PICS: Start of new project- installation Saleen XP8 Carbon Fiber Composite Hood and Spoiler on 2000 Pearl White Limited

Started a new project on my 2000 Ford Explorer Limited (Pearl White -

5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York.

I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck.

Photos of the progress below. View the attachments for this post at:

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Spanks
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- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

Here are more pictures of the spoiler mounting point and the start of the refinishing of the Saleen XP8 Carbon Fiber Composite Hood View the attachments for this post at:

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Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

Test fitting of the Saleen XP8 Carbon Fiber / Composite Hood and Wing / Spoiler

Going to adjust the wing to proper location at final install - this was just an initial fit for look and paint test View the attachments for this post at:

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Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

Today the underside of the hood was refinished

Pics below View the attachments for this post at:

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Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

So today some disassembly of the front end and test fit of the spoiler. Next will be refinishing of the spoiler and then on to paint.

Photos below View the attachments for this post at:

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Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

Last two from todays photo set View the attachments for this post at:

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Reply to
Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

A couple updated photos. Some rest spraying on the hood bottom and refinishing of the wing in preparation for paint.

Photos below View the attachments for this post at:

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Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

So while everything on the front end was apart - it was a good time to clean up all the 15 years of built up road grime on the White Pearl Trim that sat under the grill, bumper and headlights. Underneath the header panel was cleaned up as well. It surprisingly cleaned up quite well.

Photos below View the attachments for this post at:

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Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

Update

Some repair and priming of the front end pieces

Photos below View the attachments for this post at:

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Reply to
Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

A few pics of what the painter has for mixing the Ford White Pearl Metallic

Photos below View the attachments for this post at:

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Reply to
Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

So an update today.

Here are a couple pictures during the painting process today.

Pics below View the attachments for this post at:

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Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

1st look straight out of the paint booth. Going to let it soak up some hot sun today before moving forward. View the attachments for this post at:
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Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

A few more out of the paint booth while it is baking in the sun View the attachments for this post at:

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Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

Ok - so now the hood is all buffed out and the pearl white looks amazing with the curves of the Saleen XP8 Carbon Fiber / Composite Hood.

Tried to clean up as best as possible the bare black material (CF/Composite) on the bottom side of the hood but thinking now that it might need some black color. View the attachments for this post at:

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Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

Due to the position of the wing - spoiler on the Explorer, Saleen made a set of modified rear window glass struts / shocks to keep the glass from hitting the wing when it was opened.

Saleen no longer produces or sells these struts so with some help of a thread by Matt at Black Magic & the Digital Electronics

stlouismtb.tripod.com/saleenwingshock.html

The modified struts are installed and should do the job

Pics below View the attachments for this post at:

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Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

Some initial fitting today of the rest of the front end and the spoiler. Pin strip and V8 fender logos have yet to be installed. View the attachments for this post at:

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Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

New Update from last week, the weekend and this week.

So as many know, the rear bumper assembly on the 2nd Generation Ford Explorer (I think 1st Gen too) has an issue where road grit/other material can get in between the plastic bumper step pad and the bumper face bar. Over time this grit will rub away at the paint on the top edge of the bumper where the plastic step pad rolls over and just like "sandpaper" wear away the paint and eventually rust the bumper face bar away.

On this truck (a 2000) even though it has been meticulously kept - you can see from the pictures how it looked underneath the bumper steppad. Checked with Ford and the "Cyprus" step pad is no longer made and its doesn't seem to be available anywhere else. The Cyprus pad is used on the White Pearl Limited 2nd Gen trucks with code "WF"

So carefully the pad was removed so it could be reused. Since the truck has been garage kept, it went fairly easy. This might not be the case for trucks that have been exposed to the elements as the sun/weather might degrade the plastic and cause it to crack or break when removed.

I was going to just do a whole new bumper face bar but again the bumper face bars with holes for the Park Assist are not to be found for the 2nd gen. Plenty of ones without park assist are to be had - but the park assist option is not something I am willing to give up.

Next step is to strip the bumper completely, repair and refinish. Since it is not too bad (seems only some surface rust) - I think it will turn out just fine.

Photos below View the attachments for this post at:

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Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

A couple updates

There were problems with the Paint Booth - so work was backed up a bit.

1st - behind the removed bumper you'll see there was some minor surface rust - nothing unusual for a 15yr old vehicle. This was all removed/addressed and sprayed and looks like new.

Bumper has finally been painted and will have some Mylar added to the top and around the lip where the step bad was rubbing before to hopefully prevent the previously mentioned issue.

The bumper should be installed next week. Then some adjustments to the front end, hood and spoiler fit, application of the pin stripe and fender emblems then to detail.

Photos below View the attachments for this post at:

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Reply to
Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

Mylar was applied to the rear bumper to keep the grit/rust ofn the edges just under the step pad .

Reassembly should be tomorrow.

Photos below View the attachments for this post at:

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Reply to
Spanks

- 5.0 - AWD) last week. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Carbon Fiber/Composite Hood and Rear Wing Spoiler of the 2000 Saleen Ford Explorer XP8 2000-0023 from a gentleman in New York. > > I've sent the wing and spoiler over to a local shop to be reworked, painted and installed on my truck. > > Photos of the progress below.

Well it looks like this part of the project is now in the home stretch after almost 2 months.

Everything has been assembled and adjusted. The pinstrip was reapplied on the both sides of the front end yesterday. I felt really lucky as I was able to buy the last NOS pin stripe kit (for the right side) made for the 2000 Ford Explorer White Pearl Limited. I was concerned about the original pinstriping (15 years old) would match the NOS pinstripe since it was originally applied 15 years ago. As a testament to the original owner's meticulous care of the truck - the match was perfect.

Today the V8 emblems will be applied to the front fenders and then a full detail similar to what someone else at MeguiarsOnline did to another Pearl White Ford Explorer Limited

After the detail, I'll post up a few for more pics in a separate thread since this one has gotten a bit long. In the meantime - here are a couple of preview pics before the detail and V8 emblem application.

(Click pics below to see full high resolution or pinch to zoom on mobile devices) View the attachments for this post at:

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