. So that’s good.

To J.C. and C420Sailor! Thank you both so much! I don't mind staying with the two door! Especially if it's easier than the others. At 70 I look for as little extra work as possible! LOL!

 

[ThreeJs]

Seems to me buying a decent bodied Explorer Sport and doing a engine and/or drivetrain swap would be easier?
Better yet. Get a decent running Sport and keep the rolled one for parts.

I guess the question that comes to mind is how would it be registered?
Registered as Original frame VIN and re-bodied or.... Registered as New body VIN with replaced frame?

 

[Steve Hartman]

Seems to me buying a decent bodied Explorer Sport and doing a engine and/or drivetrain swap would be easier?
Better yet. Get a decent running Sport and keep the rolled one for parts.

I guess the question that comes to mind is how would it be registered?
Registered as Original frame VIN and re-bodied or.... Registered as New body VIN with replaced frame?

 

[Steve Hartman]

Well thanks ThreeJs, but I think you're just trying to kill an old man! LOL! Didn't you get the part about me being 70? But I do appreciate the fact that you want me laying down when I croak! Then again, who wants to die looking up at the bottom of an Explorer? ROFL! As for the VIN number, you raise a fine point! Maybe I should pull the body to get to the rest of the car and sell everything. It WAS a fine car! And Happy New Year to ya!

 

[koda2000]

@Steve Hartman - I am also in my 70's and this past summer I pulled the engine out of my clean, rust free '01 SOHC Sport Trac to rebuild it. It was a lot of work and hard on my old bones, but I took my time and eventually got it removed and disassembled. Since October I have been sidelined with some medical issues, which thankfully should be cleared up by next month at which time I plan to get back to this project. If this vehicle had been anything but the more desirable/valuable Sport Trac I would have just junked it (and maybe I still should have) but enough about me and my poor decisions ...

I would much rather do a body swap than remove another 4.0L SOHC engine, but I wouldn't waste 5 mins of my time on a 24 year old Explorer Sport swapping the engine or body. If you really want to go down this road, I'd look for a clean, newer model Sport with a blown engine or transmission (there should be plenty to chose from at the scrap yard for cheap). A '96-'00 Sport body should be interchangeable, but Ford may have made minor changes from year to year. If you do find differences you should be able to work around them w/out too much trouble. You will still be spending time on your back though dealing with body mounts. Hopefully where you live you can find a body w/out a bunch of rust, but living in MT I doubt it.

FYI - A Sport body/frame are not interchangeable with a 4-door Explorer or Sport Trac, both of which have longer frames. I'm not trying to put you off on your idea, just trying to give you a taste of reality.

Good luck.

 

[toypaseo]

Think outside the box...

Classic Bronco

 

[Mbrooks420]

In most states the Cab is what’s registered. Before buying a donor, make sure if the laws of this in your state. That way if you need a title you make sure one is possible.

With the excavator swapping cabs shouldn’t be too terrible.

 

[donalds]

good reading

Great ideas here
I vote body swap using a lift
If your engine and transmission are fine DONT touch them
To quote cober our resident Russian "explorer engine is enigma"

 

[N2FORD]

What about a Ranger cab with a Sport trac bed, would look like a Bronco half cab. One of the photo shoppers on here could through an image together maybe? I had contemplated something similar with an old Bronco frame I had but it had to much damage.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Ranger and a sport trac bed body lines wouldn’t work together.