The Frankenstein Build! LT/Expo/Trail rig..and BS

I am curious about what was the deciding factor for you to take this step. I realize that there are a lot of factors to consider, but this is something that has been discussed for quite a while now. What was the tipping point for deciding to go down this trail?

Also, very glad to see you got out of MT, at least for a bit. How's the fam doing?

 

Monte likes LT, and Devin likes having an interior. Plus, LT + 5 foot bed.

But mostly, 1 working truck > 2 broken ones .

 

As long as he doesn't end up with one broken truck...

 

C'mon now, we all know that he's already got his eye on two or three more Tacoma's.

 

I’m pretty close to selling my 98 xtra cab. That I’ve owned for 20 years and 200,000 miles.

I’m all emotional.

 

I mean, I'd love to know the reasoning as much as anyone, but...

• Igor was working pretty well through most of last year. Heck, he even put those LCAs on there and was happy with them for a bit, so some of the facts are reasonably "new."
• Part of this is (as it is with all of us) "something to do." I mean, some of us end up with 35's and a new tailgate, others get the parts off the truck we would prefer to be driving and put them on the more comfy truck.

 

I mean, I don't really know more than anyone else... just theorizing given what I know about Monte. I'm sure there are a plethora of things that weigh in on the decision and delayed the current move:

• Monte has a special place in his heart for Frank, and I'm sure he wanted to get Frank going again for the first couple years (at least).
• Having more trucks is (theoretically) better. If they are working of course, and for the first couple years, Igor was doing great and Frank was "just an LBJ away from being fixed."
• Frank had benefits, but Igor did too. Comfort and ride handling were some big pros that Igor had going on - it was way nicer to drive Igor to Utah than Frank. Monte knows that Igorenstien will make tradeoffs in that realm for a more advanced suspension.
• He's been busy with work and was using all his free time for actual trips (and we all know trip time is more important than mod time). With the current world situation, there's more downtime for mods.
• He's stubborn, like all of us! (I for instance am finally ready to embrace 01-04 flares on my truck after our last outing . )

Probably there are more, but even just the list above seems like a reasonable set of things to have postponed the move. I dunno, I'm not all that surprised that (a) he's doing it or (b) that he waited this long. Doesn't actually seem all that long in the scheme of things to me.

 

Are there solo stock width LCA becoming available soon?

 

I can't imagine ever purposely abandoning my truck. Definitely a lot of emotions around that thought.

You have an '04 now right? I don't recall seeing any pics of it.

 

My guess would be no. I'm guessing they are earmarked for Iglett, the little red truck.

 

Wow caused quite the stir look at Frank the attention whore cashing in one last time hahaha

Fam is great. We actually met up at the Pryors on memorial day just to sit around and be outside with lots of food. Devin and I cooked all day Sunday for it. It was a perfect day and nice to get out. Man do I wish the lil truck had AC though haha






As for the reason for this, there are a lot. But really there are 2 big ones.

The biggest being kind of simple. Time/space. Im tired or waiting. I have lots and lots of plans for all of my trucks. Seriously. I have a transfer case and turbo kit for the little truck. Plans for igor's new rear suspension and of course a mountain of projects for Frankenstein. But I have very little space so I can barely work on one thing at a time and I don't have room to bring Frank up here, not enough parking. Seriously Im am a bit worried that Igor with the LT won't pull out of the garage haha But i am mostly just tired of waiting. Really I've been waiting for 6ish years to be able to get back to the point where I can work on Frank in a shop consistently. 6 years. We've been looking for houses for almost 3 years now and while early on I wasn't ready to spend what the market requires out here I am now and I still can't get what we want. Im never fast enough. The last property we loved I was like 6 hours late on the offer. I absoulutely refuse to buy anything without a large garage or a shop. Perfer both. That's my biggest critera right now haha But I just don't see it happening very quickly. Im sick of waiting for the perfect place to work on Frank and get him where I want.

Now #2.

While I've been pretty happy with Igor overall, I've never loved driving him offroad. I mean, it's hard when you come from Frankenstein to what Igor is. And I really freaking miss Frank's setup. With Igor's issues right now and having him torn down and with the time table not looking very fast to get the Solo arms back from repair, seemed like a good time to just upgrade again.

