Explorer Package

[oldschoolrods]

Anyone ever own a truck with the explorer package. According to my "history of ford pickup" book in 1971 ford introduced an explorer package available on the f100 f250 etc. Infact the bed on my truck came from an explorer because it had the trim pieces and the reflector lights are up on the bedside which is incorrect for a 1969. So what's the deal with this package?

[BigRedTruck]

well my 69 glove box says explorer if that means anything

[FORDification]

There were four Explorer packages available in '71 and '72. These packages were trim levels which were only available on the Custom or Sport Custom models on both F-100 and F-250 trucks. These were items that were normally-available options, but just assembled into a package for a slightly lower price for the buyer.

Explorer Package A consisted of the following items:
- Medium Blue, Lime Gold or Saddle Tan metallic paint
- special random-striped cloth seat trim in unique sew-style (Blue, Green or Ginger)
- full foam seat
- chrome front bumper guards
- bright driprail moldings
- bright hubcaps
- Explorer glovebox ornamentation

Explorer Package B consisted of the items in Package A, plus the following:
- bright box rails (F-100 shortbox only)
- bright spear moldings
- swing-lock mirrors
- mag-style wheel covers (on F-100 only)

Explorer Package C consisted of the items of Packages A and B, plus the following:

- Cruiseomatic automatic transmission

Explorer Package D consisted of the items of Packages A, B and C, plus the following:

- air conditioning
- tinted glass

However, this book makes no mention of the '70 Explorer Special option, and I've not run across any mentions anywhere else about them. But I have an original 1970 Ford pamphlet specifically touting the '70 Explorer packages. Here's a portion of the back cover:



The '70 had a few more items than the '71/'72 levels.

Package A was called the basic Appearance Package and consisted of:
- One of two exclusive exterior choices: Grabber Blue or Explorer Green
- Exclusive matching interior trim: Blue Shetland Plaid or Green Shetland Plaid
- bright bodyside moulding
- bright swing-lock western mirrors (6" x 10")
- chrome front bumper guards
- glove box ornament
- bright windshield moulding
- bright drip rails
- bright box rails (F-100)
- tool stowage box (F-250)
- door edge guards
- mag-type wheel covers (F-100), hub caps (F-250)

Package B included the basic Appearance Package, plus:
- power steering
- power brakes
- SelectShift automatic transmission

Package C included all of Package A, plus air conditioning

Package D included all of Package B, plus air conditioning

The pamphlet goes on to say that the Grabber Blue or Explorer Green are the official "Explorer Special" colors, but if you wanted, you could instead get one of the following colors:

- Raven Black
- Winbledon White
- Harbor Blue
- New Lime
- Sky View Blue
- Boxwood Green
- Yucatan Gold

...and to make it more interesting, you could also get an F-250 Explorer Special with the Camper Special package.

Here's a shot of the '70 Explorer Special's Blue Shetlands plaid interior:



Sometime in the near future I plan to put together a page for the website with all this info included, along with good closeups of each item. One of these days....

[68F250]

I thought '68 was the first year?

[FORDification]

Hmmmm.....There's no mention at all made of the Explorer Special option for '69 or '70 in my book, but you're right...it IS mentioned under the '68 listing, though it doesn't elaborate as to what it consists of, like it does with the '71-'72 models. Of course, it also doesn't mention this package for the '70 model either, but we know it does exist. Interesting. Thanks Barry!

The '69 and '70 listings go into detail on what's included with the Contractor's Special, the Camper Special and the Farm and Ranch Special....odd that's there's not even a mention of the Explorer Special.

[cobraF100]

Hey, This is what my Grandfather Has..

In the Pic's thats Bird Droppings on it(I wahsed them right after I took the Pic)





Sorry I dont have any Inside Pic's.We had a Talk about this back at the Old Fordification WebSite.

[FORDification]

You'll have to see if you can find that discussion, I poked around there but couldn't find it.

Your grandfather's truck can't be an Explorer Special, because it's a Ranger. The Explorer Special was only available on the Custom and Sport Custom (and possibly early Custom Cab). This was a trim package that was basically supposed to come close to comparing to the Ranger trim level but at a reduced cost to the buyer. Most of the items in the Explorer Special packages were already considered standard with the Ranger.

[BigRedTruck]

any news for a 69? it would seem that thats what i have....but it may have been done at the dealership....both my bumpers are painted white and have been for as long as I remember.....and get this never seen the seats eithers....there has always been a cover. and the silver trim that goes on the above rear of the door frames....that was painted over a few years ago....so I have no idea about that other trim.

[FORDification]

I'd like to see some pics of the door trim you're talking about.

Coincidentally, someone just posted an auction on E-bay for a '69 Ranger Explorer Special. CLICK HERE. I'm gonna e-mail this guy and ask him what emblem is on his glovebox door. Everything I've found out so far says that the Explorer Special was not available on the Ranger...

[FORDification]

I was just going through my picture collection and found a '72 equipped with the Explorer package. It seems to have all the equipment that would have been available, with one major exception...the Explorer emblem on the glovebox. There isn't any emblem at all. However, there WAS an exterior emblem on the truck where the 'Custom' or 'Ranger' emblem would normally be:



Hmmm....very interesting. Nothing I've found so far, INCLUDING the factory brochures and the pics in those brochures, say anything about exterior markings.

[BigRedTruck]

ok pics up....the trim is the stuff that runs along the back of the window and and runs over it and I guess across the top of the windshield. I don't know though...a bunch of it has been painted over

[FORDification]

OH! You're referring to the drip rail trim. OK, I didn't realize that. Yes, that would have been included with the Explorer option, but could also have been a part of other trim packages or even ordered separately.

That seat fabric design is interesting. The '70-'72 Explorer Specials had a plaid pattern...that's a houndstooth (?) pattern. Cool! It's also interesting to note that you have the standard steel instrument panel bezel and not the plastic version, which was considered classier.

Thanks for sharing the pics!

[68F250]

Here's a '71 Explorer for reference, notice it says Sport Custom on the bed.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 09605&rd=1

Keith, the few beds I've seen that say "Explorer" are done in a fancy script exactly like the '70+ "Custom" script is done.

[willowbilly3]

Keith, I have seen that Explorer badge on 72s before. It looks like the 73 and later one so maybe it was a late 72 thing. Ford was notorious for running production changes, as you well know. My 72 custom has an August 72 build date which should have put it into the 73 production. I have had to use some 73 parts on it like the master cylinder. Also I saw an Econoline in the junkyard that was a 74 but had a December 74 build date. I guess they didn't get the new 75 nodels tooled up for a few months.
Ford might have just forgot to put the glove box badge on. I have seen this type of thing before. My first new truck was a 74 highboy and it erroneously had F-100 emblems on the fenders. In about 71 I had a summer job at a GMC dealership and they had several GMCs over the years show up with a Chevy tailgate or horn button.
Also kind of getting off topic but the last new pickup I had was an 88 F-150 4x4. The window sticker listed the Explorer package but by then the truck had no Explorer markings anywhere on it. Included in the package was a very thin double red pinstrip down the bodyline so maybe if you were really into it that would have identified others. I wasn't so I can't say.

[sdranch71]

I have looked at two Explorers for sale in town, a 71 and a 72, both F100's. The 71 had an Explorer nameplate on the glove box, Custom script on the bed, and dog dish hubcaps. The 72 had the block Explorer emblem on the bed like Keith's picture, and the fancy wheelcovers. I was suprised to see the bed emblem also as I didn't think that came until later models. I don't remember if it had a glove box emblem or not, but I'll stop and look the next time I go into town, as it's still for sale.