Madmike, You Are A Bad Influence And An Alabama Crazy @$$

[95BlueStallion]

Yeah, trust me, I considered just leaving it two wheel drive once I get the swap done, and having a street machine. That would be a lot easier and less expensive, but I would rather have the 4WD since its a winter driver in Iowa. Well see how this summer goes.

 

[RaggedGT]

Can't say I won't miss updates on the Ranger, but The Explorer project will be a good one to follow,I'm looking forward to seeing that come together. Just curious,How much work is it going to be to be to get the carbed setup to work with all the electronics in everything in the explorer?

Edit: Side Question-How come I never get any notifications when I'm Tagged in a post? Lol

 

[95BlueStallion]

No idea about the tags, and I will have a check engine light on in the Explorer. But if I cant figure out a way to shut if off, I will take the bulb out. The engine and trans stand alone with their own electronics, so all I need is the body harness to function.

 

[95BlueStallion]

Change of tune a little. Ive decided that I am going to try to find a way to integrate the current AWD into the equation with the 408w plans. This will take some custom work, but I have a good shop on my side for back up if I get perplexed. My idea now is to have a competitor of the Trailblazer SS, which is AWD. So yes folks, the Explorer is now going to be a street machine project. I will get a set of winter wheels and tires for snow duty, but I will most likely make this more of a fun DD to keep the miles from piling up on the Mustang. I think a coil over kit is in the works now, so I can adjust from low and mean, to stock ride height for snow season. Body will remain stock, single 3" exhaust, and only wheels and tires to give any clue to it not being stock (well, and a bumpy V8 idle). I am buying a cherry picker and engine stand this weekend to start pulling the engine trans combo out of the Ranger.

 

[A5literMan]

Change of tune a little. Ive decided that I am going to try to find a way to integrate the current AWD into the equation with the 408w plans. This will take some custom work, but I have a good shop on my side for back up if I get perplexed. My idea now is to have a competitor of the Trailblazer SS, which is AWD. So yes folks, the Explorer is now going to be a street machine project. I will get a set of winter wheels and tires for snow duty, but I will most likely make this more of a fun DD to keep the miles from piling up on the Mustang. I think a coil over kit is in the works now, so I can adjust from low and mean, to stock ride height for snow season. Body will remain stock, single 3" exhaust, and only wheels and tires to give any clue to it not being stock (well, and a bumpy V8 idle). I am buying a cherry picker and engine stand this weekend to start pulling the engine trans combo out of the Ranger.

Very interesting and will definitely follow your progress

 

[95BlueStallion]

For those married gentlemen on the site, this will come as no shock to you. I had great plans to get started pulling the engine out of the truck last weekend, but the wife says I have a whole list of house projects that are more important (we just moved into a "new to us" home). That being said, I havent done sh*t with the truck. What I did manage to do, was make myself a little rear faux gas cap for the Mustang. My oldest boy dubbed my car "Rocket" after his favorite show a couple years ago, Little Einsteins. Well I have decided to go ahead and give it that theme.

First I googled rockets to get one that somewhat resembled the one off his cartoon that started it all, and did NOT look like an Oldsmobile rocket. Then I drew a stencil, cut it out, and transferred it to a random piece of metal I had laying around. Then out came the dremel.



Then I cleaned up the metal pieces, sanded them to give a little bit of a "brushed" or "aged" look (@madmike1157 , aged is a good look, eh?), sprayed some clear over them, and adhered them to my blank faux cap.



After work today, I ripped the stock faux GT cap off the trunk, and stuck the new and improved Rocket cap on there. Is it perfect? Nah, but its hand made by me, no one else will have it. The imperfections work well with the fact I wrecked and repaired poor ol' Rocket. Cant even tell he has a bum knee though. Like a spruce chicken they say.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

View attachment 533343

"Hey! doesn't that look like our space ship on the back of that Earthling's car?"

 

[A5literMan]

^^lmao

 

[95BlueStallion]

Those two look good enough to me, so I'll take that as a win.

 

[RaggedGT]

I really dig it, reminds me of a show I used to watch often

 

[95BlueStallion]

Haha Ragged, a friend of mine said the same thing. I told her, leave to her to come up with the dorkiest damn thing to get out of it, as her and her hubby are mondo nerds. As for my son, he loves it. So far each morning I have taken them to daycare, he walks back and looks and says, "Dad, I like Rocket's trunk picture." Then climbs in and away we go.

 

[RaggedGT]

Honestly buddy I dig it,I like little personal touches that make things yours. Add in that your kids into it makes it Awesome lol My 4 year old calls mine the Race Car

 

[95BlueStallion]

 

[RaggedGT]

 

[RaggedGT]

 

[95BlueStallion]

Sorry bud, havent had time to so much as think about the Explorer. We bought a house, and I had to rip down and rebuild the deck out back, but bigger of course. Had to have it done by my son's b-day a couple weeks ago, but then threw in a couple bathroom updates in there too. So yeah, only thing done on either of the trucks is I sold the Mustang wheels off the Ranger for some quick cash.

 

[RaggedGT]

Congrats on the New House man. just bought a house myself so I know what you mean lol

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I know this is late, but it is a great idea I missed. What year of Mustang is the panhard bar from? About how much did you have to cut off? My only real complaint on my 2001 Ranger was the rear "walking" sideways over washboards or rail road tracks. Would a panhard bar help a Fox Mustang?

 

[95BlueStallion]

Kinda hard to say man. I read some people say it causes binding with leaf springs, which to a certain extent it causes binding with everything, whether it be leafs or a three/four link. The only thing that doesnt cause binding is a watts link. With the limited amount of travel the rear was moving under the ranger, I didnt notice any issues with it. But when you talk about walking on your Ranger, that is more just live axle hop, then any rear end movement in the suspension bushings. Its the complaint all the IRS owners try to say makes a Mustang SOOOOO horrible on a road course.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I never thought about hop not under acceleration. Usually you get it off the line, but not here. But that term is about as accurate as you can get. The rear would hop over washboards to the right, unless the bed had a load.