Looking at a wrecked 1991 Ford Explorer (pics)

FordFanatic93 · Jan 25, 2011

Hey there. I'm not really active on here because I don't have a Ranger or RBV. That might change though, depending on what you guys think.

I am looking at a '91 Ford Explorer Sport. 4x4, 5 speed, automatic hubs, and its wrecked. I know it'll be a lot of work, but should I get it or not? I love the way my dad's Ranger drives, and I love my buddy's Jeep Cherokee (Don't ban me!). I figured this would combine the best of both worlds

Here are the pics of the Explorer.

What is that, exactly?

How much work do y'all think it would take to get it running again? Cosmetically it doesn't really matter, as long as it'll pass PA inspection and drive normal.

Thanks guys :icon_hornsup:

gribly · Jan 25, 2011

That is a sheared off pitman arm. I am willing to bet the balljoints on the driver side are probably not long for this world with that kind of an impact, but overall it looks worth saving, as long as you can get it for almost free.

Looks like you're going to have to look at that corner and see just how bad it is behind the sheet metal, but other than that, it doesn't look that bad.

dirttrackracer · Jan 25, 2011

it looks good. but as said above look and see whats goin on behind the sheetmatal, it could be just fine or you could have bent brackets or broken mounts.

inuyasha2875 · Jan 25, 2011

that looks like it sheared the shaft off the steering box

adsm08 · Jan 25, 2011

Well, you need a bumper, some sheet metal, and a steering box at the very least.

The frame looks like it has a good chance of being straight, so I wouldn't worry about that.

You will have to get that thing for a song before you end up spending less on it than you'd have in just buying a not wrecked one though.

Where abouts in PA are you. Non-emissions country I see, but that still covers a lot of ground in the north.

dirttrackracer · Jan 25, 2011

i just saw that haha. hey! im in bloomsburg PA, i love not havin emissions. my 78' would fail

FordFanatic93 · Jan 25, 2011

I am in Bradford. It's all the way up north (almost)

The man wants 500 but I'm trying to get it for 400. My uncle thinks we could get it road ready again, and I need a senior project haha. And I think this could be a perfect candidate.

gribly · Jan 25, 2011

Offer him $100. I honestly wouldn't pay any more. As it is you can't even tell if say, the tranny got damaged. There isn't TOO much that is important right in that corner, but check to make sure things like the washer fluid tank are not snapped in half, the radiator is straight, and the engine bay is square still. Also, I would pay close attention to the front left frame rail. That, and right side of that thing is crushed in the entire length of it. You can tell the entire front end is tweaked, and will never be the same.

CountryBoy78 · Jan 25, 2011

I say get it if you can get the guy to come down on the price. If it becomes too much work you can allways scrap it out and make more money off that thing..

unoleisu · Jan 26, 2011

If you look close at the passenger side, there is an issue with the front corner panel, there at the passenger door. Better check and see if the whole front clip got pushed over. It looks as if possibly the impact was coming at an angle to the front (as if sliding half sideways and then hitting something). Your whole front clip might be pushed over a little. I'd check the frame for straightness. If it's bent, it's probably cheaper to by something else.
Be careful, it could be a money pit. (I made that mistake more than once)

If you happened to have a good cheap donor for all the parts, and it's mostly labor, It could be a really great learning experience, and fun project. Good luck with it!

Boggin · Jan 26, 2011

you can see the pitman arm is still in tact, its a piece off the steering box broke. i would get it if it runs

mhughes165 · Jan 26, 2011

gribly said:
Offer him $100. I honestly wouldn't pay any more. As it is you can't even tell if say, the tranny got damaged. There isn't TOO much that is important right in that corner, but check to make sure things like the washer fluid tank are not snapped in half, the radiator is straight, and the engine bay is square still. Also, I would pay close attention to the front left frame rail. That, and right side of that thing is crushed in the entire length of it. You can tell the entire front end is tweaked, and will never be the same.

