This is something I have been kicking around for a little while and finally figured I'd pull the trigger on it. I recently lost a very close friend from the service, and it spurred the decision to proceed with this thread. I do NOT want condolences or anything of that sort regarding that, it is not the purpose nor the point of this.

We have a lot of people here of varying knowledge, experience, gender, and so on. All of y'all contribute to make this place my internet home so to speak, and there's a reason this is where I go for advice and when I'm bored.

Yes, there's the rep system - however I figured giving people an opportunity to post up and actually publicly voice thanks might not be a bad thing. I'd like to encourage the use of the tag system so those being thanked or appreciated can get a notification of it. If you're unfamiliar with this feature, you use [u t a g]username[/ u t a g] WITHOUT the spaces between the utag letters. If there are other members from different subforums, why not include them too!

HAPPY, POSITIVE, COMPLIMENTS. Keep your negative comments to PM's.

Personally, I would like to thank Razzi (@Toreador_Diesel), Stewart (@Stewart_H), Mark (@mecdac), Tom (@WE3ZS), Rich from 7.3 land (@Tugly), Roland (@mueckster), Jon (@Apocalypse), and Michael (@LivingLarge).

Razzi - You're one of my best friends in real life. From the moment I joined the forums and ended up contacting you as a complete stranger via PM several years ago when my truck was acting up, you've been there for me at any moment of crisis, frustration, and truck carnage. For those that don't know, I hit up Razzi via PM when my truck was acting up. I had driven from WA state to Texas on leave and the Excursion was stalling and puking oil. He ran some AE tests for me, we found the leak, and in the process discovered my turbo was absolute ****. Razzi left for about 30 minutes and came back with a spare turbo that he GAVE TO ME FOR FREE and proceeded to spend the next 9 hours working on my truck with me fixing everything else that was wrong so that my family and I could drive back to Washington safely and without worry. Ever since then our friendship has grown and developed, we've been there for one another and will drive to help the other at the drop of a hat. Hydroboost line failure? There straight after work and took a fluid bath ruining a favorite shirt. Oh, and it was a 2 hour drive each way. Family issues or personal advice? Any time of the day on the phone. I love you like a brother Razzi, and I'll always be here for you whether it's support or a wrench hand.

Stewart - You've helped with advice for modifications, guided me with upgrades and decisions, provided some needed face slapping when I've gotten rowdy on here, and have been an ear for my bitching over the phone. Thank you my friend.

Mark - From FTEMaB to helping me change my oil during my visit and my back being obliterated... We've shared so many inside jokes, laughs, played off one another and just plain share a lot of the same tastes. You sir, are a good friend and a valued one as well.

Tom - You've lended assistance, suspension advice, towing help... The list goes on. Without you I'm fairly certain my rig wouldn't ride as well as it does now, nor would I be as happy as I am with it. Thank you.

Rich - You have always taken time to talk with me over PM's when I've written you and have provided so much information my head wants to explode. Your knowledge of the 7.3 has been invaluable in countless instances, terrified me when the turbo blew and I thought I was screwed out of more than just that one piece, and have advised on upgrades and troubleshooting. I greatly appreciate your help, insight, and knowledge buddy. Many thanks.

Roland - You helped me setup my trans build, found me a spare trans to rebuild, kept it at your place and even worked on it when I wasn't around to help. It took nearly 7 months due to scheduling conflicts and free weekends not lining up, but I finally got one hell of a transmission that's built to be hilt and at half the price of a pre-assembled aftermarket one. You have been extremely helpful, selfless, and very patient when I've gotten frustrated or totally confused. You're a key player in my Excursion being where it is today - thank you!

Jon - I don't know how or why, but we just hit it off. We give each other endless ****, you and Wendy let me get the forum together to help y'all out (granted you two had no idea but still...), and we just plain work well. Keep on keepin' on good sir.

Michael - I know we've had our ups and downs, and I crossed the line with you several times. Thank you for giving me another chance every time and for understanding that I can be a relentless ****** from time to time. You've provided me with financial advice, private conversations when I've needed some guidance, and overall have put up with my shenanigans and taken them in stride. I appreciate it sir.

These are not the only ones that have helped me and provided guidance or suggestions during my time here on FTE, but the ones that stand out the most to me personally. Especially you mod types, without y'all I'm sure I would have taken several long term vacations by now - especially where a certain V10 self appointed guru was concerned.