I have a welder now, well Im borrowing Dad's as he isn't using it. So I have a long list of things to do now with that and get Igor on all 4's sooner than later.

But that's the thing, he won't be Igor anymore, he will become the Monster. Frankenstein is just getting another body change of sorts ha

Hell no. If I could. id still rather find another double cab and start on that from scratch basically and put all of Franks good parts on it. I liked how versitile Igor was. Was a great all around truck. Now, be a rig 1st, everything else second. There is a down side to doing this.

haha I hope so..but time will tell. Another factor is I need to do some work on the DD. Needs an oil change, new bushings on the front end and such. But can't get in the garage while Igor is on jack stands..

We also have a dog now. And the way I pack the 5' bed means no dogs in the back so need the back seat for that. Even if I kept the 6' bed Devin doesn't want Ollie to be in the back. Her dog so her call so gotta do that.

Seriously...ha

I am always looking I do so regret not getting that other double cab 2ish years ago..fuck. I'd probably be done with new Frankenstein by now.

Your gonna sell it huh? Thought the little one was gonna drive it?

I liked those LCAs, but Im not sold on them yet. See how the "repair" goes and all. I'll be curious to see what happens to Brett's. Austin's did the same thing as mine. Just unacceptable for the cost. Plus a few other things should be included with the price like lower mounts for a secondary.

Im certainly not bored. in anything I have too many projects. My "work space" in the house is packed with audio projects haha Which is what I've been focusing on in the last year or so mostly.

That's certainly part of it. Frank was dialed. In a dangerous way as you all have witnessed. Seemed like he could do anything almost just by itself haha so I drove into a river Igor has never been dialed at least in terms of speed and suspension. Packing, yes. Driving, no. Lots of other things too like the lower gears, the 5spd, the supercharger plus the 35s and LT. It makes for a hell of a driving experience when your romping. I really miss that.

Frank will always be special. But was more like a spindle and LBJ away from working haha But it was great to have two rigs. I still would like that. Slightly different, can always go camping that way even if one is in the shop. That's always great.

I don't have more down time. if anything, i have less due to covid...tons of projects and dead lines now. But i will have more weekends. So will see.

I am stubborn haha but honestly, I still would prefer not to do this.

Nope. well.. maybe. Likely go on my SX single cab with my SPC uppers to replace everything on that truck. But if I don't like how Solo decides to "fix" my LCAs then possibly yes. Though you might now want them at that point ha









All in all, here is the plan so far:

To do before install:
-Coil bucket gussets(TC and top hat)
-Spindle gussets
-Replace bushings in LCAs and UCAs
-Steering rack bushings(these aren't that old but while Im there...)
-Probably swap my other red caliper back on since I have to put the extended brake lines on
-new lower Heims in the shocks, honestly they are in great shape. Low miles ha
-maybe new uniballs

install LT kit

Paint and install new fiberglass fenders

Get new tires(34s or 35s? not sure yet)


once it's rolling then here's the summer plans


Fix the bed cracks
Weld up the bed bars I have into a full bed rack
Get the Elite rear bumper

Maybe get the Frank's diffs depending on tire choice


Probably rock it like that for the summer/fall.



After that.

Get the hood/grill front core support swapped to 95-97 with original gril
Front Elite bumper.
Consider swaping the BAMF sliders over

Figure out how to swap the 5spd over

Swap the blower over.





That said. We got approved to build on a lot we are looking at buying. So depending on how our budget works out with some of the modular companies we are looking at, all of this could go out the window. But Im not building if I can't get a 3 car over sized garage attached at least. Or a 30x40 separate shop. Doubt I can afford both..someday.

Anyways. I will probably just keep on calling Frankenstein Frankenstien. Igor will be "retired" so to speak. Or the name will go to the lil truck ha. That doesn't feel right though..

Plenty to come. Waiting on 50' of cable for the welding to show up. Have to run it from the laundry room through my studio and out the window or door to the garage. But fuck it. It'll work.

 

Yeah, bought a double cab. Me, (13 yr old) daughter, GF and 55 lbs dog don’t fit in the xtra cab.

