Techieman33's Elite Registry

Well i'm finally elite, and I'll admit it was long overdue. I'll start off with my first explorer that died of transmission woes last year. It was a 91 XLT with only about 90K on the clock.

Then in April of last year I moved on to my 88 Bronco II, which just recently died of engine failure. But it lived a long life with over 260K on the clock.

And now to the lastet. It's a 2000 Mountaineer, V8, AWD. It's got 94k miles on it, and it's in really good shape, other than the all the dust from the previous owner living on a gravel road, and the headlight in the last pic, the chrome cap the covers the light fell off, anyone know how to reattach it?

 

[techieman33]

Very good Eric, and what are the little green lights on the console? I need to find a pair of shackles and perches to clean up for mine. I have a left rear shock that the bolt is seized in the perch(one red shock and one yellow shock).

thanks, it's starting to come together. Those aren't lights, it turns out the screws that I grabbed to attach the new gauge face to the outer shell were the wrong ones and they pushed through before I realized it Oh well it needs to be replaced anyway, I'm going to move the switches that were at the top down to the bottom section of the panel that justin made.

 

[CDW6212R]

Ah, the one on the left looks like it could be a green LED, Ive seen people do so many things with the console.

 

[TAS98xlt]

And here's some things you can expect to see in the coming weeks

Hey, nice gauges!

Everything looks great!

 

[techieman33]

I guess It's about time for an update. The mountaineer is 2" lower now thanks to the blocks and u-bolts Jtsmith powder coated up for me. I also made my scan gauge install more permanent. And got the gauge pod mounted, but I still need to find time to actually wire them up.

 

[CDW6212R]

I like it, more parts coming together to make it yours.

 

[Turdle]

Sniff-

Looks good.

I'll stare at it and pout now--

 

[techieman33]

Sniff-

Looks good.

I'll stare at it and pout now--

lol, I guess it is part turdle

 

[Turdle]

I think the running boards help for a lower look also. Remove them and it might "rise" a bit.

 

[techieman33]

I think the running boards help for a lower look also. Remove them and it might "rise" a bit.

It might look a little higher up, but I don't really care I hate those running boards, I think they look ugly, especially on a "street" truck. It's not like you need them to get into it.

 

[CDW6212R]

I haven't yet installed the running boards on my 99 truck. I've been delivering mail with it for 25k, the running boards are nicer all around. FYI, they also protect the bottom edge of the body, my truck has countless chips missing.

 

[techieman33]

Got some new rubber toyo proxes s/t in 275-60-17

 

[techieman33]

Now all my calipers and brackets are powdercoated, finally put the last bracket on today. and Jon may hate me, I think I want to get rid of all the bright blue, and go to all lazer blue (the dark blue on the front calipers) it matches my paint pretty well. And the other blue looks "cheap" compared the the dark blue.

Do you think it would be safe to paint the back of the brake pads with some high temp spray paint? They really look ugly with the calipers.

 

[techieman33]

Blee is in trouble, there is a a crease in the vinyl he sent me, I saw it when it was half way on already and I was so distracted by it I ended up putting it on crooked But he's going to make me another one so it's all good

 

[Dan Whitaker]

I bet if had been pink it wouldn't have been creased

 

[techieman33]

Wow it's been a while since I've updated this. As you probably know I rolled my mountaineer a while back while showing off a bit to a couple of other forum members. And here is the result.

It was totaled by the insurance company obviously and I got enough money to pay it off and buy it's replacement. I got really lucky and found one that looks just like the rolled one did when I bought it.

Here is where they met for the first time

Here they are a couple of weeks later as the old one gives up its energy to the new one. As you can see the new one is starting to transform a little with the help of parts from the rolled one.

Here it is getting the axle from the old one put under it to keep it off the ground, after the new one got it's 4.10 l/s axle.

Up to this point was still pretty whole for the most part, nothing crazy had been done yet but that was about to change. It was nearing time to remove it's heart. The bumper and fenders needed to be removed.

Upper intake manifold, wiring harness and other little things were removed.

Then it was time for the quickie saw

And poof a few minutes and one exploding blade later

With the help of some reinforcements Jon called in it was time to roll it up into the driveway for the final procedure

It's out

the transmission followed soon after, bleeding out what little life it had left in it.

It was almost over only one last thing to do, send it off car heaven. Ok I'm just going to say at this point in writing this I'm crying for the first time since I lost her, writing this farewell of sorts is hitting me pretty hard.

Here she is getting loaded up for her final trip

And in what will be her final resting place

The end was captured on video

Here it is being unloaded



They wouldn't crush it without taking the axle out first, it wasn't it's axle anyway so I didn't really care



Here's the last time it was still a mountaineer



And finally the very last picture taken of it in one piece, and the way I'll always remember her.

 

[Burns]

Ahh man thats just sad.

 

[97sprt4x4]

This is tragic to read about again. i remember from the first time you posted about this. altho you'll miss her, i'm glad that you replaced her with another just like it. i'm sure that one will turn out just as good if not better because you will have all the knowledge from the first under your belt. so congrats on the new rig.

Justin

 

[celly]

Eric:

Sad stuff indeed. Sort of bittersweet that I was one of the last to see it intact (and took the last photo of it in one piece). Makes me sort of proud to have my Eddie in the same photo.

Brad

 

[TekMan05]

I know its crazy. I remember when me and Geoff pulled up and remember both Mounty's posted up facing the street just like that. I can still vividly remember that. Later on I even got to park in between these two beasts! I'll always remember this truck!!

 

[99SportX]

Wow, I can't imagine the feeling. I hope nothing like that ever happens to my X.

A little piece of that mounty will live on in my XLT...........