There’s nothing especially unique about a first-generation Ford Expedition, given that the company sold hundreds of thousands of them in the late Nineties. But things get a bit more exciting when the Expedition in question was a custom build for SEMA.
So today let’s remember the boat times, with this 1998 SeaScape.
Ford’s first three-row SUV bowed for the 1997 model year and rode on the same F-150 platform as its premium upscale brethren, the Lincoln Navigator and Blackwood. Available in a single wheelbase for its first generation, all Expeditions were powered by 4.6- or 5.4-liter versions of the Triton V8. 
The Expedition and Navigator were Ford’s successful attempt to grab some market share from GM full-sizers that had mostly zero American competition for decades. If you can recall back to 1997, Expedition was a big deal. Such a big deal in fact, that it’s unsurprising the creative forces who compete at SEMA turned one into a nautical-themed masterpiece.
What started out as a standard 1998 Expedition was modified by a company called Advanced Automotive Technologies in 1999. Wanting a real show-stopper, AAT took their nautical Expedition edits seriously. Starting with the exterior, the metal roof was replaced with a retractable canvas arrangement. Heading aft, a modified C-pillar contained the CHMSL, styled to resemble a power boat. The running boards and bumpers were also custom jobs, with teak inserts for standing in Sperrys.
At the rear the entire hatch was removed, replaced with a padded tonneau cover and some boat-like chrome railing. That rear cover is the SeaScape’s party piece. It has a power lift feature that raises it up from hinges at the stern and stows the rear window. With a few adjustments, the Expedition becomes a nautical targa, or “boatarga” perhaps. The look is competed with turbine-style chrome wheels and purple and hot pink tape stripes.
Inside, the Expedition combines the luxury of the Blackwood and theme of a Town Car Spinnaker Edition. White leather matches with navy accents, and the steering wheel and door pulls are wood from the Forest of Gladiator Conversion. The dash and console complete the look with two-tone, in ivory and khaki. Rear passengers use powered captain’s chairs, just like those at the front.
AAT struck gold with their SeaScape, winning Best Ford Concept Truck that year. Since then, the special Expedition was moored in Mississippi and then Ohio, where it’s presently for sale. In need of TLC, you can easily B.O.A.T with the SeaScape at $6,500.
[Images: seller]
Not to be outdone GM built the Avalanche
How the game is played:
1) GM doesn’t innovate
2) People like me say “GM doesn’t innovate”
3) GM innovates in all the wrong ways (accidentally on purpose)
4) GM says “see, people want the same old same old”
5) Profit
Unfortunately, with the way that rear window stores, you can’t even have the back open and carry cargo at the same time. I thought you could at least drop the rear window on an Avalanche while leaving the rest of the midgate in place.
And it looks like those teak inserts on the running boards need some teak oil STAT!
Just needs the Merc Villager Nautica edition and you’ve got a his and hers set.
And just how much does this differ from a Sport Trac?
Well the convertible parts are different.
Well, the Sport Trac was an Explorer, for starters… So you can correctly say that it is totally different…
In this one-off, you have to stand in the back to drive it.
97 and 98 MY came with a slightly different front end where the grille was oval shaped and had the same height as the headlights. The front bumper was also slightly different while the 99-02 Expedition came with a bigger trapezoid shaped grille and a more bloated bumper (like the one seen here).
Relevant:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cKrO1wykXY
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The new Ranger needs some squiggly purple lines on it.
Ranger Splash!
I had a Ranger Splash. Black with Orange graphics. I liked that little truck but the 4.0 V6 really didn’t have enough tug to pull my boat… literally, the poor thing pinged and struggled even in flat FL. I never understood how people towed with Explorers back then given they shared the same engine (160HP / 225TQ) with the smaller Ranger. I had mine for 2 or 3 years before moving onto a 4.7 V8 Dakota which I still use for towing duty to this day.
>I never understood how people towed with Explorers back then given they shared the same engine (160HP / 225TQ) with the smaller Ranger.
Goes to show you how spoiled we are with our modern vehicles.
When I was a kid my dad used to tow our boat (17ft fibreglass bowrider) with his Escort Wagon!
This must be the one I saw in person at Radwood Detroit back in September. It caused me to pause.
Attention, Barbie: your SUV has arrived.
I miss the 80s/90s beach aesthetic. It was ALL over advertising. Cool, attractive, young people, cruising with the top down, hittin’ the waves and having beach parties. And I feel like GM really embraced that aesthetic, putting flashy colors and splashy decals on tons of their cars, no matter how mundane and/or crappy. I miss that. Simpler times.
Ugh, I’m 38 and I sound so old.
It looks like it’s ready to tip up backwards and balance on it’s back bumper like some sort of buoy.
I like it better if I’m reading the license plate correctly…
Needs more cowbell ;-)
That is every kind of ugly…
Yacht Rock Special