well, I finally got around to getting photos of previous recent mods I did, as well as photos of the mod I did yesterday.

Having owned my 93 ranger and my mom owning a 92 4x4 exploder I had grown fond of the dome light design in them. So months ago I started searching ebay for the explorer dome lights. I was hoping to find a black one but couldn't. Now the How-To is titled mustang, so I searched mustang. I managed to find a black one in the old explorer format, but was outbid at the very last minute. So months later I finally start searching again and all I keep finding are the funky new oval designed black dome lights. Well persistance paid off. I managed to find a 90-93 OEM black mustang dome light. This mod has been done for about the last month or 2 now.



The next mod I did was hit up the El Paso "auto boneyard" in El Paso TX. It's an area in far east El Paso, TX off of Montana/ Hwy 62/180 with at least 10+ junkyards. I went there for an explorer OHC and 2nd OEM fog light toggle. We all know about the toggle and here's 2 updated pics.

Dash lights off:


Dash lights on (please excuse the blurry photos, I lack steady hands and shutter speed was 1.3 seconds and without flash, but do note the color of the 2nd switch - it's blue):


I forget the remover I used to take off the OEM radio bezel paint. It was some lacquer stripper (EDIT: Klean-Strip Lacquer Thinner), but it took the paint off with ease. It actually caused it to bubble up so all I had to do was wipe off. I did a couple of passed with a lacquer remover soaked paper towel to makes sure I got everything, washed it with mild soak and water, and then wiped down with 90% rubbing alcohol to completely clean the surface. I used Rust-Oleum Hammered Paint for Plastic Silver. It gives a mildly textured, but smooth finish and looks vaguely similar to OEM. I still would have preferred a semi-gloss metalic flake gunmetal gray, but I like this look too.

Next up, you guessed it the OHC. I grabbed a light gray OHC. But, it wouldn't stay light gray for long. A trip to Wal-Mart resulted in the purchase of Krylon Camouflage Paint with Fusion Technology in Ultra-Flat Black and sewer's chalk for marking of my headliner.





Don't mind the washed out look of the headliner. The flash tweaked the colors and I was too lazy to edit the pic for accuracy.

Next task is to calibrate the OHC and enjoy. Both the OHC and 2nd fog switch came out of a 95 exploder, so the lighting on them will be blue. I should have probably went with a 98+ for the OHC so it was green, but that's small stuff. I do like the 2nd toggle being blue though.

The next interior project...EATC. I have yet to start collecting for that though.

 

nice!

so did you just grab the bezel from the explorer as well?

 

I thought about that, but no. I was going to snag a black one and not do any painting. The only thing is that the exploder bezels with the 2 right side holes has a rear wiper switch where the 2nd 12v outlet is on the OEM ranger bezels. This rear wiper switch has the same arched readout design like on the electronic 4x4 read (see upper left on my bezel). Given that I've never worked with bondo and I'd want to remove the rear wiper readout I figured I'd just pull a Bob (rwenzing) and use my OEM bezel plus some dremel work.

 

didnt you have to do some bondo worth with that as well? i figured it would be needed.

either way it came out good.

 

I might at a later date in an attempt to get the new hole looking more OEM. I accidentally cut it just a tad too large, but it's not bad. I might just settle for getting the expolder bezel and doing what I mentioned to it instead. Might be easier. It'll also leave me with a 2nd bezel should anything happen to either one form constantly pulling it out and putting it back. I don't know how many times I've pulled them thing! Lots of the JY ones I was finding had broken-off tabs at the top of the bezel, both the metal clips and plastic lineup tabs above the clips.

 

looks pimp

 

Looks good who did you get your fog light switch to light up blue like that

 

I put some of my special smurf sauce on it.....


















95-97 explorers (and rangers?) had blue dash lights. The blue fog switch is from a 95 explorer.

 

I definatly like it

 

Looks good, and familiar, I got the same OHC, and Dome Light painted black too Like the fog buttons, always liked that mod, I hope to do that one soon (but incorperate it in 94'- dash).

 

Did you mount your OHC bracket to the roof? Cause I found it uneccesary to drill into the roof to keep it up there. I cut out what space I needed in the headliner and tightened the two back screws and the OHC and bracket are more or less clamped onto the headliner. It's easier for me to do that though because I'm gonna be taking it in and out to mount my Radar detector in it...

 

i mounted it to the roof with #8 3/4 inch sheet metal screws (per Griggs' OHC write-up). The OEM screws weren't long enough, same thing he ran into. I thought about not mounting it to the roof, as I did find the rear and front end of the bracket strong enough to support it with those respected ends wedged under the headliner, but given I go over nice rocky bumpy terrain when wheeling I'd rather not have the console come up done dangling from the harness at a time I might need to be focused on a trail/obstacle.

 

that looks very nice. Very good work. Good job! I'm gonan have the exactly same things in my truck ASAP

 

looks good! a OHC is my next interior mod if it doesn't get in the way of my blue light above my mirror....

 

looks good

 

Dude that looks really good!

 

Didnt know that, what color is the indicator light when your fog lights are on. I am going to have to find one of those to swap out for my truck.

 

The LII headliner looks black in everyday use but it actually has a brownish tinge to it. It only shows up in bright light like a flash or when the headliner or visors are out of the truck in sunlight.

Mods look great!

 

I think it's green even though the other part is blue.

Huh, interesting to know. I never noticed it to be brown until that flashed pic.

And thanks! I picked your mind enough just for the 2nd fog wiring. LOL I can be a little dense sometimes.

Thanks all for the comments, stickies/how-tos , PMs, and over all help. I know at least 2 of these mods (the OHC and dome light) are pretty simple and common mods. I was even hesitant of posting about them because of such, but I thought it was cool. I've never really done anything like this before. My 93 was stock except for the jump from 14in rims and ~27 inch tires to 15 inch rims and P235/75/R15 BFG ATs. Someone has a post going on right now titled "I blame R-F". Well, I blame a 16 y.o. kid for me finding ORR and then I blame ORR for finding R-F.