2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac - Form Follows Function

MotorTrend featured Mike Duval's custom 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac in a March 2004 story titled "2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac - Form Follows Function." The custom Sport Trac 4x4 was built as a rolling showcase for Duval's company, X-Treme Toyz, and its engine bay included a high-flow mass air sensor from Granatelli Motor Sports.

Why This Custom Sport Trac Stood Out

According to the article, the Ford Explorer Sport Trac is a Ranger-based, V-6-powered crew cab with a very short bed, and the writer wondered why more enthusiasts were not customizing them. Duval's truck had won a Ford Motor Company Design Award, an honor Ford gives to select trucks at the annual SEMA Show. To earn it, he combined bolt-on aftermarket accessories with custom-fabricated parts.

Lift, Wheels and Brakes

• Superlift 4-inch suspension lift with Superlift dampers, installed by Off Road Unlimited in Burbank, California
• 3-inch body lift from Performance Accessories
• 15x8-inch Weld Racing Outback wheels with 33x12.50R15 Parnelli Jones Dirt Grip tires
• Stainless Steel Brakes rear disc conversion

Engine Upgrades on the 4.0L V-6

The article describes the stock 4.0L V-6 as smooth and reliable, but Duval still added power parts: an aFe intake and air filter, a Granatelli Motor Sports high-flow mass air sensor, Hose Techniques silicone hoses, a Borla cat-back exhaust and an Optima battery.

Exterior and Interior Customizing

Reaper Racing built the custom front and rear tube bumpers and front skidplate. The bed got a Line-X liner, a Can-Back soft shell and a Con-Ferr rack, and PIAA lights were added for night trail use. L&G Enterprises in San Dimas, California, painted the truck mandarin gold with white pearl and maroon Chroma-Flair stripes.

Inside, the article lists Warn entry steps, a CR Laurence sunroof, Nifty Products carpet, Relaxor heat and massage seats, and a Clarion audio and video system with ceiling-mounted monitors and Planet Audio amplifiers, installed by Rick Ross of Burbank.

The story's conclusion was that the Ford Explorer Sport Trac makes a strong starting point for a custom truck that looks good and works on the trail.

About the Original Article

This custom Ford Explorer Sport Trac feature ran on MotorTrend in March 2004. We were not able to find a working link to the original article.

Written by JoJo Granatelli — third generation at Granatelli Motor Sports in Oxnard, California, and the one who drives what the company builds. He set a quarter-mile record of 7.06 seconds at 157 mph at Famoso Dragstrip in August 2026. More about JoJo.