Mike Franklin
Active Member
Hey Guys, my trac turned 200,000 miles on her way to the outer banks last week. Still running good, still bombing around on the beaches of NC. Though she is showing her age with the paint rims and plastics and the driver seat isn't as supportive anymore. 2wd, OEM tranny and Engine. A testament to Ford Trucks I think. She even had to yank my father in laws brand spankin new 4wd F150 with 22's and pirellis out of the sand last week, as soon as he got rolling again he high tailed it off the beach. Seems those high preformance sidewalls don't collapse and flatten out till you get them down to about 8psi in the sand.
Only things I've had go wrong that werent caused by me in the first place were fuel pump and the poorly designed aka unserviceable ball joints. Otherwise just tires and regular maintenance. The thoughts are rolling around in my head about what her replacement will be. Most likely something way more economical in fuel and all wheel drive but Im not ready to give up my trac. Nothing out there makes me feel warm and fuzzy like this truck has since the day I layed eyes on it.
I've taken the truck anywhere it could fit and some places it can't. Her suspension is soft enought to rock you to sleep as it adjusts to a floating ferry out on the obx sound, and stiff enough to trailer a 25 foot fully enclosed dual axel trailer with my motorcycle in it. I've always been able to get her unstuck and she has always had the power to do the things I asked of her. She has pulled mulch, motorcycles, family, plants, hot tubs, kids playground, My favorite story is hitching the trac up to a Dodge Hemi 1500, that was attached to a Ford F250, that was attached to a car trailer with a Ford Mustang on it. She pulled all three of them out of my neighbors muddy yard. (Granted, I was the only one on pavement and I was smokin the tires to get er done.)
Anyway, This truck has been there for some of the worst and best parts of my life. It has been there since the start of my marriage, it has moved me into two houses, it carried my wife and I to the er when she went into labor 3 months premature and carried my twins home from the hospital when they were well enough to come home. Its has sat with me hour after hour in traffic jams in dc and kept me cool and comfortable or warm and cozy. I was sitting in it when I saw my first mother black bear and cubs in the wild, it looked on when I swam with a sea turtle. Next to my german shepherd, this inanimate object of metal and plastic is prolly my best friend. Stupid I know but the german shepherd died this year and I'm starting to worry about my old ford girl knowing that "the day" is lurking around.
Well baby, here is to at least another 50k. :love::love::love:
Only things I've had go wrong that werent caused by me in the first place were fuel pump and the poorly designed aka unserviceable ball joints. Otherwise just tires and regular maintenance. The thoughts are rolling around in my head about what her replacement will be. Most likely something way more economical in fuel and all wheel drive but Im not ready to give up my trac. Nothing out there makes me feel warm and fuzzy like this truck has since the day I layed eyes on it.
I've taken the truck anywhere it could fit and some places it can't. Her suspension is soft enought to rock you to sleep as it adjusts to a floating ferry out on the obx sound, and stiff enough to trailer a 25 foot fully enclosed dual axel trailer with my motorcycle in it. I've always been able to get her unstuck and she has always had the power to do the things I asked of her. She has pulled mulch, motorcycles, family, plants, hot tubs, kids playground, My favorite story is hitching the trac up to a Dodge Hemi 1500, that was attached to a Ford F250, that was attached to a car trailer with a Ford Mustang on it. She pulled all three of them out of my neighbors muddy yard. (Granted, I was the only one on pavement and I was smokin the tires to get er done.)
Anyway, This truck has been there for some of the worst and best parts of my life. It has been there since the start of my marriage, it has moved me into two houses, it carried my wife and I to the er when she went into labor 3 months premature and carried my twins home from the hospital when they were well enough to come home. Its has sat with me hour after hour in traffic jams in dc and kept me cool and comfortable or warm and cozy. I was sitting in it when I saw my first mother black bear and cubs in the wild, it looked on when I swam with a sea turtle. Next to my german shepherd, this inanimate object of metal and plastic is prolly my best friend. Stupid I know but the german shepherd died this year and I'm starting to worry about my old ford girl knowing that "the day" is lurking around.
Well baby, here is to at least another 50k. :love::love::love:
