Rock Trac - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 4x4

[TxPlates]

Well I didn't realize I hadn't put up the Trac in here, and apparently neither did John, so here goes.

In loving memory of my best friend John Johnstone:


So I copied this from EF since it was already laid out, and changed what was needed...

Engine: Stock 5.0L from a 2000 Explorer Limited
Transmission: Stock Ford 5R55E 5 -Speed Automatic Overdrive
Transfer Case: Borg Warner 1354 electric shift - Gear Ratio ? Low ? 2.48:1
Steering: Stock Power, Ford - Rack and Pinion (Includes Steering Cooler) - Ratio 19.1:1 Static
Front Suspension: None
Rear Suspension: Spring over axle
Front Axle: Dana35 with a LockRight locker
Rear Axle: Ford 8.8 with a LockRight locker
Communications: Cobra 75 WX ST 40 Channel CB, Wilson 1000 antenna
Recovery Equipment: 60" Hi-Lift jack, 20' looped end tow strap.
Tires/Wheels: Goodyear MTR's on 15x10 American Racing AR-767 wheels
Exterior: Performance Accessories 3" body lift. Gloria Zimmerman Rocksliders.
Interior: Leather seats, power moonroof, power rear window.
Audio: Boss DVD/CD Player - Back up camera installed

This is the picture of her when she was first purchased by John Johnstone :


This is how she was, when my good friends Kris and Randall went with me to pick her up and misc things we've done to her:


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!


Here is when Kris and I removed the damaged superlift...



Just getting started....



Coming off piece by piece





Had to buy new rotors to fit the new spindles...




Bam - front of the superlift out!




Kris taking a breather




Kris taking a look to see if we can grind off one of the brackets - no go too close to the oil pan




Needs some work




Coming back together with all it's new parts..








Seth (my son) loves this truck just as much as I do - he was helping clean her off...







Seth enjoying spraying it off



Drivers side - done





Some pictures of getting her back together and after the alignment was done after removing the superlift....
















headliner installed


Parts of the interior installed


More of the interior installed



Some pictures of the radio installed, and taking her out for her first "trail" run with me ....



Russell doing a great job helping fab a bracket to house the rear camera


Robert also helping fab the bracket!


Rock Trac getting borrowed shoes for the run


And then just some odds and ends from the run....














And the rear camera installed - I'll paint it eventually so it blends more with the Trac.


Spruced up the rock sliders...







More sanding...



Preparing to start throwing some black rustolem on them...





Couple coats...



Added a couple top layers of glossy





Looking like a great tape job hahaha





Who doesn't love red???



And we have two tone!



And now for the final touch...grip tape....





A new bed that will be painted to go on, hell of a deal we found at the local junk yard thanks to Kris!



The Rock Trac helping out during Halloween....



And last but not least for now....the motor swap...


The donor....

Surprise it was raining the first day!!

Getting ready, not sure why Randall has such a big grin...

Mike and Dan working on putting new plugs and wires on the donor motor...

Kris got tired and took a nap...

Russell did not agree with a comment of mine...

Hmmmm where do all these pieces go?

Big debate on how the 4.0 should come out hahaha

Thanks to Russell, no more crappy alarm !!!

What rust?

Hmmmm, 4.0 about to come on out

Hope this holds...



Why won't it just come out??

Apparently Eric thinks he can just lift it out by himself

Getting there...

I think Russell was meditating at this point....

Why won't it just let go!!!

Russell spreading some positive cheer...

Kris is actually happy in this photo, don't let the expression on his face fool you

The Trac naked....

Damnit, we've been robbed

Not sure why Russell looks confused.

Kris wanted to take a break but kept pressing on!

Merry xmas 5.0!

Almost in...

Hmmm think we need a new fan clutch..

Please don't drop it on Kris!

Even dark can't stop us!

Kris just making a few adjustments

Making some finishing touches

I think Kris was just hiding in this one...

Russell at this point was giving a lecture on wiring...

Almost there....

Had to change the badges to match...


A huge thanks to the Demon Crew for helping keep this awesome rig alive in our dear friend John's memory - I appreciate everything ya'll have done to help me and the Trac!

[KF5ZXT]

As I said before, great to have kept this in the family! Also, good work so far in the restoration process.

[TxPlates]

[Justin Klare]

sorry i wasn't much help i felt like shit.

[TxPlates]

Nah it's all good, you helped out Dan when it came down to it so Kris could keep working on the Trac, that was a huge help!

[Justin Klare]

i was so burned out that red bull wasn't starting after all of that work.

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Wow, the sport trac has come a long way in a year.

[KF5ZXT]

The Red Bull II didn't end up driving under it's own power?

[TxPlates]

Well look how far it's come in actually less than a year - I'd say great progress

Red bull did leave on his own - needed a new fuel pump.

[TxPlates]

Kris took this video yesterday - sounds awesome - wait till the muffler goes on!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2576866293782

[nice59fordf100]

As always, the trac looks and sounds amazing!!!

[TxPlates]

Alrighty, well finally got off my ass and went to the muffler shop here in town, ordered a magnaflow, it'll be here Friday, so dropping the Trac off on Thursday night and will pick her up after work Friday. Also ordered a new clock spring to resolve the horn issues, inspection here we come!

[KF5ZXT]

Congrats!

[TxPlates]

The Ford dealer here in town also has the security module for the door locks, but said it needs to be programmed, so I'll see about picking that up too.

[Justin Klare]

can't wait to hear it!

[TxPlates]

[TxPlates]

Well Eric came over last night, and we fiddled wit the horn wiring and figured out that OEM connector was bad, even though it was getting power and ground, so we spliced around it, and boom horn works.

Then we took it up to get inspected today, FAIL. Guy gave this list :
- Power steering fluid too low
- Gas cap not working
- Water in the left headlamp
- Tail lamps/license lamps not working

So we head back to my place, change out the headlamp (thankfully had the orig that is broken on the back side and we zip tied it back in), add some power steering fluid, bought a new gas cap. We go to check out why the tail lamp and license lamps don't work. No idea, break lights work, front park lights work, reverse lights work. Kris came over later on today, he joins in the search and we still can't figure it out. So to get things rolling, we spliced into the front park lamps and ran that to the rear - boom we've got tail lamp lights and license lamps. Take it back up to the inspection station and...

[KF5ZXT]

Congrats bud!

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[MrQ]

Great job Chris!

[Justin Klare]

since when is low power steering fluid a reason to be failed for inspection?

[KF5ZXT]

No kidding. I don't think mine's ever been better than low. It leaks too much by the time I get to the station.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[zavaral]

That dude must have been a dick. I would fail cause of low steering fluid and I was an asshole when it came to inspections. Congrats to everyone to made the trac possible again.

[zavaral]

*Wouldn't*

[TxPlates]

[Justin Klare]

i never even looked at anyone's power steering fluid when i was an inspector.