• Welcome to ClassicBroncos! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all the site features, please take a moment to register. It's fast, simple and absolutely free. So please join our community today!
    If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.

Cost Building New Bronco From Scratch (Hint it’s in the 80’s)

T-7ToNewOldB

Full Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
315
So this isn’t a question but a statement. I’m a private builder, building a new Bronco from scratch as a project with my son, who is way into cars. We have a 53 Chevy Pickup, a single owner 2004 TJ Unlimited 2 door, a 2015 WRX and a 1969 beetle that we are about to put in a brand new engine we built, 125 ponies!!!.

When my 2016 Golf R died, saving my sons lives that were in the car when it was hit (everyone is totally fine, car totaled) we decided that my much loved 2004 unlimited was rusting away and my son with 1.5 years left at home wanted us to do something fun. So bronco build from ground up. I’m sure I’ll have tons of questions but I also know I see people asking how much this whole thing costs. That’s what I’ll be reporting.

Basics
Frame Krawlers Edge
Body LAL Customs
Engine Blueprint 347 stroker with Eddlebrock Pro Flow 4
Trans AX 15
Transfer Case Atlas 2
Disc brakes (not willwood)
1” body lift built into frame
1.5” suspension lift (this is a daily driver for mostly street use)
Ford 9” rear end with LSD
Dana 44 front open differential. (This is one of the few rebuild components in the vehicle)
Lots of other nick nacks, mostly from Wild Horses, for the rolling chassis. Stainless large capacity fuel tank, in tank fuel pump, Hydro boost, willwood master cylinder, leaf springs rear, Bilstein all around, anti axle wrap from Wild Horses.

As I get info I’ll keep adding to this.

One question I have is best headers for 346 stroker with AX15 trans. Most seem like they have to be modified to work. Just checking.


Hugh
 
Last edited:

ransil

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 6, 2003
Messages
8,122
Doing that much work put a Coyote motor in it.

IMO WH shorty headers or the best fit for regular motor
 

Cortez

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 29, 2009
Messages
1,193
I’m guessing you will be in the $40k range. What’s your plan for obtaining a title? Can you get a kit car title or will you buy someone’s title for sale with junk Bronco?
 
OP
OP
T

T-7ToNewOldB

Full Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
315
And I wish I could do it for $40k!!! Reality is probably closer to 2x that. $40k could be done but you would need a donor vehicle for quite a bit of it, not the route I’m going. I’m buying the tub assembled and installed by someone else to make sure it fits properly. You could save maybe $8k-$10k in the process by doing the whole tub assembly yourself. Not something I have the skill, time or interest in doing.
 

Projp

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2004
Messages
503
Welcome!
I will be following along. I, (like many others), investigated going this route. Personally, I chickened out and bought a donor to work with. It was the million little pieces that I did not want to chase down that made the difference.
Please keep us up to date on costs.
I think you will be $75 to $ 100K mainly dependent on what you have to pay for outside labor vs doing it yourself
 

lgdpt

Sr. Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2012
Messages
396
Welcome!
I will be following along. I, (like many others), investigated going this route. Personally, I chickened out and bought a donor to work with. It was the million little pieces that I did not want to chase down that made the difference.
Please keep us up to date on costs.
I think you will be $75 to $ 100K mainly dependent on what you have to pay for outside labor vs doing it yourself

This is a fact. All the little parts are crazy... like stainless blots and nuts. The locals at ACE hardware know me by name now.
 
OP
OP
T

T-7ToNewOldB

Full Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
315
My next update on this will be the beginning of January. Will have all the costs for the rolling chassis, plus tub, top and paint finalyzed. Then all the small things. . . . . I’ll be happy to keep it in the $70k-$80k range.

Coyote added a level of cost increase and assembly complication that wasn’t worth it to me. Going fuel injection on the 347 eliminates most of the issues with old engines that would bother me.
 

Projp

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2004
Messages
503
This is a fact. All the little parts are crazy... like stainless blots and nuts. The locals at ACE hardware know me by name now.

A normal Saturday is one trip to ACE.

Two trips happens often...

Three trips occasionally.

Our local ACE has a phenomenal selection of hardware.
I talked to the wholesaler who was stocking the bins one day and he said that our store was his number two retail outlet in the state
 

AZ73

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
3,539
I wasn't planning on it, but I ended up basically building mine from scratch. I spent more on the motor than I shouid have and used the frame and most of the body, but I'm not quite done yet and am clocking in at about $80,000 in receipts so far, for the base Bronco ($7500) and with me doing most of the labor.

It's the little things that add up, and shipping.
 

jperry1290

Sr. Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2010
Messages
908
In CA you are probably looking at 15k for paint alone. A 347 is going to be $7500. That’s 22 just for engine and paint. I’m guessing this would be 75-100k
 
OP
OP
T

T-7ToNewOldB

Full Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
315
7k total for paint. Epoxy primer, raptor line bottom, engine bay and inside bottom. From a very good local paint shop (near Chicago). Engine was $5,700 with the fuel injection.
 

904Bronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 28, 2004
Messages
5,743
Loc.
San Martin, CA
This is a fact. All the little parts are crazy... like stainless blots and nuts. The locals at ACE hardware know me by name now.

I actually help people find what they need when I am there... Know where everything is... Scary
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,821
As much as you think the big parts are expensive, it is the death by a thousand paper cuts that will really drive up the costs. All the nickel and dime stuff. That will double your estimate. The more stuff you farm out to others to do, that will drive up the costs as well, easily doubling the costs again.
 

Mikesimp70

Full Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2017
Messages
341
I can tell you that your approach will be a sliding scale of $$ and time.

You will be between $70k w/ 1200hrs and $100k w/ 700hrs.

These are hands on hours. You’re gonna spend a few hundred screen hours also! ��. Looks like you have some of these already.

Tip - you need somewhere besides the house to ship parts to. As you get closer the boxes get smaller and more numerous. The wife starts sniffing around and asking questions at this point!!
 
OP
OP
T

T-7ToNewOldB

Full Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
315
I can tell you that your approach will be a sliding scale of $$ and time.

You will be between $70k w/ 1200hrs and $100k w/ 700hrs.

These are hands on hours. You’re gonna spend a few hundred screen hours also! ��. Looks like you have some of these already.

Tip - you need somewhere besides the house to ship parts to. As you get closer the boxes get smaller and more numerous. The wife starts sniffing around and asking questions at this point!!


Shockingly my wife donated her indoor car space for this project, in Chicago, IN WINTER!!! She’s an Angel, or is planning to kill me. Possibly both.

I have complete confidence that this project will turn out completely different than I have planned! With a little luck that will be a good thing. First round is building the rear end, I bought a rebuilt front-end complete from TBP.

I have a very solid cost-sheet done through rolling chassis, body and paint. It’s all the other stuff, dash hardware, door hardware, AC-Heater system etc. . . That I have gone through but not completely itemized. I am also installing a used glovebox..
 
Last edited:
Top