Heartbroken...my 1973 caught fire -- Follow the restoration here!

Oakland Bronco · Sep 30, 2012

I drove to Pacifica, Ca, today for an arts and wine festival called FogFest. When I left, everything seemed normal. I drove about 2 blocks from my friend's house when the Bronco shut off. I looked at the hood and black smoke was billowing out the sides. I grabbed the fire extinguisher and opened the hood--the entire engine bay was engulfed in flames! Once the engine bay seemed in control, I looked through the driver's side window and saw flames pouring out from under the dash. Finally everything was out! I'm in shock. I don't know what to say or how to feel. I'm so extremely sad, angry, and disgusted. The Bronco is now back in my parking space, and looks horrible.

When my amazing wife arrived at the scene, she grabbed me and said, "we're fixing the Bronco, and it will be more bad ass than it has been." I'm unemployed at the moment, so I'm not going to make any headway in the near future. But I don't know where to start! Does anyone have a recommendation for a San Francisco-area shop that can help get my Bronco back up and running? Based on the pics, how much do you think the restoration will cost?

A mechanic and paint guy walked over after the fire was out. His opinion was that the engine is sound. Needs dash, gauges, etc, maybe new paint job, new carpet, new MSD ignition and blaster coil, etc.

I appreciate any feedback on the above.

okie4570 · Sep 30, 2012

Oh man...........Glad you're ok, and had an extinguisher. Looks fixable, still sucks to be without your bronco though. Hope you find someone to help you get it going again.

half cab · Sep 30, 2012

okie4570 said:
Oh man...........Glad you're ok, and had an extinguisher. Looks fixable, still sucks to be without your bronco though. Hope you find someone to help you get it going again.

XX2 and man this seems to be happening more n more as of late

Madgyver · Sep 30, 2012

Glad you got out safely. The bronco can be fixed.

Looks like my firebronco when I first got it. I got it running 4 days after acquiring it.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70103&highlight=bronco+fire+hawaii

first thing to do is to clean off all the carbon on it. scotchbrite green pads with soap and water because that black soot will get all over you while you're trying to fix it.

TN1776 · Sep 30, 2012

Hard to say how much it'll cost. As was said I'd start by cleaning the whole bronco as much as you possibly can then try to isolate the cause of the fire - looking for anything obvious or finding the area that looks like it burned the longest. Might be a hard task and you might never identify it but that's where I'd begin if it were me.

Really sucks that you had to experience this but you sound like you have the right mindset about it - shit happens and you have to move on.

Good luck to you.

crab · Sep 30, 2012

After you get it cleaned up, I think I would try to figure out what started the fire in the first place. Leaky carb.......electrical? Don't need that to happen again after it's fixed!

thegreatjustino · Sep 30, 2012

Oakland Bronco said:
Does anyone have a recommendation for a San Francisco-area shop that can help get my Bronco back up and running?

Wow, sorry to see that happen. Get in touch with Andrew of bajabronco.com. He's in Saratoga and does nice work:

http://www.bajabronco.com/

broncnaz · Sep 30, 2012

Glad your ok and the bronco is not to bad off. I'm betting on a bad fuel line. A good reminder for all to check the condition of fuel lines. Might want to make sure any clamps are tight as well heat and age tends to shrink the rubber and clamps loosen and cracks form.

LOVNBRONCOS · Sep 30, 2012

Sorry to see that happened. Heart Breaking.

cody72sport · Sep 30, 2012

I've been through this Twice with my bronco. once from a torch while removing the rusty floors and once from a bad fuel line. I know how you feel, I felt like smashing my head against a brick wall. just start by getting it cleaned up, then start one piece at a time. spark wires...fuel lines...etc etc get it running first then worry about carpet and gauges. you will feel so much better when you hear that motor running again

u10072 · Sep 30, 2012

It looks like there what quite a lot of extra add-on electrical stuff going on -- if it were me I would get another harness, delete all the extra electrical stuff. Anytime you do anything electrical you always solder the connections and use heat shrink. I would also look at how the wires are routed from the engine to under the dash and such-- I have seen way too many times a nice fat primary wire running through a jagged hole with no kind of protection. Could be totally wrong but thas my guess seeing as you had a fire under the dash. I had a fuel fire once and its pretty darn scary but if you learn something from it all is not a loss.

TwoDalesDad · Sep 30, 2012

I have had a couple of fires..one electrical and the other fuel. The fuel filter broke...glass hit something...then sloshed fuel on hot engine....lit tight off. The other was a accell plug wire popped out ofthe diz cap. Then the engine backfired....and lit right quick....washWASH ALL THE WHITE BAKING SODA ....VERY CORROSIVE!!..BRONCOS ARE SIMPLE TO MAKE RUN...NEW WIRE LOOM PLUG WIRES AIR CLEANER....MAYBE SOME PAINT..DONT SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF..

sprdv1 · Oct 1, 2012

Hang in there brother.. Glad you weren't hurt in the incident... sux for sure that it happens right..

bptommy · Oct 1, 2012

glad your ok, good looking out carrying the fire extinguisher, pictures don't look that bad she will run again. good luck

NDFess · Oct 1, 2012

Glad you are okay. I was going to drive mine today, but then realized I left my fire extinguisher in my buddy's truck this weekend....

orangecrush4u · Oct 1, 2012

Sorry to see that happen, good thing you had the fire extinguisher. Years ago that happened to me in my Jeep J2000 pickup and casued major damage.

BrettG · Oct 1, 2012

Man I hate that happened to you, but I'm glad you're ok and had an extinguisher. I would start by cleaning thoroughly and protecting bare metal that was left exposed due to the fire. Rust will happen over night on post fire metal.

BlackCat4 · Oct 1, 2012

Sorry,That sux that is my fear to if my Rig caught on fire I would want to die...hope you get it fixed. Glad you are OK....

Bronco Junkie · Oct 1, 2012

So sorry to hear about this. You have the right attitiude for the rebuild!!!

jlylec · Oct 1, 2012

Very sorry to hear this. so shitty. glad everybody was OK though.

Heartbroken...my 1973 caught fire -- Follow the restoration here!

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