Bringing her from the grave

[SnuffThePunkz]

Well, it's been a minute, a few minutes actually since I parked my expedition.

Have a job in the Canadian oilfield and need to get my dumb lifted dually out of the way with winter coming so I figured I'd grab something just as stupid and have some fun again.

Lil back story, 97 EB
3" body lift and keys turned. She was on 37's but they went to another truck when the transmission gave up.
Swapped the transmission and bent the flywheel (moron I know) and she's kinda Sat for the last few years.

Always fires up within a crank or two.

I'm on days off and hopefully fingers crossed I'll drive her to Alberta Friday morning.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

To do list
-clean demons from interior
-fly wheel
-injectors
-plugs
-coils
-oil change
-winter tires
-reinstall sound system
-grill guard

-nice head unit/sub?
-lift kit? Here's hoping.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

Definitely should have grabbed a before photo, but I traded some tools for my buddy to get high and detail the truck.





New floor mats will be here tonight. Looked at husky floor liners. Like $120usd and 3-4 weeks out.

Amazon? $32 CAD and like two day shipping.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

Jacked up starting to pull the transmission now. Hoping weather holds well enough. Have rain and even snow in the forecast. Super lame.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

Things have gone poorly.

I've got the transmission disconnected, and enough space to pull the flywheel. But not enough to torque the new one on.

The bracket I need pulled is the torsion bar bracket. Super gay. So now I'm pulling my front end apart playing a game of mouse trap with things that want to strip and break.

 

[jr1under]

Wow, that is definitely a Lazarus Expedition! My driver's seat looked like yours until about 3 years ago when I got a new cover from this place. Not cheap but top quality and it fit perfectly.

Texan Auto Seat Cover | eBay Stores

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[SnuffThePunkz]

That was the nicer seat I got from a wrecker lol.

I'm eyeballing the Carhartt ones if they still make them for this generation.

Definitely don't plan on keeping her clean. Doing the math on regearing and lockers vs SAS. I've only seen one kit done well but that's a D44. I'm definitely feeling 38"+ for summer tires.

The lift got delayed till spring, just don't have the timeline I need currently.

Did end yesterday on a win though.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

Well, today has been a fight.
Got the torsion bar bracket out.

Then still couldn't get enough space till I finally walked over to the passenger side and clearly saw the transmission cooler lines... Well with that loosened, wouldn't you believe it. She slid back.

Got the old flywheel off, then tried like 4 different positions till I remembered the fly wheel would be balanced and keyed only one way. Worked really well after that.

Fought the torsion bar bracket for a while, swore to and at future, current and long dead gods.

Was much easier in my f150 7700 when pulling the bracket to put the lift in.

Now she's going back together.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

Got tired of laying on my back getting pissed on, so I put some body panels on and lined up the hood, and installed the bug deflector.

I totally didn't half install the fender before I remembered the antenna cable or anything...

 

[Junkyard Jack]

Awesome work man I love to see it!

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

Ain't tight or torqued, but she's back in.

Gotta button up the front axle, then I can get the transmission bracket installed, then torque flywheel to torque converter and button up transmission.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

Bottom side is squared away.



Wasted far to long troubleshooting a faulty relay. Cut it out and voila power.

I don't plan to run then for hours at a time (don't have a metal switch), mostly just here and there when in Alberta. Have one in my dually and it rarely gets used.

Front clip is on. Picking up LED headlights tomorrow, the ones I had spin the fan then died.



My tire guy never called me today, nor answered his phone, or called me back. So might be running some of my still technically 'legal' tires till I get to Edmonton. Not my first choice for going through the Rockies on Friday.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

Called my tire guy again, out on hold then sent to voicemail, left another message. Feels like he ****** something up and doesn't want to own it. So I found a guy selling 37/12.5R20 amp terrain's for like $1400. Snowflake and shit, not studdable, but I can get over that. But he's in Edmonton, and I'm a province and the Rockies away.



Look guys... They haven't hit the last wear bar quite yet... Only a lil feathering...

Dropped them off to get mounted, they only need to be on for like two days and two snowy mountain passes. What could go wrong?

Wanted to toss the grill guard on but forgot I'm supporting the truck by the tow hooks, so engine bay it is.

Drivers done, onto passenger.



Coworker sent me a photo of the current state of the town I work in.


Peep the starlink ratchet strapped to the roof, lol.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

The new crunchy.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

Engine bay is together, seems to be holding together lol.



Yes the wheels are gay, but they were $300, I have another equally as ugly set I think I paid $400 for.

One of these days I'll get something nice, but today is not the day.

Survived the test drive.

Admittedly, I have some things I'd like to knock out still. But for an abandoned 97 that I built when I was poor, I'm not upset.

Today will be oil change and finishing touches, bumper to bumper bolt check and maybe some add-ons.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

I'll admit I lost some speed today, a bit tired. Lot of little things like I went to the wrecker and got a new drivers window out of a super crew cause the adhesive on the bottom of mine sucked and came loose. Also a washer fluid reservoir.

Fun fact the 03+ expedition washer fluid reservoir's are the same you just need to cut the plug off the newer harness and splice it in works like a charm.

The grill guard kinda lines up, little bit high. But with the body lift it's as close as I can get without drilling a mess of holes or welding. I just used pry bar and impacting a bolt into a hole.

Did oil change, ordered a head unit.

Tomorrow is a day of electricity, should have the head unit installed, sub, 2nd battery and inverter for my cooler.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

Well boys and girls, I had a crisis of faith and spent some time trying to fix the 4x4 in my dually. ******* Rams.

Well she survived the highway road test, little bit low on power. I'm assuming sitting, old gas, my being to lazy to do the fuel filter mixed with a combination of dailying a tuned Cummins for like two years. Saw spurts of life as she warmed up, even hit 128km/hr for a moment on the drive back before I reined her in.

Now I'm onto the head unit. Think I'm gonna run out of useable time before the sub gets installed. Might take it with me for an off day project.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

Well I can say the head unit works nicely, the truck however while it was running great cut out as I crested the first real mountain hill and is now throwing theft codes.

So that's fun. Think it might be a low power thing as it's an old alternator, and not a brand new battery either.

Getting towed home, made it a solid hour and 15!

Le gay.

 

[SnuffThePunkz]

I'm blowing my 30A Maxi fuse for my PCM, replaced it and immediately blew it as soon as I turn the key. How exciting...