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What EXACTLY Was Explorer Trim?

So I've been trolling and searching around for a while and I've never come across a brochure or detailed description of what the Explorer trim level included. Most of the answers seem to be "stripes, badging, and seat cover". In the documents thread it has an Explorer brochure, but it's from 1974. From what I gather Explorer was a limited additional trim available on top of Custom and Ranger base trim levels to spruce them up without going to the full Ranger XLT or Lariat trim. Were there differences between what was added with the Explorer trim to a Custom vs a Ranger? I have a feeling this has been discussed before, but I can't find a thread for it. If someone has a link to it I'd appreciate it.

My particular truck is a '79 so that's what I'd be most interested in hearing about, but I'd be curious to know on all years for discussion purposes. From what I've observed on my F-150 Custom Explorer vs other regular Custom trucks this is what I see:

- Pin striping down the side of the truck around the "dent" and around the outer perimeter of the hood. Was the color of the stipe paired with a certain base color or could you pick and choose colors?
- Hood ornament and badging on the back sides of the box. What is the deal with different background colors in the hood ornaments?
- Carpet on the floor and up the sides of the front of the cab.
- Special vinyl on the seats with cloth inlays where you sit. Mine match with the stripe color on the truck.
- Chrome stripe inlays around the window moldings.
- Wide bright trim in the "dent". Not sure if this is something that was just a regular option, but my trim is wider than what is on my buddy's Custom.
 

LEB Ben

Arrogant A-hole At-Large
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Ask and ye shall receive. This is all I have on my current device, but I can get you pics after work. The explorer package was a midyear marketing ploy to boost sales, some years available in only a custom trim, other years ranger. There are difference nuances year over year. Personally, 75 is personally my favorite stripe scheme.

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Thanks Ben! I'd be real interested in seeing better photos of that '79 brochure. Depending on the lighting of the photo, someone may have tampered with my truck's original colors slightly. I discovered it has been re-painted at some point because there's some overspray on the back side of the cab when I pulled the box to fix fuel system issues.

Oh and the '75 stripe scheme is kinda neat. Reminds me a little of the '70 boss mustang stripe.
 

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
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My 79 F150 originally matched that green one in the 78 pamphlet. It has ranger and explorer badging on it. No custom badges.

I call it the "Explanger"
 

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