I'd let them send it to auction take the check you get and buy it at auction and fix it up doing what you want. Or just take the check get a cheap truck and then a cheaper wreck to build a street able prerunner

 

Generally if you release possession of the truck in a total lose situation, it goes to a salvage pool where the public has no access. If you "buy back" the "salvage" from the insurance company, it has to be done as a single deal and then you retain possession, but it will have a salvage title.

 

most likely it will be cheaper to buy back the truck before it goes to auction.

 

Everyone was ok. I guy driving an 04 Durango turned across our lane at the last moment. We were traveling close to 30mph. And since I had focused my attention down the street I no longer was looking at the Durango's front tires to see his intentions.

My 8yr old daughter was more curious than scared. She's a tough cookie like me. It was funny actually to see her crawl all over the truck to inspect all the damage. She even said, "Holy crap Dad. What was that guy thinking?"

So the frame ended up having a slight twist from the cab forward. The other guys insurance called it totaled and came through in a big way. And I mean big. So I'm accepting the settlement and located another '04 which I test drove it today. It is an '04 White XLT instead of FX4 but it works and runs so much better than my truck. My '04 FX4 had some engine/tranny and and front hub problems as well as a few electrical gremlins. Poor thing had spent it's first two years as a cattle truck in western Kansas. Those boys aren't nice to trucks. LOL

This truck today was super solid. I believe it has not been used off-road much. This XLT had a new tranny put in two years ago when these people bought it. They were hearing a drivetrain noise and suspected the tranny. Turned out to be the rear axle bearings and seals were bad. They said they never went to that mechanic again. I also had to replace rear axle bearings/seals in my truck last summer.

Anyway with the insurance money I'm able to buy this truck for $8K even and spend money on it for the next few months no problem. Also going to buy a used Crown Vic police interceptor for running the kids around town. I was putting about 40-50 miles per day on the FX4, so the Interceptor will stay stock for a while to run the kids around and drive to work.

The truck needs tires first thing. Probably only a few months worth of driving left. I'm thinking 35" tires. As it sits this XLT is bone stock so those tires won't fit without mods first.

I'm doing lots of research to find what will fit my needs. The truck will be used to haul people/gear and an 8x16 enclosed trailer once a month to out of state Radio Control car races. All our gear probably totals less than 1,000 pounds, it just needs lots of room. Tables, tents, portable air compressor, chairs, small hand tools. The trailer will be more for comfort during summer months and it will have A/C.

Also I like to play out in the country on the abandoned oil field roads. Perfect prerunner conditions as far as Kansas terrain goes. It is so much fun to go turn and burn out there for an evening. Also might go to sand dunes once or twice a year.

I don't need a full blown prerunner. I need a truck with some suspension travel and shock absorption. I've seen some pics of trucks that looks like it would fit my needs. I have no idea what setups they have though. I'll post a link to a truck that is very close to my perfect truck.

 

This here would be what I'm shooting for. Notice the bed still has useable space, if the tire wasn't mounted in there. Also notice how the fiberglass front fenders follow the Ford body lines somewhat. This truck has the right stance. Not too high but not racing level low.
http://www.racingjunk.com/Dirt-Off-R...SuperSize=true
Thanx for reading guys. This link above only has 64 days left so I'm sure the link will not work after that.

 

well if you allready got the insurence check. then your on the right path by buying the crown vic for a DD. Im doing the same thing to my truck in the next few months and have allready got a package deal to do everything i want to it and the price isnt bad, $6100 plus shipping for the same fenders and suspension on the truck pictured above but no bed cage, just bolt in replacement king shocks front and rear. so you compleatly retain all bed space in the truck. 13 front and 13 rear travel. more then enough for our trucks (im from NJ so no desert stuff but lots of fire trails)

 

air8, to do it like that truck your are looking at 10k plus in suspension and body if your going to copy that.

the basic kit on that truck is $4690 and doesn't touch the rear end at all, plan on a couple grand in the rear. i'm assuming you won't be running expensive wheels like him or tires so that could cut down on cost.
$1000 for fiberglass.truck being white you wouldn't have to paint immediately, but keep that in the back of your head at some point to do.

 

It sucks the cost is so high for a setup like this. My mechanic buddy and I keep doing research. But I'm sure the kits we've come across are expensive cause they're built well and they fit a specific market. The suspension is tough and works well yet allows the truck to be used everyday still. I've come to realize there is no way around the cost so I hope to complete this over the next 6months to a year.

We've built a coupe drag cars, fairly nice ones for normal people, but we haven't tackled an offroad truck yet. I just hope we don't fail miserably.

 

here are the 2 best company that are fairly priced

http://brenthelindustries.com/ go to their baja kits

http://www.camburg.com/ their 7.0 kit for the 2wd is i nice upgrade for the price

the brenthel 2wd prerunner kit is what im getting for my truck.

 

Well I sent it. But I ended with this. It is much better shape mechanically. No vacuum leak noise, no hub grinding noise, plenty of power unlike the previous gutless wonder. Fuel gauge works(real happy about that one),

 

You want a prerunner setup for cheap in terms to speak? Go with the Camburg mid travel kit, should be able to do the front end for roughly $3k, rear end roughly a grand. All the misc stuff be about another grand. So for $5k have a setup that will perform on the same level as a raptor and maybe overkill for what you need.

I debated doing a mid travel kit over long travel, yet I know myself to well and will go long travel shortly with the truck. Not the type to do things twice.

 

LOL. True. I'll check out the Camburg kit. I didn't see their mid travel kit. That might be all I need really. Well....all I want. Definately don't need it.