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Ben's 73 Build Thread

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Bferrari

Bferrari

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
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856
Went to the Fab Fords Forever show last weekend and had a blast. Got to see some amazing vehicles, meet some great people and get many ideas for my build. After the show I got to hang out with one of my idols ... all in all a great weekend. Now that I am back home, got back to work on the 73. Pulled the top off of it and tried squaring the body. I am using an old frame from a 77 on the rotisserie to mount the tub on. My thoughts on this were that I would be mounting it to an identical surface as my frame so I could dial in the door gaps, body lines, etc. What I found was that the rotisserie frame is off by 1/2" on one of the mounts and 1/4" on another. Did they really have this much variation in frames from the factory or did I end up with a bogus frame? All in all, spent a few hours detailing each mounting elevation and getting the body squared on the rotisserie chassis so I can get started with the body work/panel replacement.
 

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Bferrari

Bferrari

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Finally got a chance to jump back on the Bronco! Got everything stripped off of the tub, doors, etc. to prepare for media blasting (I had some good helpers today!) Found a local guy who is reputable with blasting cars that is very fair priced. So far, it looks like the back half of my rig is pretty solid. I will be replacing the front floor pans, the cowl and window channel, front inner fenders and probably the core support. Can't wait to eliminate rust from this equation so I can get back on track and start body work and paint.
 

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englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
Your tub looks fantastic compared to what I started with. I would only worry about door fitment if you have to do some surgery like I did at this time. I have heard stories of these things having stacks of washers on the body mounts to get the tubs to sit right, Might be the body or the frame but you can adjust and shim to get it right. I did my surgery on my frame to make it as close as possible but played around and found that a single washer 1/16" think can change things drastically so I am not going to worry about making it perfect till final assembly, I think if I as well as you went for that perfect fit now, we would be bald and blind buy the time it was done from have to go through the entire aggregation of alignment again and again till it was finished. These were not built to tight tolerances in the first place, most look at as poor build quality, I am looking at it as plenty of room for adjustments to be made. Keep going at it!
 
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Bferrari

Bferrari

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I had to stack washers on the old frame I use on the rotisserie. Notice the stacked washers with electrical tape around them ;) I am going to try to get it dialed without washers on the original frame ... it's the little things like this that drive me nuts!
 

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Bferrari

Bferrari

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I feel like I am all dressed up and nowhere to go ... Just contacted the guy who was going to media blast and he unfortunately had a stroke and will not be able to do the Bronco. So, I called around the horn and found another guy who is good with cars, uses walnut shells to blast. Talked to him this morning and he won't be able to touch it for 2 and a half months! Mind you, rig is stripped, on the rotisserie and loaded up ready to go. Looks like I may be doing the stripping myself, bring on the paint stripper!
 

mattyq17

Bronco Guru
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Jul 11, 2007
Messages
1,597
That sucks Ben!!! Have you called full spectrum powder coating in SLO? They are off Tank Farm, my BIL sends all his stuff to them and says they are really good. Keep in mind thought he sends them bumpers and roll cages that me makes for his clients so I dont know how good they are with sheet metal.
 
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Bferrari

Bferrari

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While I am waiting on the blaster I figured I could get some of the panel replacement done. Stripped the windshield cowl mount, cowl panel and both inner fender skirts. Couldn't believe the science experiment (i.e. shit loads of rust) that were growing under my windshield. Going to try to tackle the floor pans tomorrow night and then clean and prep everything for the new metal. Ordered the parts today so should have them by the weekend! Game On!
 

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englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
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Jul 25, 2010
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4,200
Nice work. If you are getting the Dynacorn replacement inner fenders, they come with the corners you left on the core support. Just FYI. :)
 
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Bferrari

Bferrari

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Mar 6, 2013
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Nice work. If you are getting the Dynacorn replacement inner fenders, they come with the corners you left on the core support. Just FYI. :)

Don't know, I ordered half of the stuff from Tom's and the other half from Wild Horses. Figured they were easy enough to pull off if the new ones came with them. I also copied your measurement diagram you posted in your thread and measured everything I could to ensure placement would go back in the right location .... many thanks!!
 
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Bferrari

Bferrari

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That sucks Ben!!! Have you called full spectrum powder coating in SLO? They are off Tank Farm, my BIL sends all his stuff to them and says they are really good. Keep in mind thought he sends them bumpers and roll cages that me makes for his clients so I dont know how good they are with sheet metal.

Thanks for the idea, I will give them a call and see if they have done cars. We send our race car chassis to them for powder coating, never thought of them for media blasting the car. I'll give it a shot!
 

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
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4,200
Just keep in mind when you fit the front back together to clamp and test fit your fenders and do lots of measuring to make sure they are square etc. I had to trim the Dynacorn panels at the front lower edge to mimic the factory ones.
 
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Bferrari

Bferrari

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Got some sheet metal delivered today. Getting excited to get crackin' on it. Away with the Rusty Metal!!
 

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Bferrari

Bferrari

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did that new metal come put together or do you just have it laying together.

I wish! No, just have it laying there! LOL The floorpans are the 5 piece set from Tom's, I got the windshield frame cowl and the lower cowl panel from Wildhorses. The lower cowl panel is one piece.
 
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englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
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Jul 25, 2010
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4,200
I love the smell of fresh metal in the morning. Have fun putting it in. If you look at my floor I switched the way the pass side rear pan meets the tunnel. From the factory it laid on top but there were big gaps at the cross member. It took a little time to get it underneath but it fit tighter to the cross member on mine so I made that change just for my piece of mind since I am a large body. I want to make sure it has all the support It can get. Lol.
 
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Bferrari

Bferrari

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Mar 6, 2013
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Ok, not reporting bronco progress tonight however had to share (proud dad moment). It's my boys' 4th birthday today and they each got 'Big Boy' bikes. 5 minutes in to it they asked to scrap the training wheels, so I said okay. To my surprise they took off like they've been doing it for years! 10 minutes later they were taking them off a jump! Only heaven knows what I have in store for the future with these two!
 

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Pa PITT

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Jul 15, 2005
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Stephenville TEXAS
... That so cool I almost never dropped my training wheels. Man it must have 16'' to the ground from where I was setting. And I hate to say I think I was about 6.
 

mjramacher

Full Member
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Jul 29, 2012
Messages
301
your build is coming along nicely love the kid pics my 3 year old boy all he talks about is when Im gonna finish the bronco so he can drive it I hope im done before that. keep up the good work and take lots of pics to share ill be watching.
 
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