Hey guys,

I've had my Expy for a little more than a year now, family owned it since it was new though so it's been with me it's whole life essentially lol. It spent most days up until now as my moms commuter and grocery getter only going about 10 miles a day back and forth to work and on weekends it was our family trip car. I bought it off my parents when they decided to get a new car becasue i was commuting 80 miles a day to school in my truck which got 10 mpg so 18-19 hwy was almost double that and i spend a ton less on gas even though it's still an SUV. I am 6'5" and 280lbs so i could justify an SUV lol.

Basically i am making a separate thread for my Expy so i don't randomly though it into my other two build threads when i make progress. I have two separate plans and I am in the deciding stage of which way i would like to head. I am thinking a 3/2" lift with some 33's or a 1"ish drop with the stock tire diameter and bigger rims.

Basically i am going for this:



Or this:




I am also thinking about other mods and i have a full list i just have to get it up here i will also update with more detailed pictures of my Expy later but so far here are a few for now of mine.


My parents new traveling van next to the expy:

 

Was waiting for this build thread. I really like the black one for your idea list but either way I am going to see how this goes since you do so well on your 04 and 95.


Do you really think this is going to stop your build threads from getting off topic with me and Jeremy. LOL
Trav

 

Thanks Trav, honestly i like the black one better as well it's more me i feel like too lol. If it was a car not an SUV then it would be a different story.

Lol no way but it was a good excuse to make a new one.

Also i have some light bars i plan on installing behind the grille they were cheap $20 6" ones i got they are 6" double row ones and got good reviews so we will see how they hold up. The black expedition is on 33's with a 3/2" lift and hase some black nerf bars. I am debating on what to do aside from the lift and tires if i go that route. I like the color matched grille but i don't know how it will look in red to be honest and i wanted to get some black w/ machined face rims and save these rims for winter months but i am unsure of what theme i should follow.

 

lower the focus since you can't get the fusion. LOL


I would personally paint the grille black and then get some black with machined face rims. Red is a color that in my opinion very little should be color matched. Personally 33s is all I would go on this gen expedition just because of the looks. Other thing I would do is a roof rack but a low profile one to keep your fuel mileage decent.
Trav

 

I agree, I would not go bigger than 33's currently I'm running 31.5's i think is what it equates to so its not much bigger. I also think red is meant to be more of an accent color not a main one so the black grille may not look too bad then, there are no cross bars on the current roof rack so is it even worth getting a lower profile one?

Lol I'm sure my fiance would love that.

 

Hey what about making the tan lower trim black? I could plastidip the bumper to see how it would look.

 

I think the lower black part would look killer. I was going to say that earlier but figured you didn't want to paint the car.


For a roof rack I meant like an offroad trail one like some jeeps have.
Trav

 

Oh gotchya on the roof rack. I am not opposed to painting it because the plastic trim that is tan is easy to remove and have painted. I could plasti dip it first until i get it actually painted.

 

That is true. I wasn't sure again if you were a plastidip guy or not as I know some guys hate it.
Trav

 

I dont mind it in my opinion its very useful for seeing how a paintjob will look like photoshop except ij real life so you csn get all the angles lol.

 

Ya I might do a little plastidipping on the ranger but I really that stuff is a little on the high side for me right now. LOL
Trav

 

If you add wide tires, or a lift, lots of accessories don't expect 18-19 hwy. If you do a lot of highway night driving, a light bar would be helpful because the stock lights really suck. High beams are virtually worthless.

 

I agree they are horrible just like my 05 F250 lights. I cannot find really any accessories aside from lift/drop kits and rims for these Expeditions though. Is there a good place to look for lights bars and such?

 

I added the 5000k HID high/low kits to mine and they are a lot better, but I haven't had a chance to do HIGH BEAM any dark mountain windy road driving since I installed them. After my last tow in darkness, I was forced to drive 30MPH to be certain to see the Elk and Deer in time to stop because the lights suck so bad on these expeditions. I'm sure the HID's are better, just haven't tried them out in the same conditions.

I did have a chance to ride in the mountains in a buddy's F250 with a nice grill mounted LED light bar.... WOW, that lit things up great. If the HID's don't meet my satisfaction, then a quality LED light bar will be in my future for those times when High Beams can be used (No oncoming traffic).

 

Yeah i have two LED 6" Double row bars i want to mount behind the grille for night time use when needed. They are set up as spot lights so they will be useful.