2020 FX4 Salvage Rebuild

[9zero1790]

I hate to see it unfinished after so much awesome effort. It has been an up hill fight for sure. I look forward to future updates

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[XionUAV]

Your intentions were good to bring this Ranger back to usefulness. Unfortunately every step of the way, things just didn't work as planned.
Thank you for documenting the problems you encountered in this project.
May it serve as a lesson and reminder to others that may attempt to do the same.
I hope this doesn't turn into a large financial loss in the end.

You're welcome. As I stated in another forum, 'my pain might be your gain.'

It is disappointing how many parts suppliers don't do business to a higher standard. That's one problem. Receiving new parts that are rusty is inexcusable. Listing parts as available, allowing a person to pay for those parts then later cancelling the order without explanation is unprofessional. Parts warehouses not putting enough packing material in the shipping boxes is inexcusable. The $700 Ford Parts hood showing up with damage to both sides simply because there wasn't enough foam to keep it from banging around in the box is just absolute stupidity.

That said, I've rebuilt and flipped enough vehicles to know what I was getting into. What I wasn't expecting is the unbelievably crappy experience with the body shop. What went on there is just so far outside how a professional shop should operate that it ruined the entire plan and schedule and dumped used cat litter all over my typically optimistic outlook. Had the shop done the work to an industry standard, or had I chosen a different shop, the outcome would have most likely been completely different. But at least now the hope is that the repairs will eventually be completed properly and I'll regroup next year.

As far as finances go, I'll probably be into it a total of around $25,000, which includes the Roush wheels, Dura Trac tires, Bilstein shocks with lift, control arms, new steering rack, running boards, Rough Country bumper, performance grill, and all the other front end and engine parts. Going straight back to stock probably would have been closer to $20,000. If it runs ok when completed then I'll get a spray-in bed-liner, hard cover, clear bra, Weather Tech mats and so on.

This is a vehicle I planned to drive and not flip. Otherwise I wouldn't have purchased it. Had a shop purchased the vehicle and repaired it, they would have made a little. The small-ish margin and amount of work required wouldn't have been worth it to flip for me personally. If a body shop had been tasked with doing the entire repair, including sourcing parts, the cost would have likely met or exceeded the value of the vehicle, especially with a salvage title. So honestly the only way repairing this vehicle made sense outside of a shop buying it to rebuild and sell, is someone like me with experience and free labor.

With new hope, I'm still planning on eventually getting it back repaired properly and making it the vehicle I imagined when I bought it. Only time will tell.

 

[Langwilliams]

After reading your journey on this anyone thinking of trying this would be well served to find a truck hit in the rear. I believe the "solid front axle" build was hit in the back an he popped a flatbed on it.

 

[harry wilson]

that was a nice build overall ! I enjoyed the thread

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