Vehicle Projects
Videos are sorted in release order, newest to oldest.
03/05/23 - Maximizing Power - Wagon Sprint Booster!
The Waaagon gets an upgrade with the Sprint Booster!
Parts sourced from ECS Tuning.
Music: (Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Stardrive" by Jeremy Blake
"Willian Tell Overture" by Rossini
11/20/22 - Spent Many Hours, Pipe Moved 6 Inches... - Sport Trac Intake Build
Turns out piping your intake isn't as easy as I thought it would be! But hey, now we can work on getting a snorkel setup!
Music: (Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Stardrive" by Jeremy Blake
"Snow Princess" by Jimena Contreras
"Nothing on Me" by Patrick Patrikios
10/16/2022 - LET THERE BE LIGHT! - Sport Trac LED Headlight Upgrade
Turns out LED headlights ARE better. Who woulda thunk?
Music: (Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Stardrive" by Jeremy Blake
"Lifelong" by Anno Domini Beats
03/13/2022 - NEVER AGAIN!!! - Explorer Sport Trac Exterior Metal Door Handle
Door handles are kinda important. This is obvious especially when the handle breaks. Replacing the busted plastic with metal should do the trick!
The work is performed on a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The processes shown here will apply to similar vehicles.
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Stardrive" by Jeremy Blake
"19th Floor" by Bobby Richards
02/13/2022 - 10,000 LBS of Front Tug - Sport Trac Winch Install Part 2
Having a winch mounted in one spot is ok. Having that same winch be able to mount in multiple spots quickly is awesome!
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Stardrive" by Jeremy Blake
"Case Study" by Track Tribe
01/30/2022 - Square Peg in Oval Hole - Explorer Sport Trac Onboard Air
I'm taking the Sport Trac to the next level of offroadyness. Who wants some air?
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Stardrive" by Jeremy Blake
"Schizo" by Anno Domini Beats
"That one Bar Scene" by RKVC
01/16/2022 - How To Be Annoying - Wagon PA Install
Do you ever have those moments when driving where you just need to yell at someone? Well this is how you can! They'll never know it was you!
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Stardrive" by Jeremy Blake
"Ludwig Von Dubstep" by Doug Maxwell
01/02/2022 - Getting Dora Unstuck - Sport Trac Winch Install Part 1
A winch is a great addition to any off-road vehicle. It's a great addition to any vehicle for that matter! But most vehicles are not built to have a winch put on. In this video, I go over a quick and easy way to mount a winch that is versatile and reliable.
Vehicle: 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 4x4
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Stardrive" by Jeremy Blake
"Rev" by Eveningland
12/12/2021 - My Wagon Won't Start...
What else is there to do when your Wagon won't start? Scratch your head and go "Uhhh"...
So the other day, my Passat Wagon wouldn't start. I had to round up all my brain power to solve this one! Almost had to break out a hammer too!
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Stardrive" by Jeremy Blake
"TipToes" by Myuu
"Sunset Strut" by Dan Lebowitz
06/27/2021 - They See Me Rollin' - Hitch Rack CopyCat
What else is there to do when you got too much junk in your trunk? Make some more space of course!
The Mustang just doesn't have the trunk space for all the racing gear I need for Rocky Mountain Race Week 2.0. So I modified a hitch rack to suit my needs perfectly!
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Stardrive" by Jeremy Blake
"To the Sun and Back" by TrackTribe
06/06/2021 - Installing a Hitch the Hard Way - Mustang Trailer Hitch Install
What else is there to do when you need to haul some gear? Build a hitch of course!
I needed a way to haul more stuff with the Mustang. So I built a hitch to hold a rack or tow a trailer! I also talk about future plans for this build!
T-Top Speed Shop Links:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx87EH742f0LIkl2pPzfOtQ/featured
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgcgTL3DV4I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns-G2bKfPuY
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Stardrive" by Jeremy Blake
"Coastline" by TrackTribe
01/24/2021 - Rackin' and Rollin' - Dora's Topper Roof Rack
What else is there to do when you need more storage space? Build more of course!
For my Welding Fabrication Project, I had something grand planned. I spent many an hour planning, measuring, and welding. The final turnout was quite impressive. Until I found something better to replace it with. But it will live on, adding to the better to make something awesome!
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Stardrive" by Jeremy Blake
"Proctor" by Topher Mohr and Alex Elena
11/29/2020 - The Button of Freedom - B5.5 Passat Wagon Tailgate Interior Release Switch
What else is there to do when you have no way to open the tailgate from the inside? Install a switch of course!
Car camping is great. Trying to get out of the side door in the middle of the night to use the restroom is not great. The switch being installed in the video remedies that solution.
*Power Probes can mess up a vehicle's electrical system. Use with caution.*
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Darker Thoughts" by Silent Partner
10/11/2020 - Time to Breakout - Installing an Auxiliary Lights Breakout Box
What else is there to do when your auxiliary lights wiring is a mess? Clean it up with a salvaged part of course!
Every time I added a new auxiliary light to Dora, I ran the main power off of one single bolt off the side of the factory engine fuse panel. While it did work fine, electrically speaking, it is not good to have more than two items terminated on a single bolt.
So, I fixed the problem with a salvaged Volkswagen engine fuse panel. Now the original bolt only has one item terminated under it, and every auxiliary light circuit has its own termination point. It also allows me options for any future expansion I may have.
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Town of 24 Bars" by Unicorn Heads
06/07/2020 - #SportTracLife??? - Camping in a Sport Trac
What else is there to do when you feel left out of the band wagon? Find a way to join in of course!
With all the #VanLife stuff happening, I figured it was time to add my own spin to it. The largest hurdle in using a Sport Trac for long term camping is the limited space in the four-foot bed. This video goes over how I tackled that problem.
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"No Good Right" by Freedom Trail Studio
"In the Land of Rhinoplasty" by Jingle Punks
04/12/2020 - Slide Into My... Sport Trac Bed? - Sport Trac Bed Drawer Build
What is there to do when you're stuck inside because of Corona Virus? Build a fancy drawer system the bed of your Sport Trac of course!
Out on the trail, being organized is key. This drawer system will help keep everything in place for those remote trips. This is not a how-to video since I have never built something like this before. All of the material used was salvaged from a prior project that didn't work out like I planned. I am doing this on a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, but the principles talked about can be applied to any truck bed or SUV.
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Sky Scraper" by Geographer
11/26/2018 - B5 Passat Heater Core Replacement
(Time Lapse)
What else is there to do when you have a free weekend in the winter? Make sure your vehicle's heater works!
When B5 Volkswagen Passat heater cores become plugged with buildup from bad coolant, they do not allow for adequate transfer of heat to the air. This means cold air comes out of the vents, which is not good for the winter. The B5 Passat heater core design requires the entire dash panel to be removed allowing access to the heater box assembly. This video is a time lapse of the day spent replacing the heater core. Enjoy!
Music:
(Provided by YouTube Audio Library)
"Parzival" by William Rosati