Project - "Rock Trac" Restoration

Well the original plan when I bought John's truck was to go ahead and disassemble it and use it for parts for mine. I decided instead to go ahead and keep it together and replace what needed to be replaced, and mine can still stay the road queen that it is hah.

So I thought I'd post up some pictures so far....

How the Trac stood when we arrived to pick her up.

Another...

Getting her loaded up on my Tahoe...


Randall trying to figure out where we can stuff more of the parts that go with her...


Kris double checking Randall's tie down work to make sure it doesn't fly off while we're driving back home


Late night entry into the garage after a very long haul to Houston and back home - Large thanks for Kris and Randall for all their help

Current status in my garage

As you can see, a little bit of rust, but we'll go ahead and go over that with some good old rustolem


Header panel on the drivers side cracked and full of holes - hard to keep the headlamp/turn signal and fender back on it

New header panel next


New header panel in my make shift paint booth haha


Needed a new fan clutch

Had to cut the fan shroud off to get the fan clutch off - as John taught me the correct way to rebuild our plastic parts on our Trac's haha - Zip Ties!



More to come as I get further into it. Plan is for this Sunday, Kris will be coming over to assist me in taking the superlift off the front and dropping it back down to original suspension up front as the superlift knuckles are ruined.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

We are going to swap out the rear axle for an 8.8 with a Powertrax No-Slip, 4.88's and Dutchman alloy shafts with the matching 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern. Also swapping out the transfer case with an F-150 electric shift 4406, and then the driveshafts. We also need to get his old MTR's swapped onto some 5 on 5.5 Rockcrawler wheels.

i would have said test it on a volkswagon

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Woo hoo can't wait to see it completed in person super excited

 

[TxPlates]

So Kris and I went and picked up the Trac today!!

She's now over at Kris' place. Now to swap out the rear axle, and even her out. Swap the transfer case out, have the drivers shafts adjusted as needed and few other odds and ends. At last the solid axle swap is done!

 

[theluke19]

This truck is such an icon!! I love it!

Great work, and thanks for keeping us all posted!

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

I feel so honored to have this sport trac at my house!!!

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Great work. This is the truck that got me into wheelin' mine and now it's SAS'd. I'm close to doing the swap myself, just need to purchase a few more parts and it'll be right there with it.

Can't wait to seethis this in action again, atleast in pictures and videos until I can get out there to wheel together.

 

[TxPlates]

Link to Facebook photo album.

 

[NICE59FORDF100]

There are also a few loose electrical issues that i need to iron out but all in all not much left to do

 

[4pullingGM]

Looks nice y'all

 

[TxPlates]

Well Kris and Russell took the dash out and found the issue with the brake lights and door locks. Appears the old alarm that had been installed cut into the wire harness for that and just corroded over time, so that's fixed thanks to them.

Kris put on the new bed:

And then we swapped out the new rear axle yesterday.

 

[gmanpaint]

That's a lot of work guys. Sheesh! Congrats on all the progress!

So now that it's SAS & SOA, are the shackles and body lift coming off or are they staying on?

Really hope I get to wheel with you sometime and see this new Rocktrac in action!

 

[TxPlates]

I'm going to leave the body lift on and shackles. I like it that way, and I'm trying to keep as much as possible what John had on it, original.

 

[Rick]

This truck is such an icon!! I love it!

Great work, and thanks for keeping us all posted!

 

[TxPlates]

Well done over at Kris'. Brought her back home, put some new headlamps and turn signals in her just now. This week I'll take her to an exhaust shop to have some of the pipe moved out of the way of the front diff, then back to Torch Monkey Fabrication for a redesign on the transmission cross member (gets in the way of the front drive shaft).Swap out the rims and tires to put my MTR's back on (thanks for the loaners Randall). Then back home and she'll go out on her first 4x4 trip.

 

[Trckmagik]

Very nice.

 

[TxPlates]

Put the MTR's back on, and had the exhaust moved to clear the new front diff. Thinking she needs bigger tires now.

 

[HiImBrian]

Put the MTR's back on, and had the exhaust moved to clear the new front diff. Thinking she needs bigger tires now.

Just read through this entire thread. You're doing an excellent job. I can't wait until my ex is just a toy and not a DD. Subscribed!

 

[Randall]

Needs 37's+ for sure.

 

[TxPlates]

The old CB had wires all cut up, so added a new.

Got the gauges re-installed, still having an issue with the bulbs for those gauges but I'll deal with that later. Came up after I put it all back together surprise!! lol

Wired the CB under the center console into an outlet that John had already installed on the dash a long time ago. Swapped out the wire for the new CB and now have an uncluttered look for the CB.

Got her loaded back on the trailer to go back to Torch Monkey Fabrication, they're going to adjust the transmission cross member for more clearance for the front drive shaft, and build a custom front bumper.

 

[OffTrac]

Any updates?