Thought I would stop in and say I just finished the explorer frontend swap on my 96 ext cab. This was alot tougher than one would think the explorer header panel and grill are about 2 inches narrower than the ranger. This meant that I had to reshape the first 6-8 inches of the fenders in addition to cuting out the marker lamp openings to fit. Now I need to find a explorer bumper because the ranger unit is wider than the header panel by about 3/4 inch on each side. I'll post some photos of it in primer as soon a I figure out how.

 

Sounds great, can't wait to see it. Just upload your pics to your web space and put some links in a post, let me know if you need help with the links.

 

still having troubles with these photo's but i think i have a few in my gallery

 

not sure why but pics are not in gallery either I'm a grease monkey not a computer literate kind of person not sure what you mean about uploading photos to my web space Ken not even sure if I have a web space. stupid computer show everyone my hard work before you become jack stand.

 

Go to user CP, then to edit gallery, either create album or edit a current one, then down at the bottom you can browse your pis on your PC and upload them.

 

yeah i think my pics are 2 high of a resolution I'll have to take some new ones in a lower resolution I think I have a few in lower resolution already from early test fitting

 

Ok there are a couple of low resolution pics of the swap in my gallery I'll post some more when get the chance trying to round up a paintable 00' explorer bumper without the chrome trim on the ends atm

 

Wow! Good for you. I'm envious of your ability to make a truly unique vehicle.

I'd like to see pictures of the Intrepid bucket seats, though.

 

Here you go BassGuy,


Only the drivers side is in right now as you can see the passenger 60/40 still in there (you can see the other 3 I have also 1 for this truck 2 for my other ranger) in the next photo. Here are some more photos of the interior I have really been busting rear on this dash if you notice that it is wet sanded or buffed yet your right. Nothing at all from the carpet pad to the roof is going to be the same as ford intended it. My door panels and kick panels are at my buddies house getting reworked all the head light and A/C controls have been moved to allow for the Pioneer DVH-p7000 to sit in there spot. The open spot above the pioneer cd/mp3/dvd player is for the monitor that should be here along with new carpet kit and 100 square feet of Thunder Audio's Extreme sound deadner within the next day or so. I waiting for the sound deadener and carpet to put the other seat in because I may have to modify the drivers seat that is already there a little. I would just rather mount it 1 time and that be that. Mounting these seats is probably the toughest thing I have come across building this truck. The intrepid frames and seats for that matter are about 7 inches wider than normal bucket seat you would swap (explorer,mustang,probe). In order to make it fit I had to cut the frame in half and section 3 3/4 inch out of it. That is all I could take before the seat motors started to interfere with each other. Then I had to widen all the mounting points where the seat and seat back attaches to the frame. Making sure everything is perfectly spaced in these seats means jack *****, because you will have motors, brakets and anything else you can think of draging the floor pan/trans tunnel it is a real challenge to get everything up and working again. The power tilt/recline was the most difficult to get working (still get the ocasional fit every now and then). Since more than enough of my seat is within 1/4 inch of the floor or trans tunnel the new carpet and sound deadener will make a world of difference if the seats still work in those conditions or not. I may have to modify the floor pan by removing the small little step up where the seats bolt up in the front and the small step right out of the transmission tunnel. This post or any of my post are not to be seen as bragging just trying to be helpfull to anyone that might be considering swaping seats to power buckets.

Future Plans:
#1. Replace all fabric/vinyl on door panels (that is left after custom built 8" speaker boxes and 6.5" componet set are mounted), Visors, and head liner with leather that matches my leather seats.

#2 Installing my new lcd monitor in my dash so I can watch some good **** while wet sanding and buffing the rest of the dash and trim peices

#3 I have really been eyeing down the roll down back window in my dads new sport trak I think it can be made to fit in a Ranger which would be a jaw dropper for sure.

#4 This one I am just now starting to look into but I would really like to be able to roll down my ext. cab windows along with the rear window.