Hot in the Lot
Jamie McEwan's 2005 Ford Explorer
NEIRAD enilno editionIt may not come equipped with hoses and ladders, and it may not even be red, but what is certain however, is that Senior Jamie McEwan’s 2005 Ford Explorer can sing as loud and flash as bright as any fire truck can.
Now that in itself, is something odd for a Ford Explorer, the all-American vehicle that began the SUV craze across the 50 states, the “patient zero” of the SUV plague that has forever made its mark on the red white and blue. This truck is really something that needs to be seen to be believed.
Jamie McEwan completely retuned and revamped the interior and exterior of his 2005 Ford Explorer, the third generation of the vehicle since its birth by the Ford Motor Company in 1991. Jamie’s Explorer has 20% window tint in the front windows to match the factory glass in the rear. The rear tail lights were smoked by the spray method where automotive clear coat paint and black paint are combined carefully to achieve a charcoal consistency, then applied lightly to the exterior of the light assembly. The taillights must then be sanded and polished to achieve a glossy lustrous finish. Jamie did not tint the front headlights, but instead installed 6000k 55-watt HID’s in the low beams, and 6000k 55-watt HID’s in the fog lights. Wind deflectors adorning the hood and windows complete the exterior appearance.
However there are some attributes of the Explorer that are not as visible at first sight. If you are lucky enough to see Jamie’s Explorer at night, and if you are granted the privilege, Jamie will turn on the flashing blue and white LED’s in the front and rear. There are two blue LED lights discreetly hidden behind the front grill, and a large one on the inside of the cabin right below the mirror. In the rear Jamie has mounted a blue LED light in the upper left and upper right of the window. When viewed at night, these high power lights are powerful enough to make anyone driving decelerate down to a standstill in fear of the officers in blue. These lights may seem awesome on the surface, however they are completely necessary during times of emergency, following or leading a fire truck through traffic.
Well now you know this car can really flash as bright as a fire truck, however it is on the inside that the Explorer gets its ability to become as loud as one. Jamie’s quad 12 inch subwoofer enclosure powered by powerbass amps allows it to sing as loud as any fire truck siren can, but maybe just a little less obnoxious, maybe. The peak 1000 watt system is partnered to an aftermarket 7 inch Kenwood touch screen navigation system that Jamie put in the front center console. Component speakers and tweeters were integrated into the cabin to convey perfect emulation of high and mid tones. The strategic layout of this comprehensive sound system allows for it to be loud but crisp at the same time.
The Ford Explorer is a heavy SUV, and the heavier a vehicle is the more momentum it will generate, and the law of inertia tells us that it will be therefore harder to stop. To address this, Jamie put in performance drilled and slotted brake rotors on all four wheels for added bite at the brake pedal and aided cooling for less fade during repeated use.
Jamie transformed this Ford Explorer to fit his lifestyle. From the love of a custom car, to the Explorer’s practical job as a fire department escort vehicle, Jamie McEwan’s 2005 Ford Explorer is an exceptional example of what can be accomplished with a vehicle and the epitome of the modern day all-American SUV.
