In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

[GLOCKer]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

Today I worked down the driver side with the DA, compounding and waxing with Black Wax. It'll never be perfect but I'm liking how this 20 year old paint is coming out with a little love!

[GLOCKer]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

I love before and after shots...

[Nick Winn]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

WOWWWW!!!! #extrememakeover!!

[GLOCKer]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

Gotta love that Meguair's Black Wax!

[GLOCKer]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

Today's progress; the passenger side!
It's not a mirror like I get my Mustang, but it's sooooooo much better than when I bought it.

[GLOCKer]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

Today I compounded and waxed the tailgate and front end, and sanded and painted the B pillar trim. I'm really happy with how this is turning out.

While I was working on it this morning, I got a text message from a good friend of mine asking if the photos I was pasting on Facebook were of the free SUV I got. He said it was looking amazingly good and he was impressed. I've also been been contacted by a coworker who asked me if I'd barter in exchange for detailing his wife's Suburban. He used to shoot for FN Herstal and offered me a pistol in trade!

Here she is!
















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[Nick Winn]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

You are on a roll! #extrememakeover!!

[exploreco]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

WOW, what a transformation!! Great job. Now you won't feel embarrassed to drive it lol. Just kidding. Great work on it. It looks like a totally different car now. I am sure once you started you just couldn't stop.

[GLOCKer]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

I decided to say "F" it and knocked out a couple things last night despite bad weather that have been pushed off several times because of the bad weather. First I used the carpet cleaner to shampoo the cargo area of the car. I just left it in the garage overnight with the windows down to help it dry out. I also compounded and polish/waxed the roof and cleaned up some spilled paint off the back bumper.

In this pic you can see the rear most part of the roof over the tailgate has been all polished up by the way the water beads. The rest of the roof was very oxidized and flat.


This is after cleaning up the paint on the roof. It's still badly etched but now it's not oxidized.


And this was the blob of paint I needed to clean off the back bumper.


It took a combination of a razor blade and shop rag soaked in acetone to clean it up.


This Saturday is a big day for mechanical fixes on this old thing. I have boxed up a bunch of new parts for my Explorer that hopefully will be going onto it this Saturday when it goes up on a lift and I have help from a guy at work.
-rear diff. rebuild kit
-rear axle bearings and seals
-rear diff. gear oil
-rear diff. friction modifier
-parking brake shoes
-parking brake hardware kit
-front and rear shocks
-upper control arms with ball joints
-lower ball joints
-end links

[GLOCKer]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

I've gotten a lot done since my last post!
-Rebuilt differential
-new axle bearings and seals
-new parking brake shoes
-new shocks on all four corners
-new lower ball joints
-new upper control arms with ball joints
-new sway-bar end-links
-new Hidden Hitch and wiring harness
-affixed the rear-view mirror to the windshield a second time
-cleaned the engine bay

Before:


After:

[Slowcorrado]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

Great thread and excellent work! Serriously an extreme makeover. :-)

[GLOCKer]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

Great thread and excellent work! Serriously an extreme makeover. :-)

Thanks! I have to say it's been (mostly) fun and I now have a major attachment to this thing. I really enjoy driving it; I have a similar feeling to what I had when I got my first car 21 years ago! I have a bad a-- performance car parked in the garage and this thing is seeing more use these days!

[GLOCKer]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited

Ughhhh. Still having issues making a rear-view mirror stay stuck to this windshield! ARGHHHHHHHH Stupid little thing yet sooooooooo frustrating!

[Nick Winn]

Re: In-Progress Project - 1998 Ford Explorer Limited