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Tin and Tar - First Time 68 Bronco Resto

T4x4R

Contributor
Full Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2010
Messages
212
Ry,

I was in the same exact position as you. I replaced everything except for the rear quarters and taillight housings.

Like everyone here has said, I would 100% keep what you have and then next door mock it up with sheet metal screws. then measure measure and measure again. Then brace it. and measure it about 5 more times. Alternate drivers side, passenger side as you move geometrically. The tub is flimsy and as you heat and cool it, it will flex and bend.

I made the mistake of cutting and throwing away. I should have kept it for reference even though i was replacing everything. Zip lock bag every nut washer bolt and label the bag. Then organize it in a tub based on where it came off. Then i would take your phone or a camera and take a picture every opportunity you can. I have gone back and referenced the pictures over and over again.

Im on year 3 of my frame off and have loved every minute....even though sometimes it was 25 minutes for the month. your gonna love that rig when your done with it. Your in a great place, everyone here is awesome and ready to help. Good Luck!
 
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rydog1130

rydog1130

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
4,019
Ry,

I was in the same exact position as you. I replaced everything except for the rear quarters and taillight housings.

Like everyone here has said, I would 100% keep what you have and then next door mock it up with sheet metal screws. then measure measure and measure again. Then brace it. and measure it about 5 more times. Alternate drivers side, passenger side as you move geometrically. The tub is flimsy and as you heat and cool it, it will flex and bend.

I made the mistake of cutting and throwing away. I should have kept it for reference even though i was replacing everything. Zip lock bag every nut washer bolt and label the bag. Then organize it in a tub based on where it came off. Then i would take your phone or a camera and take a picture every opportunity you can. I have gone back and referenced the pictures over and over again.

Im on year 3 of my frame off and have loved every minute....even though sometimes it was 25 minutes for the month. your gonna love that rig when your done with it. Your in a great place, everyone here is awesome and ready to help. Good Luck!

Thanks I appreciate it, will do!
 
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rydog1130

rydog1130

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
4,019
Take a look at EnglewoodCowboy's thread, it sounds like your are doing what he has just completed and he did a very good job at documenting each step he took. His build is:

http://www.classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=237944

In addition, my recommendation is to brace up the front cowl/core area, do the front door posts and inner fenders first so you can have something substantial you can build from. Then start working from the firewall back. Be sure to take many measurements before cutting anything apart, see what works, where there are issues, etc so you have a reference to piece the thing back together. Good luck!

Thank you for the info, appreciate it big time :)
 
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rydog1130

rydog1130

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Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
4,019
ok Guys heres the latest progress, basically have her all stripped down except few engine bay components and the dash. From there its all about getting the new panels in. My thought process is to take a shit ton of measurements, brace what I can and remove the floor panel, and cut away the lower portions of the front door post and kick panels so that it will fit. From there I think I can work on getting the upper cowel repaired, and new kick panels installed, and then the inner fenders/tubs. Thoughts on this process? Once that was done I would go on to replace the bed floor panels, tubs, door post and repair inner quarters, tail light housings....and then be finished with the body (yeah right) lol. I'll post more pics next week...
 

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Bferrari

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
856
The cowl replacement is where I would probably start as it provides a major structure to keeping everything aligned. I did mine a few months ago and found that the aftermarket pieces are a far shot from the factory and require some fitting/fabrication to get them in right. I did mine first then proceeded to the floor pans and it turned out great. Make sure to brace the doors while doing all of your surgery, one of the most important places to brace in my opinion. If you want to see what I did for my bracing, check my build thread.
http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=234723
 
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rydog1130

rydog1130

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Messages
4,019
Ok so here are a few more photos! I would like to brace the door post but I feel like it may not make much of a difference. The door post are so deteriorated and is attached w/ bondo and a piece of nylon screen! You can also see the PO loved tar and tin as his method of patch work on this beauty! I'm afraid of what I'll find under that tin/tar after I remove the air intakes on the cowel. I will try to brace it the best I can then cut the floor pan, rockers, and lower sections of door post and plop the new pan in! Wish me luck!
 

