Dear Gang,

I have a 1972 F-100 with the insignia "Explorer" on the back side of the bed. Does anyone know what that means exactly?

Thanks,

Tony in New Mexico

 

This question has been answered many times.
Please feel free to use the search feature.

Explorer is a Trim Level added to Ranger.

 

Mil1ion, that is not really correct. The Explorer packages were the precursors to what Ford, and many other manufacturers, called "Value Packages". They put many popular options together in a package and offered a discount if you took the package as opposed to ordering the items seperately. Explorer packages could be ordered on top of any of the trim levels, but upgraded trim was usually included in the upper Explorer packages. They had 3 such packages typically, called Explorer package "A", "B", and "C". "A" would have pretty rudimentary stuff like radio, knit vinyl bench seat, fresh air heater, for example. Then "B" would include everything in "A" plus Sport Custom trim, Western Jr. Mirrors, and heavy duty cooling. Then "C" would have everything in "B", plus Ranger trim, air conditioning, and bed rails. These items are not exactly correct, just making up examples but this is the gist of it.

Explorer trivia - the first year (I think 1967 or 68), they were not called "Explorers". They were called "White Sale Trucks".

 

The "Explorer" that I have (though it has seen it's better days) was quite upscale for its day. It is an Automatic, dual tanks (though the one is the cab is gone), power stirring and the sliding back window. On one of the earlier threads, someone was looking for the orginal color. Gold seems to have been the color of choice, because that is what mine is also.

Tony in NM

 

I have never seen an explorer package on Customs, XLT's,or Lariat's.
Here is my Explorer package on my F-150 Ranger.

 

Mine is a 1972. Maybe things changed over time, but there isn't anylthing green on mine that I can see.

Tony in New Mexico

 

uh guys he's talking about a 72 model back then they didn't have the fancy "explorer" strips like your build sheet mil1ion I have seen a few explorers models but most of them had lost all their bagdes beside the one on the glove box

 

Ton
It has nothing to do with anything Green.
This is from my truck.

My point of posting MY 1978 Explorer package was to show what is included in the package laid out right on the window sticker info.

*Mostly trim and badging*.

And again, I have ONLY seen the Explorer package on a Ranger Model, Nothing else.

I'll get my brochure's out for the early 70's.

I can only find the sport model.

Is this a 72 Box on this truck?

 

hey mil1on if I rember the explorer logo had some symbols under it or something wait let me look tonight I think my wrecked 72 is a explorer model let me see what I come up with.

 

Mil1ion, your truck makes my point. I suppose it is only semantics, but, just like I said, Ranger trim is included in your package. You don't order a Ranger, and then say you want the Explorer package, you order the Explorer package that INCLUDES Ranger trim. Note you have Explorer package "D", which is the top package at the time (67-72 had only A-C I think). You can well imagine that at the A-B level, Ranger trim is not included. In 1978 there was not a SportCustom any more, so the lower level Explorers were Custom trim.

With regards to the stripes, Ford started that on the 1973 models. The design would change about every 2 years. The 1973-74 trucks had stripes along the bottom, 1975-76 had a stripe on the upper body (just below the window line) that ran from the rear of the bed, up past the door and then over the back of the hood. For 1977-79, the stripes were above and below the bodyside molding and ran up to the top of the bed at the very back. The stripes on the 73-74 trucks were either white or black, but for 75-79 they would come in many various colors, it depended on the main body color and/or the interior color.

 

man I need to check out my uncles explorer it a bronze color with no crome he bought the truck for $400 dollars 5 years ago and blew the motr up in it . it is in cherry condition he has a green one to but its a "parts truck"

oh mil1on my 72 was a ranger xlt (the wide crome model) but I'll look this week end and get you some pics If I send them to you will you post them since I'm not allowed to post pics???

 

Thanks guys for all the infor, but I didn't mean to get a conflict going. The 72 I have has the Explorer badges on the bed, but doesn't have it in the glove box. The age and color on both bed and cab seems to indicate that they were born together.

I was just interested in what "Explorer" meant when it appeared on one of these old trucks since it became an SUV in the 1990s. As I have said before, my truck seems to have been a rather base line model with P/S, Auto Trans, and Duel Tanks (eventhough one is gone now). I only paid $600 for it and have been very pleased with its performance to this point.

Tony in New Mexico.

PS: If interested, I hope to have a pic in the gallery soon.

 

Jas...Thanks for explaining that.
I have tried for so long to get an accurate explanation of Ford's Trim.
I appreciate it.

Going by the 78 brochure,the trucks were named the :
Ranger Lariat
Ranger XLT
Ranger
Custom

Seeing these, told me that the *Explorer Part* was the extra package.

*********************************************

Tony,
By no means is this a conflict.

This is the ultimate in Infomation exchange.

Something FTE strives for.


Sometimes unfortunately I have admin duties to perform while I'm in the middle of answering a question and so my answers end up being short and hopefully to the point ,so at least a person has some info to go by!

 

Hopefully you can read this.
This is from the 72 brochure.

 

thanks mil1ion I love the looks of them xlt crome pakages we had one loaded
360/390 4 speed
ranger xlt trim
air power brakes power steering cargo light and the side tool box in the bed
my dad bought it for $100 and a 357 pistol
and then we used it for a wood truck for a year then he swapped it for a 76 cutlass and 400 boot man I miss that truck.