Hellwig 68 Bronco Project

Bknaus · Jun 15, 2012

Hi everyone, this is the build up thread for the Hellwig Products 1968 Bronco project. We tore it apart today so it's time for a build up thread. We basically have a Bronco that we're just keeping the body and VIN and everything else will be new.

Plans:
2011 Ford Coyote 5.0 crate engine
6R80 Tranny (6 speed auto w/ 4.17 first gear)
3:1 Atlas T-Case
Art Morrison Frame
Delphi steering box w/ ram assist
Fox Coilovers
Hellwig Sway Bars (obviously)
Currie High Pinion 9 Inch Axles (most likely 60 outers)
And a million other details

We've started ordering everything this week so all the plans are coming together. We'll see how the plans change/evolve over the next couple weeks. Our plans is to have the suspension on the frame with the drivetrain mounted by SEMA to have in our booth. Then get back, finish everything else including body and then take it to Moab!

Now, pics:

How it showed up, plates with Feb 1988 stickers...

Playing a little before teardown and to check clearance on our Bronco sway bars. LOTS of frame flex put the fan into the radiator...

Interior

Original 289 with X23,000 miles. Your guess on the first digit...

Bknaus · Jun 15, 2012

Today we tore it all down! There was just as much grinding as there was use of sockets to get everything apart. There's some solid rust repair/bodywork in the future... Overall though, everything went pretty smooth.

Topless (18+ only?)

Stripped

Our synchronized fork lift body removal dance. Worked really well and let us leave all the drivetrain intact

Body

Everything else

Bknaus · Jun 15, 2012

And the first of many new parts are here! Maybe no more backfiring with this one like the 289 it used to have?

Ford 5.0 Coyote still in the crate. Opening that container was a great feeling!

Hank_ · Jun 15, 2012

Subscribing to the build. Looking forward to watching its progress. Nice bronco to start with.

Henry

broncobsession · Jun 15, 2012

So cool! Can't wait to see it come together.

Dano 407 · Jun 15, 2012

Subscribed.

Will stop in next week to poke around and heckle your progress. Yours will likely get done before mine......

D

nabes68 · Jun 16, 2012

This is going to be nice can't wait to see it

mp · Jun 16, 2012

Great build plan, but I sure hate seeing these sweet original sun baked west coast survivors going under the knife.

xcntrk · Jun 16, 2012

Wow, looks like it's going to be a great build off to good start... You guys got some fork-lift skills!

blamejane · Jun 16, 2012

can't wait to see this come together. You guys are super fast at this aren't you?

Bukin 67 · Jun 16, 2012

Looking forward to the build.

What made you go with the 2011 Ford Coyote 5.0?

Bknaus · Jun 18, 2012

Thanks everyone, we're pretty excited about it. Glad you guys think we're on the right track!

mp said:
Great build plan, but I sure hate seeing these sweet original sun baked west coast survivors going under the knife.

I agree with you, I love the old look of the "sun kissed" Bronco. We'd even talked about driving it with the original body with the "patina" and original paint for awhile but once we pulled it all apart and saw how much rust there is those plans changed. The rear fender is already trimmed by the PO but besides some inner fender massaging for the engine, we're trying to keep the body as unchopped as possible (besides the cutting out of rust).

Bukin 67 said:
What made you go with the 2011 Ford Coyote 5.0?

Since this will be used offroad so we wanted EFI. The engine compartment on the EB really isn't huge so it cut out some engine possibilities without doing a ton of work to squeeze it in and we wanted to keep it all Ford. Also, the Coyote is just a sweet engine that will be a ton of fun on and off the road.

Modman · Jul 1, 2012

Adapter

Did ya'll get your adapter for the 6R80 I sent yet?

stlo · Jul 1, 2012

very cool build...will be watching this one close....good luck!

blamejane · Jul 1, 2012

Subscribed...thanks guys, this looks like fun!

Bknaus · Jul 2, 2012

Modman said:
Did ya'll get your adapter for the 6R80 I sent yet?

It just came in the door a couple of minutes ago. It's some good looking work!

We also got a used (only 1k miles) 6r80 from a 2011 F150 with a 5.0L. We're just holding out until the new frame gets here in a few weeks and then it's game on!

bsquared · Jul 2, 2012

Subscribed! Good luck

Bknaus · Jul 19, 2012

Parts have started trickling in. As usual Randy's Ring and Pinion had us covered and got us our stuff right away.

We got the Randy Nodular Daytona 9" third member for the rear with 4.86 gears and a Grizzly locker. The Daytona has a nice big pinion support that we really like.

We also got some Randy D60 35 spline flanges (YHC 50005) and D60 35 spline Yukon spin free locking hubs (YHC 70002). The locking hubs look really beefy and have that added bling factor.

We got our 6r80 transmission out of a wrecked 2011 F150 5.0 with only ~1000 miles. The tranny's bolted to our Atlas t-case adapter made by Tumblin Automotive. The adapter is really nice and uses all the factory seals and bolts right up!

Bknaus · Aug 6, 2012

We're getting anxious and want to get going on this (SEMA is just around the corner) so while we wait for more parts we installed our bling, heat treated locking hubs from Randy's on our axles. Progress!

broncobsession · Aug 6, 2012

That can't be the only new picture ??? We love pictures!

Looking good.

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