if u offered me 100 for a truck i can pull the trans from and sell for 300 i would beat u like a goveremnt mule, if u can get it for 400 do it, 500 is still doable, ill cost couple hundred in parts to make it right again, atleast the parts are everywhere for that generation explorer

AND its worth atleast 300 in SCRAP by itself by ANY yard that sends a truck to pick up vehicles.

whats with u and always trying to lowball the piss out of everybody and everything u ever talk about lol

its like a wasted post, U KNOW THE GUYS NOT GOING TO TAKE $100, but u suggest he try it anyways

ifergusson · Jan 26, 2011

The first thing I would do is determine if this vehicle has a salvage title and is branded as a total loss as registering it would be a PITA.Next I would sit down and realistically figure out how much it would cost to fix it and get it registered moneywise and timewise.That vehicle looks like it would be a money pit to try and get it roadworthy again.
I did a quick look on the Craiglists in your area and there seems to be no shortage of Explorers and Rangers with decent bodies for less than $1000 that need minor mechanical repairs.There was a Ranger 4x4 that needed brake work for $600 and this Explorer for $900 that needs exhaust http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/2179127396.html By the time you are done with the other Explorer you would probably be into it for far more money and still have to deal with a vehicle that has been branded.

gribly · Jan 26, 2011

mhughes165 said:
if u offered me 100 for a truck i can pull the trans from and sell for 300 i would beat u like a goveremnt mule, if u can get it for 400 do it, 500 is still doable, ill cost couple hundred in parts to make it right again, atleast the parts are everywhere for that generation explorer

AND its worth atleast 300 in SCRAP by itself by ANY yard that sends a truck to pick up vehicles.

whats with u and always trying to lowball the piss out of everybody and everything u ever talk about lol

its like a wasted post, U KNOW THE GUYS NOT GOING TO TAKE $100, but u suggest he try it anyways

Takes time to and tools to part out a vehicle, you've got to put in the labor to get the parts out for the money - so it's worth less bolted into a useless vehicle. You would be amazed at what I have bought for almost nothing, sometimes people will bite just so you get it out of their way. Personally, I'd give up to $400 for that and take the glass and transmission out. You do NOT know that the guy is going to take $100, it's not illegal to ask! Especially when you let them smell the cash.

For example, I bought my jeep for $4500. It was like 5 years old at that point, guy wanted like $10,000 for it. I was crawling around it naming off all the parts that were due for maintenance or replacement, and nit-picking the hell out of it. Plus, the guy was in debt. I did have to turn around and dump about $3000 into it to make it what I wanted.

I bought my Navajo for $1700, guy wanted $3000 for it. I did have to start walking towards my car to get it for that price, though.

mhughes165 · Jan 26, 2011

so what about the junkyard which will give him a garunteed 300 for a running explorer 5spd
its not a useless vehicle, ur tellin him to offer WAY less then scrap, itd be different if he wouldnt get 50 bucks scrapping it, but we ALL know thats not the case no matter where u live

and the fact that u WAY overpaid for a navajo would make me think that the vehicle shopping skills are lacking, i wouldnt go to look at a navajo PERIOD listed for 3k lol, considering blue book the value a navajo no matter what part of the country ur in in PERFECT condition would be about what u paid for it

gribly said:
Takes time to and tools to part out a vehicle, you've got to put in the labor to get the parts out for the money - so it's worth less bolted into a useless vehicle. You would be amazed at what I have bought for almost nothing, sometimes people will bite just so you get it out of their way. Personally, I'd give up to $400 for that and take the glass and transmission out. You do NOT know that the guy is going to take $100, it's not illegal to ask! Especially when you let them smell the cash.

For example, I bought my jeep for $4500. It was like 5 years old at that point, guy wanted like $10,000 for it. I was crawling around it naming off all the parts that were due for maintenance or replacement, and nit-picking the hell out of it. Plus, the guy was in debt. I did have to turn around and dump about $3000 into it to make it what I wanted.

I bought my Navajo for $1700, guy wanted $3000 for it. I did have to start walking towards my car to get it for that price, though.

Looking at a wrecked 1991 Ford Explorer (pics)

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