My '92 Explorer is coming back from the near death experience it has enjoyed for the last four years. After considering financing a car and trading it in or fixing it up, I decided to rehab it. What a difference a few days makes.

I picked up a '91 front seat at a junkyard (mine was busted, and a pole has been holding it up for four years now). The '91 didn't fit the same mounting holes, so I had to put the two seats together and mount it. Then I put some nice covers on them so they matched.

I ordered door pulls for both sides off ebay (both of mine were broken). The color doesn't match my interior, but they're both the same color so I don't mind a bit of difference as long as its symetrical.

New tires all around-one was so bald it was dangerous. I put on the tires the truck came with originally. Yes they are Firestones-I live on the edge.

My tires were so bald because my ball joints are bad. next week-new ball joints, and a new radius control arm.

After all of this and about $1500.00, my Explorer will be almost as it was when new (its exeptionally clean inside). Its a lot of money, but it beats financing the kind of car I would want-like a WRX STi.

The last things to do will be a 4X4 maintenance to get it to work again (probably dirty inside the actuator) and get just one of the metal lug nut covers for the passenger side rear wheel. Then its totally "spec.", except for the climate control. Too expensive to be worth it.

I'll have to change my signature now.

Why did I do this? Its worth so little as a trade in, and it has never, never failed to start up to 141,000 miles. Almost no rust or corrosion, just one spot by the passenger rear tire. Its really a truck so I don't care. All the electrical stuff works, windows, locks, etc. Stereo is nice, too. Also, the MB is garaged for the bad weather (right now freezing rain and sleet) and still needs a water pump. I want everything fixed before I graduate from Law School in four months.

Wish me luck for the finishing touches.