My 98 has been sitting idle for a year now. I start it up and drive it around the neighborhood once a month. I’m holding on to it for two reasons: sentimentality and the thought of having it be my daughter’s first vehicle.

But that’s a lot more sitting around for the truck. Which is not good.

Plus if I sell the 98 it can fund the stuff I want to do to the 04 DC.

 

I don't know man. It's a lot of sitting around for the truck which I know is terrible for it.


I'd love for this to be her first vehicle and keep it in the family. But I also need to do this to the 04 DC and the 98 would fund it:

1. Transmission. Would love the to do the 5MT swap (but that's out of my league so either pay someone to do it or rebuild the auto).
2. Suspension. Previous owner was a Bro and put a shit set up on it.
3. Rear bumper/swing out because the bed is so friggen tiny. Jon might be coming down in a couple of weeks. He'll molest my truck for sure.
4. New LBJs.
5. Bed line the bed.
6. Color match paint the topper.
7. New tires.
8. New grille. Previous owner was a Bro and put Raptor lights in it.
9. New headlights. You saw my text.

 

btw - love the Pro Comp 7089s. My second favorite wheel choice.

 

Tranny is difficult. I don't even want to know what a shop would charge for that. Probably 5k though. Honestly if you want to do that, use the 98s. It's right there, you have all the parts you need and don't have to shop. Sucks to do that though as then that truck is near worthless. Probably not worth it over all..whats wrong with the auto? Besides the auto sucks haha

Suspension, easy.

Rear bumper, not that easy if you do custom of course. That said, the bed is not that small haha I find packing the 5' bed WAY better than the 6'. What all are you packing? Perhaps just a reevaluation of how your pack is in order. I usually have room to spare honestly.

LBJs..key. easy, not that expensive honestly.

Bed liner..meh can always do that later.

Who cares about the paint, but shouldn't be hard to DIY.

Tires..easy. Not super cheap usually.

Grille...really just for some lights? just unplug them haha

Headlights...yeeeeeaaaahhh. Well that could be a simple solution like I said if you just get some good LED bulbs that have the low beam shield in them. Then they work fine.

Funny enough, those are from Bob haha has had them for years. They look good.

 

The auto tranny sucks. The tranny pump is whining badly. Still shifts fine though. I wouldn't butcher Ol' Red for the transmission. I'd just source an R150F, they're cheap enough. I'd also have to get an ECU out of an 04 4x4 5MT 3.4... all the hydraulics, hard lines, clutch, pedal assembly (already have this), drive shafts, etc... it would be an expensive endeavor and yeah having to pay someone, let alone find someone, to do this would be a lot. Obviously cheaper to swap out a rebuilt auto but that too is very expensive. And the auto sucks.

Rear bumper will be done by Hurr Durr Fabrication. We've already bounced a lot of designs around.

And the 5' bed is tiny. But yes, we need to pack a lot less crap when camping. Just had this discussion today . I use Action Packers (large) so those take up a lot of space and end up getting filled with a lot of unnecessary stuff we don't use all the time.

LBJs are already on order, I'll do those soon.

Suspension is "easy" (with the help of someone smarter than me) but still not cheap.

Tires, not cheap either.

Grille... I can't describe the disappointment I have whenever I look at this stupid f'in thing.

Headlights... not cheap either.

Where do you live now anyways? Maybe I can drive up there and add another truck to your list of sh*t to work on

 

If I had a shop you'd be more than welcome to! Im in MT. Really not that far from where I was in Wyo. But from you, its like 8 hours still haha

Still, looks like most of this stuff is happening without the need to sell the 98...just saying..Kiddo will love that thing as a first vehicle too.

 

Yeah plus the tiny cab = not being able to drive many friends around = a good thing.

But it’s a lot of sitting for a truck. It’s not registered, it’s not insured...it just sits.

 

She's 13 right? Start teaching her now I learned to drive a manual when I was 9 I think. haha

 

Yeah she can reach the pedals just fine. If she can learn on a 225,000 mile clutch, she can drive anything.

I used to take my parents’ Mazda out as a 12 year old kid (without them knowing). I taught myself how to drive a manual transmission those days.

Poor car.