SNJ's Rig (full build progress thread)

[SuRrEaLNJ]

Check out my
REGISTRY
to see a list that covers most of the mods that have gone on in here over the years...​

SNJ's rig: full build progress thread

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I made a webshots gallery with all of the photos ive taken of this thing since i first bought it.
The gallery can be found HERE
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Alright i guess its about time for me to have a buildup thread.

Let me try and get ya'll up to speed with the project so far. After I got my 05 i learned the wonder that is low range and got hooked on offroading. Made it through a few trips out to paragon. It soon became obvious that something more sutable for offroading was neccesary.

Back in april i bough this 94 explorer:

The interior was in really good condition, and it had potential to be a strong running truck, but it really suffered from the 'Cuse winters and the amount of rust on the truck.

After a few months of workin on it doin small stuff to get it in good running condition i had a few set backs with it.
That prompted the purchase of this 91 in may:

The interior of this truck was shot as it had no sunroof in it for atleast a year while siting outside prior to my acquireing it, but it had a good frame to it, and a exaust that the otherone was completely lacking at this point.

At this point it was decided that the new incarnation of my project was going to be based of the 91 frame with the 94 being the parts donor.
The 94 stayed where it was being housed in saddlebrook and the 91 came up to Bogota. work then shifted to building one truck out of the 2, starting with a full intrior swap then taking the doors hatch sunroof and herculining the floor.


by july i had a running truck again

40 miles on the odo later and the engine took a dump on me. This lead to a full drivetrain swap taking the engine and tranny from the 94

About this time alot of things changed for me, moved into my fathers house, and then to an apartment, went back to school, changed jobs, sold my 05 X bought the focus etc... so not alot of work was getin done to the project.
things stableized out for me and followd by the fire getin lit under my ass again, so we cleaned up the garage and get back to work on the project.

that brings us up to speed of today and what is now siting on my floor waiting to go into the 91

 

[sn0border88]

Get you ass in gear, new years is only a month away.

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

unfortuneately new years just aint gonna happen for this truck. my goal is by when the weather breaks in spring. at this point i think thats a realistic goal

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

covered some ground today. got to get all the emisions stuff and whaterver switched from the 91 block to the 94 block. id say i got it about half way to goin in. also took some more stuff out of the hole to make getin it in easier.

 

[timmac06]

Hey, if you need an extra hand I'm local. I'll be glad to get dirty.

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

Hey apreciate the offer. if i need anything ill let ya know. im about another 10-15 minutes down the road now, same road, but a couple of towns over.

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

yay for progress! took a couple of steps back for the greater good today, then started moving forward
wasnt treally planing on breaking it down this far, but i figured i might as well while its out of the truck on a stand

these had to go (the pitings worse than the dying camera lets on to

and heres where we left off today

also got the exhaust bolt that i snaped out and the hole retaped this week. gave up on getin the rest of the bolt from the manifold to y pipe conction on the right side and took it down the street to buxbaum bros engine rebuilding and had him take care of it for me.

 

[Spas]

You being the baby tech that you are, did you go over the engine to make sure nothing's going to give...? I only ask because I dropped $300 on what I thought was a good engine some years ago for my '91 only to find out that the inside of the damn thing looked as though it had been lit on fire

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

From what i could see it was. thats part of the reason i broke it down as far as i did. i had thought the engine that was originally in the 91 was good, that proved me wrong.
I know this one ran well, ive driven the 94 on it, and it looks ok inside. i really didnt want to go into it any further than i did though, because then id be messing with a whole bunch of **** i know im just not capable of getting into.
this one blows up on me im just gonna have to get something out of a crate.

 

[sn0border88]

or something from a mustang.....

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

who says it couldnt be both?

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

Alright im sittin down with a mikes and figured id go a little pic happy as i finally got something done.

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

few more now that the intraweb isnt actin up on me. my jacks to small to alow me to ge tthe truck high enough to roll the trans on the jack underneith so once agin we got creative

few more since i was playin with the camera

 

[Spas]

Necessity is the mother of invention they say, lol. I was balancing my front driveshaft on my head today since I couldn't reach the jack stand thingie from under my lift Looks like you're making some pretty good progress, Jay! How much more to do until you can get it running?

 

[xplrsport01]

looks like things are coming together great for ya keep going strong

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

I gotta work this weekend so i dont know time frame. all that stuff is in so now i theoretically just gotta plug it in. man sounds so easy when i put it that way dosnt it. all the wirein and linkages arent conected neither or the driveshafts and whatnot, so itll still be a bit, but we made alot of headway.

Big thanks to pops for bein 50 with a bad back (surgically repaired) and bein on the cold floor with me for like 6 hrs straight. I gotta give credit where credits due, hes got alot of time on this thing too

also did some stuff like pulled the lock cilinders so i can get a good set of keys for it. the ignition was shot to all heck, used a key from a 150 to turn it enough to get it out, so itll get a new igntion cylinder and ill finally have keys for the doors

workin on getin the cash together for lift tires rear locker cb etc so i can start getin that stuff together. im still undecided on most of that so i could use some input from yall (hint hint). Im thinkin James duff lift with 35s but thats about as far as i got. gotta set the gearin up so i can highway it out to rookies to, as i dont think the f*ckus can pull it

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

didntget all that much done with hookin everything up today, got the rear drive shaft, radiatior and most of the cooling system plumbing, some of the electrical sconections, etc. looks like alot more in text that it did in actuality i guess.

the truck finally got a brand new fresh out of the box part!!!

ignition was fubared. managed to turn it with a key from a 150 to get it out. screwdriver wouldnt work though, odly enough. now atleast i can start it when its together.

and i also riged up this little gem:

i took another stock cooler, fliped the brackets around on it and ziped it to the body with some self tapers. then modified the inboard brackets to mount them together.
im not metal fabricator, but it works:

hopefully this'll extend the life of the 94 a4ld thats under her now.

 

[sn0border88]

dude, you know its gonna end up with a d44. Dont even bother with a TTB lift, those dont last long around our group.

 

[Spas]

dude, you know its gonna end up with a d44. Dont even bother with a TTB lift, those dont last long around our group.

I'm backing Micah up on this one! I'ma keep my eye out for a bronco 44 for you, don't even waste your time with a stupidlift or skysmacker because inevitably we'll end up parked in the middle of a trail replacing broken half shafts or wrestling radius arms back into place. Truuuuuust me

Looking good so far, although I think you may be about 5 tranny coolers underpowered for an A4Ld j/k. Sorta.

 

[Savage Wolf]

workin on getin the cash together for lift tires rear locker cb etc so i can start getin that stuff together. im still undecided on most of that so i could use some input from yall (hint hint). Im thinkin James duff lift with 35s but thats about as far as i got. gotta set the gearin up so i can highway it out to rookies to, as i dont think the f*ckus can pull it

Thinking James duff lift eh? I might know someone with one that will be selling it soon
(tho the duff lifts are only 2.5" you might be able to get about 4" max w/spacers or new springs before having issues with the ttb's camber)