Introducing..."The Swamp Ape"

[gatornek]

Hi all. As many of you may or may not know, I became a Bronco Sport member a little over a month ago. This weekend, I finally gave it the 'hand wash' treatment. However, I still gotta set some time to do "the works"....decontaminate, wash, claybar, polish, wax....but I'll probably set that up for 6 months in, after I start seeing some swirls in the paint. Anyway, I've been vigorously looking through all the things that I want to do to my BS, and felt like a thread here might be a good spot to chronicle it, and have a spot to come back to....so I know exactly what I want to and when to do it.

I was able to knock off a few items in terms of 'protection', such as mud flaps, steering wheel cover, dash protector, etc. I have a customized order of seat covers on the way from wetokole, but they take some time. Other than that, just some minor cosmetic customizations for now.

So....with no further intterruption, ladies and genetlemen...I hereby introduce to you.......

THE SWAMP APE!

Completed
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• Interior/Electronics
  • Wheelskinz Black Leather Steering Wheel Wrap
  • WetOkole Black Neoprene Custom Seat Covers w/Blue Bronco Logo
  • Course Motorsports DirectFit Phone Mount

• Exterior/Accessories
  • Ford Performance Black Pony
  • 'Bronco Sport' Rear Lettering DELETE
  • StickerFab Tail Light Vinyl Overlay - Smoke
  • Boca Decals Bronco Sport Side Marker Vinyl Overlay Kit - Smoke
  • Ford Gatorback Bronco Mudflaps
  • Ford OEM Rear Bumper Protector Overlay
  • Ford OEM spoiler - Shadow Black
  • Tuff Skinz "Bronco" front grill badge overlay - Matte Black

• Wheels
  • 245/65/17 Cooper Discoverer
  • RTR 17 Satin Black Rims

• Engine/Drivetrain/Performance
  • Penzoil Platinum 5W-30
  • OBDFusion w/OBDMX adapter monitoring (OAR, IAT2)

• Suspension/Chassis
  • Yakima Timberline Roof Rail w/Jetstream crossbars
  • Yakima LoadWarrior Cargo Basket
  • Yakima Slim Shady Awning

Soon
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2024:

• Interior/Electronics
  • Tuffskinz Door Sills
  • Full speaker replacement w/Amplifier & Subwoofer Install
  • "The Stubby" Antenna

• Exterior/Accessories
  • Valkyrie Fender Vents
  • Rocker Panel Stripe
  • Ford Performance Lug Nuts

• Lighting
  • Rough Country Front Bumper LED Bar w/Auxbeam panel

• Engine/Drivetrain/Performance
  • UPR Customized Catchcan solution
  • Cobb Tune

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Down The Road:

• Magnaflow Muffler
• Cobb Tune
• Ford Ranger Lifts Nudge Bar w/D ring & Light Kit
• Baja Reverse Lights
• HRG Bumper Bash Plate
• JCM Offroad Skid Plates
• JCM Offroad Cat Protector

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[gatornek]

Added the Yakima Timberline roof rail system with the 60in black Jetstream crossbars to my build today.

 

[13MikeH]

Vote for the wildpeak tires. I paid for that upgrade and they have been a great tire on highway, mountains, snow, rain, mud, off road. Really nice looking and well mannered tires.

 

[Barry S.]

I'm a Florida Cracker. I grew up in the swamps. Having seen similar things like this, well all I can say is " there are things in the swamps that are beyond comprehensive thought ". I've seen many things that cannot be explained. Lights floating above water, creatures hard to explain, sounds of no animal that I know. You take risk going into the swamps, you never really know what could or will happen.

The truth is out there.

 

[Bucko]

The truth is out there.

My wife came up with a good explanation as to why there is never a good photo or concrete proof of a sasquatch:

The alien's came back and took all the sasquatches back home.

 

[gatornek]

would appreciate no thread hijacking on my build.