Everybody here contributes in their own way, and while y'all newbies for the most part can't read the damn sticky threads at the top of the damn forum - even y'all keep this place alive and busy, new information, and different forms of advice and input flowing.

Many thanks to each and every one of you Excursion and FTE members for making this, as far as I'm concerned, the best forum I've ever been a part of.

- Matt

 

Excellent thread Matt. You are so right on with this. I do all my research on this forum and it has really been a great source of knowledgeable owners. I don't do anything to my truck without checking in here first. With that, thank you to all the contributors mentioned and then some. Keep up the good work👍

 

Yeah, all you mentioned and several others for that one little piece of info that gives you that "yup, thats it" moment. Thanks for the help and input.....and separating me from some cash.

I always mention this forum when talking to other 'Super Dudies' hoping they at least come and take a look.

2001 7.3L 4x4 Excursion: worth what you paid, steering wander: this sucks, help from the guys/gals on the FTE EX forum: PRICELESS!!

 

Thank you for the kind words, and I'm grateful that I can help a fellow brother. I'd like to mention how this group is so good at paying it forward - making sure this remains a "Welcome to the club" environment. Great job everybody!

 

Great thread Matt.
It has amazed me how much good info flows between members since I've joined this forum. Folks treating each other like Brothers (and Sisters) with advise, experience, and knowledge without wanting anything in return is very rare these days.
Thanks to y'all!

 

Secifically thanks to Tom (WE3ZS) and Steve (RVTech) for helping me get my hitch closer to right as well many others with various things.

 

@WE3ZS, @RVTECH

 

I read this as soon as it was posted but didn't want to be the first to respond for a few different reasons (that I won't list). There are so many amazing people on this forum that I would be tagging all day but the true heroes to me are:


@Krazee Matt
@WE3ZS
@Stewart_H
@Toreador_Diesel

@mecdac

It won't let me tag Michael for some reason, I've tried 3 times now and every time I get that blank space you see after Razzi...

 

Thank you Matt, this is the reason why I'm still here. My Excursions maybe gone but the people on here have always surprised me with the "willing to help" attitude. Great place to be!

 

To simply say "Thank You" to those who have mentioned me by name here and in the past seems very inadequate to me, but it's all I really have to give, so thank you very much. Honestly to be singled out (or added to a great group like the above!) is very humbling for me, almost to the point of being a little embarrassed by the attention. I'm just a regular guy, one of many here, that has gained a lot of valuable info from the members here over time and am doing the best that I can to pay that help back however and whenever I can. Due to the unique (in my opinion) makeup and fellowship of this forum and it's huge group of awesome members I feel indebted to you all for the help I have received from the group. Everyone here lends something to this incredible atmosphere that we call our EXcursion FAMILY! I'm a member of several other internet forums but this place is HOME, thanks to all of you!.


I have had the honor of meeting a few of the members here face to face. It's actually kind of strange, on one hand they are in fact total strangers but on the other hand you feel like you really already know them from the interactions here. On each occasion that first meeting felt more like reconnecting with an old friend rather meeting a new one for the first time, pretty cool! I hope to continue to meet more of you guys/gals as we travel around the country and I urge anyone passing through my area (SE PA) to give me a shout ahead of time so we can try to meet up.

 

I would like to thank everyone as well!

Tugly for the AE help over the years and great injector threads!

Michael for the awesome pics of florida, humor, and great personality. I thank you for the membership very much!

Stewart for putting up with me over the years! lol

But really everyone! You all make up a wonderful family! I am happy to be a part of this community!

 

@Bently_Coop

Thanks for all the help!

...and to everyone else for their advice/support!

 

Kind words all around. No doubt in my mind they are well deserved.

We have a special group of guys and ladies who pretty much all get along, with a minimum of drama or friction, which makes for a relaxing, destressing time.

We are special (not in the "short bus" way).

We are FTE (yeah, I know, Captain Obvious).

We are The Excursion Brotherhood. [/end melodramatic sound track]



Stewart

 

Cool thread Matt! I don't know where to begin with thanks for everyone here! Most recent thanks has to go to Junior at ATS! Wish I'd have called him years ago, what a great guy, and great customer service! I'm sure I'll be back thanking others for their ideas, if I could only remember exactly who to thank!

 

Anytime.

Matt- Great thread. I don't have the book of faces or other social media accounts besides Forums and FTE is the best regarding Camaraderie. Happy to be a part of such a group of people.