Can't decide if it is worth it!

[NewTrac17]

Before I explain my decision, I just want to say that everyone's tracs are amazing and have influenced me to get a trac of my own!

I have been looking for a sport trac forever and haven't been able to find one with low enough miles for the right price. I found a 2004 sport trac for $6,000, but it has been in an accident. It looks like it has a body lift, shackle lift, and tt. Also has different rims, tires, exhaust, and not sure what else. It runs and the airbags are still good, so not a huge accident. Any input on whether or not is would be worth fixing would be greatly appreciated!

Specs:
2004 explorer sport trac
Less than 60,000 miles.
4X4
Automatic transmission
Clean title

Check it out:

http://http://www.asalvagecar.com/mobile/mImagesAll.aspx?cmb=0|205307240|301217

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Looks like a great looking Trac but you're going to spend around $1,500 on parts not including tires to get it back together. The front bodylift bumper brackets can easily be straightened out but you're missing the rear bodylift bumper brackets so those might be a pain to get. Since it is bodylifted check to make sure the body wasn't shifted over in the accident.

 

[NewTrac17]

Looks like a great looking Trac but you're going to spend around $1,500 on parts not including tires to get it back together. The front bodylift bumper brackets can easily be straightened out but you're missing the rear bodylift bumper brackets so those might be a pain to get. Since it is bodylifted check to make sure the body wasn't shifted over in the accident.

Thanks so much for the reply MidnightRebel07! I didn't even think to check out the body to make sure it wasn't shifted. I could fix the front body lift brackets and maybe make my own rear bodylift brackets if I can't find any. I really like the look of your trac, so I don't know if I would try and fab a winch bumper for the front and just buy a oem rear bumper, or make a rear bumper. I am trying to make a list of parts I need and I would probably get most of them from a junk yard.

Does the bed look like it was pushed forward in the pictures? I just need to take a look at it in person to get a good estimate of what it would take to repair it.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

From the looks of it you'll need a header panel, headlights, marker lights, front bumper reinforcement, front bumper cover, rear bodylift bumper brackets, rear bumper reinforcement, rear bumper cover, license plate lights, rear bumper (steel piece that the bumper tow ball mounts to and connects to both fame ends). I could be forgetting a couple small piecesbut nothing major or costly.

The frontend parts can be scanvenged from a '01-03 Exlorer Sport or a '01-05 Sport Trac, the back bumper parts need to come from a '01-05 Sport Trac.

To save money and get the look and strength you want talk to James at RLCWelding (site vendor) or a local member by you that does awesome fab work Stang5lgt. Both of these guys can build you some badass steel bumpers for less then it'll cost to replace the factory plastic garbage "bumpers". Then you'd only need the header panel and headlights/ marker lights. JMO.

 

[NewTrac17]

Your list is identical to mine. I would need small inexpensive items such as bolts, nuts, but not much. Do you mean fog lights when you say marker lights? Did you leave your front bumper and reinforcement in place and just made your ARB bumper to fit around them? (Cut pieces from your bumper) I would probably get trailer hitch receiver and then build/have someone build a rear and front bumper for me, but I would still need a front bumper because the bumper and grill are one piece.

Thanks again for the input!

 

[MidnightRebel07]

The headlights and marker lights are seperate pieces so you would need both for each side. If you went with the oem bumper cover your Trac probably came with factory foglights mounted to the oem "bumper".

I completely removed my front bumper and all parts of it and even cut the frame rails back about three inches to fabricate the mounting brackets for the heavily modified ARB winch bumper. As for the bumper cover I cut it just about all the way up to the top bodyline curve just under the headlights. You don't really need that though, you can make a custom grille out of mesh like other members have done.

Here you can see the foglights in the bumper...

Here they're gone... lol

 

[NewTrac17]

The headlights and marker lights are seperate pieces so you would need both for each side. If you went with the oem bumper cover your Trac probably came with factory foglights mounted to the oem "bumper".

I completely removed my front bumper and all parts of it and even cut the frame rails back about three inches to fabricate the mounting brackets for the heavily modified ARB winch bumper. As for the bumper cover I cut it just about all the way up to the top bodyline curve just under the headlights. You don't really need that though, you can make a custom grille out of mesh like other members have done.

Here you can see the foglights in the bumper...

Okay, so you basically put custom marker lights on the top of your ARB bumper, instead of drilling holes for the original marker lights.

I will have to look into making a different grille.

Either way, I will be in it about the same amount of money. Custom bumpers would mean that I don't need any bumper reinforcements or bumper covers.

 

[NewTrac17]

[/QUOTE]

Just a small hill!