Kroussin 93 Explorer build

[dangerranger83]

I'm told 83 to 97 non ac, maybe even ac boxes, are the same.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[kroussinoffroad]

that would make life very easy then. amazing how much more packed the engine bay seems with the A/C box


Also went to the hardware store to get some tubes of 3M adhesive selant and THEY DONT CARRY IT ANYMORE!

so i bought 3 different tubes of loctite brand selant, adhesive and caulk all are paintable, waterproof, exterior use and labeled as heavy duty to some extent. so i'm doing some tests right now in a "semi controlled envirment" (dining room table) have 3 different tests i'm doing and hopefully one of them might be similar to the 3M stuff. probably not since all 3 were less than a 1/8 the price. Im not a FIRM believer in you get what you pay for but the saying does have some value to me

 

[kroussinoffroad]

oh and cut this out at work this morning before i went to the clinic and was givin the diagnosis of double ear infection.

going to need some triming along th top edge and I ended up with a slight gap along the bottom so the angle and sealer should work good.

For some reasone it looks like a huge gap along the boxside but its small enough that you cant get a finger tip between it

 

[kroussinoffroad]

well not bailing on the sealant test all together but doing some reading while sitting here sick and found out that pl concrete selant is the same as 5200 only difference is the color

 

[kroussinoffroad]

lower hatch welded to the remaining gate and upper box sides, rear corners are plated, rear washer fill hole welded, garage kinda cleaned.

tomorrow hope to get all the grinding taken care of on the exterior and hopefully be done with the filler by tomorrow night and just have some finish sanding to do friday. hopefully by saturday be ready to move to the interior however i've yet to decide on routing of the taillight wiring, and if i'm just going to cap the upper section of the box side or make a complete filler panel to go all the way to the floor

 

[Josh40601]

Are you keeping the factory tail lights? What about a gate? Anything or is the rear tire going to stick out?

 

[kroussinoffroad]

will post up pics soon.
factory tails, tire is well protected by the bumper but does hang out of the "bed" as for a gate i;m not naking one but have thought of running a cheesy windgate just to keep large stuff in for trips to camp and when haulin my boat

to keep the monsters at bay here is an old pic to chew on...yeah the truck gets some odd looks at the launch

 

[kroussinoffroad]

Update.

Worked on it a bit tonight.

Tire to bumper clerance will b a slight bit more once the lower section of the gate is secured to the floor, going to pull it forward about 2 inches twords the seats

Taillight area, caped bedcorners, and filled washerhole

Still have descent room behind the seat for tools, recovery gear, and th chinsaw. will keep fluids in one box in the be and spare parts in another hoping to fit one on each side of the tire. When I do make trips up north to stay the night I will likely be pulling the double seat on the passanger side rear to mae room for camping gear, cooler and other necissary stuff

A little more of the hatch area. as you can see the body wont be perfect but th hatch will hopefully match the waves of the body

Not 100% sure what i'm going to do with this area where it curves twords the taillight.

And here are some pics of the truck as far back as I could get in my garage

and hopefully be ready to bend up the stainless monday to cap the bedrails.

 

[escort_gts]

Looking better with every update. Have you thought of running tube on top of the bedsides and down around the taillights? Just an idea

Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

 

[dangerranger83]

Looks like you built a four door ranger but with a small bed. I would take your idea but use a ranger bed section and exploder cab and frame section and mate them together.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[kroussinoffroad]

thought of trying the tube idea and even just running it as a cap to say the least I'm so over welding sheetmetal. Im anxious to build somthing where I can actually just burn some heat into it.

as for the ranger bed idea figured if the corner turned out too horriable i was just going to section the tail light area of a 1st or 2nd gen ranger onto the explorer.

 

[escort_gts]

.... i was just going to section the tail light area of a 1st or 2nd gen ranger onto the explorer.

I like that idea.

 

[kroussinoffroad]

i think it looks fine for now. we will have to see what sort of damage it gets and if it justifies locating and sectioning a box. Even then i would plan on shaving the taillights and running trailer lights like the mazda.

patching in the box would be a pain since it would have to be in several pieces since they are different width's and height's

 

[kroussinoffroad]

final sanded, primed, primed,primed,painted,painted,painted, cleared,cleared,cleared

hopefully tomorrow will get glass in, taillights, and into the wiring and post some pics

 

[dangerranger83]

Then a 302 swap next. We all know it's going to happen one day.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2