So I added the OEM spoiler in shadow black, put up some vinyl decals and put some tuff skinz overlays on the lettering the back.
To be honest, I’m pretty sure I’m going to debadge everything at some point including the lettering in the back and the Orange badlands diamond on the sides. But I’d figure I’d give this a try to see how it goes.

 

[Colonel Angus]

I like the spoiler.

 

[gatornek]

I like the spoiler.

Thank you sir. It gives “the box” a bit of aerodynamics.

 

[Colonel Angus]

I feel like from numerous threads on this topic you have a 50/50 chance of the actually getting the tow hook from the factory. About the same odds as the fuel funnel.

Thank you sir. It gives “the box” a bit of aerodynamics.

And blends well with the black. Appears like it came that way from the factory. Not sure I like how they look with different colors.

 

[gatornek]

It took forever, but finally got my Wet Okole Neoprene seat covers in.

Yes...I LOVE the factory seat covers. But I always cover my seats on my brand new cars. Nothing accents the resale value of a car than the seats ands steering wheel looking brand new. I lament the loss of the molle panel and the pocket in the back of the seat (truth be told, the wet okole customizations can accommodate all of that if you wanted, but I chose the basics only), but honestly could probably never really use it anyway because back seat space is already tight and if you hang stuff off that molle panel, than you have left zero room for people back there.

Anyway, the choice of color for the Bronco icon badge was limited. I wanted to try and match the Area 51 blue that accents the rest of my interior, but 'pale blue' was the closest thing they had. I'm happy with it, but my gut says I should've just went with white.

 

[gatornek]

Finally got the Yakima rack I got on offerup cleaned up, and properly installed alongside the Yakima awning. All I'm missing now is my water shower tube on the other side for my own personal overlanding setup.

 

[Bamsi]

It took forever, but finally got my Wet Okole Neoprene seat covers in.

Yes...I LOVE the factory seat covers. But I always cover my seats on my brand new cars. Nothing accents the resale value of a car than the seats ands steering wheel looking brand new. I lament the loss of the molle panel and the pocket in the back of the seat (truth be told, the wet okole customizations can accommodate all of that if you wanted, but I chose the basics only), but honestly could probably never really use it anyway because back seat space is already tight and if you hang stuff off that molle panel, than you have left zero room for people back there.

Anyway, the choice of color for the Bronco icon badge was limited. I wanted to try and match the Area 51 blue that accents the rest of my interior, but 'pale blue' was the closest thing they had. I'm happy with it, but my gut says I should've just went with white.

Where you got those covers, looks good!

 

[gatornek]

Where you got those covers, looks good!

https://www.wetokole.com/

Be warned that they take like 5-6 weeks to be made.

 

[Cursed Bronco]

Really digging the spoiler and the rear lettering. I have shadow black as well so I've been waiting to see this one the same color before making a decision. I also have the Archaic lights which I think look really good smoked and have a nice light pattern.

Really nice looking build, and the seats look great.

 

[gatornek]

Really digging the spoiler and the rear lettering. I have shadow black as well so I've been waiting to see this one the same color before making a decision. I also have the Archaic lights which I think look really good smoked and have a nice light pattern.

Really nice looking build, and the seats look great.

When I first got the car, a spoiler was the LAST thing on my mind. But then I saw a couple of pics here, and now I just feel that if you have a shadowblack roof, then it just looks like a seamless piece. I was thinking about the chinese lights. I'm not a 100% fan of the overall design, but like you say, its all about the 'smokeout' or 'blackout' look, and I agree that the light pattern is cool.

But insead, I 'cheaped' with the vinyls. It leaves the red out there, which is good for safety, but not the greatest on the looks.

I have a shadow black Mustang that is completely blacked out. Ieven painted over the ABS plastic on the grill, valances, and rocker panels in shadow black. Thought I was going to do that here. But instead went with the white accents, and will probably end up keeping the carbonized grey grill. I did end up getting some RTR black rims, and will hopefully be pulling them out of storage and adding them with a new set of tires sometime within the next couple of months. I got the rims on a crazy deal on eBay as somewhat of an impulse buy, since I didn't budget for it. So now I gotta bide my time on them.

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