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rydog1130

rydog1130

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Body Work

Ok, so this build is pretty much a rolling resto and I think it will be the most unique one on here since I'm basically trying to salvage a bucket of rust. Well, first step was the floor pan had to come out since the inner rockers are the inner most part of the body. We braced the doors with the bracing I've most commonly seen used on here. Then here's where things become unorthodox. The fire cowl was braced by leaving the brake/gas/clutch brackets and the steering column in place . I then created an upside down T out of 2x4's to brace the cowl and firewall from falling down once the floor pan was removed. Well once the floor pan was removed we had to grind the welds on the chunk of I-Beam the PO had welded in place to act as the floor channel support/body mount. Then the right body mount was cut out due to the mounting hole being so rusted you could slide a beer can through it. The top portion of the frame was sand blasted so I can weld the new body mount in place. Once that is welded in place, it will get POR-15'D then new body bushings and pre assembled floor pan will be dropped in and lined up with the tunnel. From there some slight cowl repair and replacement of all the front end body panels/parts besides the front core support. I was excited to find the VIN code on the frame which matches the title! I'll have more pics by next week!
 

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rydog1130

rydog1130

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couple other pics, there were some other numbers stamped by the VIN, not sure what they mean!
 

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sprdv1

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Mar 8, 2007
Messages
81,734
Nice man. Congrats.

Just take it one step at a time, do what you can do when U can. ;)
 
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rydog1130

rydog1130

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Well, last week was pretty productive. I removed the gas/break/clutch pedals, disassembled the old doors and shipped them to OK. Removed the upper floor pans, painted the frame and dropped the new pan in w/ bushings to see how it fit. Surprisingly, I have not manipulated that pan and it almost fits perfectly! What a time saver! Hopefully next week we'll have the floor pan assembly and uppers tacked in place and I'll be moving on to the cowel area!
 

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Hank_

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 9, 2010
Messages
1,915
Ok, so this build is pretty much a rolling resto and I think it will be the most unique one on here since I'm basically trying to salvage a bucket of rust.

You are doing a great job and this quote made me chuckle a little. Many a bronco on here would be considered unique by this criteria. I know I had to replace almost every panel on my bronco or cut out rust and weld in patches. Keep up the great work. Can't wait to see it done.

Hank
 
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rydog1130

rydog1130

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Ha, very true! I guess the saying about skinning a cat applies to bronco builds, there is more than one way to do it!
 
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rydog1130

rydog1130

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Little advice here

Ok so I have my floor pans in but I'm not super happy, they look ok but there's a few spots where the seams just don't quite line up. There's about 1/8" gap on the top where the original trans tunnel meets the new floor pan. The original lip where it was spot welded is hitting the floor support channel causing this minor gap. The only other spot that quite doesn't line up is the upper left corner on the upper portion of the floor pan. There aren't any gaps per say but I feel like if I trimmed that lip on the original tunnel, this floor pan might fit better. My dilemma is do I unscrew everything and try to redo it? Or say the hell with it and weld it in and slap some seam sealer on it because the gap or tolerances are not that bad. I've included a photo let me know, am I being picky or is this normal ?
 

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rydog1130

rydog1130

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One more photo

This shows how that upper pan sits! It's flush every where else but here!
 

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Bferrari

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
856
Take the two body mounts out under the front floor pans and line it up. I had to do the same thing on mine. I lined mine up to the same fittment my old trans tunnel was, burned it in then reinstalled the body mounts and all my gaps were perfect. This area has load on it from the firewall and without it being welded is unsprung, hence the small gap. I think if I would have left the little gap in while welding I would probably would of had to shim the body mounts to make my door gap alignment happy. Not sure if this helps but it is what worked for me.
 
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rydog1130

rydog1130

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Ok so I tried pulling out the bushings and lining things up but I was getting to much of a gap at the bottom. Soooo, we decided to trim a little bit of the original tunnel and the pan fit like a gem! I just think the new pan had the floor channel support welded to close and it was hitting the original upper tunnel causing that gap! But were sitting pretty and flush and gap is corrected on the upper pan!
 

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BluebroncoNC

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
1,717
Loc.
Asheville, NC
Lol, time and money is all it takes I hear, so if I got this figured out:
time+money = bronco and we all know that time = money so money +money = LOTS OF MONEY ....gotchya!

Math on a Bronco forum, it is anarchy! Looks great, I keep checking in on your thread, it brings back memories...
 
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