Newbie -> Just Got My -NEW TO ME- Bronco Need help, advice, parts

Hey everyone - Newbie HERE –I just got my -- NEW TO ME -- 1975 Ford Bronco delivered to me from Colorado (to Eastern Long Island, NY) – and it needs a bit more work – let’ say than I expected/ was told. It’s a 1975 EFI 5.0 HO, PS, PB (disc front) 2-1/2 lift, GY MT Kevlar tires, STC soft & doors, Rihno lined, well see link https://goo.gl/photos/yg2uJpNWMbFvtEq58
I never bought over the internet, but the “SALESMAN” assured me he would explain the truck thoroughly to me – plus all the pic and a video, I felt comfortable… So after delivery/ getting to look in person myself, I see that there was quite a bit more to this truck then I was told…
I had asked during the sale to have them put the top and doors on and they had given me (turns out) excuses why “they didn’t get to”. I see why they didn't want to put the top and doors on (missing parts and DOORS are IN BAD shape). Body work is worse than I thought/told, roll bar and seat belts aren't even fully bolted in...! Found rot in front lower fenders... Brakes are to be desired (can’t emergency stop), and steering is a quite sqirrely/ loose, drifts right. The gauges and switches DON'T all work, as I was told, and the truck seems maybe one of those electrical nightmares. Went to pull off a tire to check the brakes and the lugs were all loose, due to not being the right lugs, they’re too short, not the long style that they should be, to get/keep a socket on. Not even SAFE TO DRIVE! Wonder what else I'm going to find...?
Had I known all this - I DEFINITELY would've negotiated a better price...! It looks like someone through it together and gave it a Macco cover up paint job - there's over spray everywhere and not so great prep work! I'd be A LOT happier if I didn't pay as much - This is a PROJECT TRUCK! As we went over the truck, I was advised that it just needed a few fix up things.... Right now I can't / I'm afraid to even drive it! Forget about taking the family out in it.... Luckily I’m a mechanic and a Jack of all trades, but didn’t expect this to be such a large project. Good thing is I’ll have the winter to get her in shape.
As far as the top goes, I was told it looked like an old STC - That appears to be what it is. And after cleaning it all up, other than the few holes on the top and a few scuff marks on the windows- the TOP is actually in decent condition. It’s the STC doors and the truck that need help/missing parts, it looks like from the truck body and paint work they filled in where snaps would've been and/or bracket holes, etc... I do really like how the STC doors were (supposed to) be made to attached from the outside, plus for whatever reason they left the sliding door molding mounted on the body, but removed the snaps. So if I were to use Best top doors, I’d have to do something about the moldings. I think I'm going to try to fix the doors/top myself, or take it to a convertible top specialist to see if they can salvage/repair the top and doors, but I need some professional advice - See link of pictures (yes that’s a wrench welded for a handle) - what am I missing, how do the doors attached to the windshield pillar, OR another option - does anyone have STC doors in better shape to sell?
Also What Do they have for the passenger seat getting into the back? Right now this one appears to have just a slider - that won’t move (rusted to hell). Do they have a kind of seat mount that slides AND flips forward to allow easier access to the back? Right now we have to climb over the center console...
Also is there a DUAL steering Stabilizer for these Broncos? I figure that will help with the steering - even after doing an alignment...
The motor & drive-train seems good – she really gets up and goes – just need to bleed the brakes and see why the pedal is so high (big movement/lift of foot from gas to brake pedal) so she stops too… LOL

Thanks in advance to all…
-TC

Welcome.
You've come to the right place theres a vast amount of knowledge here.
Seems to be the norm with internet vehicle sales. They are rarely exactly what you are told. But we've seen people get hosed worse. cant help with the STC stuff. Your seats are aftermarket so your kinda stuck with going thur the center to get to the rear. Stock seat folded over but is much shorter and aftermarket seats as well as most other seats people swap in are to tall to fold over so your stuck. Unless someone has come up with something I don't know about.
I'm sure you could put a dual steering stabilizer on but they are not needed. once aligned correctly it should handle much better. remember this is a old vehicle plus its modified it wont drive like todays vehicles although you can get them to handle reasonable well. A steering stabilizer only prevents the shock to the steering box and drive when the tires hit a bump. they don't really affect handling at all and if they do then something is wrong.
Brake pedal issue hard to say as they are a bit higher than todays vehicles. There should be a rubber bumper on the pedal bracket that limits pedal uptravel a little if its missing it could be higher than normal.
Anyhow welcome to the club.

Shoot. Looks like you bought from Worldwide Vintage Autos. There are a lot of threads on here with negative reviews/information about that place. I hope you didn't pay the $25,900 they were asking.

Shame you didn't come to the forum first. That place is a huge scam and simply a rip off. At this point you will have too much into the Bronco so the decision is to live with it or cut your losses now (you should have easily been able to find a nice Bronco for 20-30k). Have you tried to get any money back or will they accept a return, did you buy through ebay where can at least drag them into the mud, lawyer? That said the guys on the forum can guide you to fix most anything.

Thanks for the info and friendly welcome.
Yeah I've been searching around and not much luck with the STC doors. But I've been looking them over and thinking - I maybe able to repair/fix them up/ fab up something, the missing handles are going to be the most challenging.
The pass seat I was thinking (if anything), I maybe able to customize - weld/fab up something from (dare I say it) a Jeep seat bracket and what's there.
What do you think about the rust/rot in the lower inside fenders? (See pics in link). I'm not that much of a body guy. You think I can get away with just cutting that out/ cleaning it up and spray it up with rust converter and then undercoating? The rear quarter wavey body work , I think for now I'm going to leave it and/or I thought of putting on decals or something to not make it NOT so obvious - it's all "I" see when "I" look at the sides. I saw decals @ TBP for the windshield that I thought might do the trick w/o looking too gawky.?.. Also going to add fender piping/welting around the flares to clean it up, hide the not so great paint job.
I'm going to rotate, balance the tires, get a wheel alignment and I just purchased a (single) steering stabilizer.
Also going to flush/ bleed the brakes and check into that pedal travel (thank you for the advise).
I need to get it inspected, but I still have things to do; I'm installing rampage side mirrors (going to bolt/screw into the windshield.( I'm not happy about that , but seems to be the best choice) and I also noticed the reverse lights aren't working. Thats what's scaring me the most - ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS!.
As you said it IS a 1975 truck , so all in all it's not TOO bad....

NOT REALLY local to you, but am up in the North East, member of BONES (Bronco Owners North East States) and you can bounce anything of off me through a PM or I can give ya my cell. We host a Bronco get together every May and would love to have you come on up. There are a few Bronco guys on the island, you are south of Port Jeff correct? Hydro boost will sure up your weak brake issues, have them on both of mine and a great and easy upgrade. As for the steering, you might be able to tighten up the box? there is an article in tech I believe on how to do it.....drop me a line with any questions!!

About WWVA , I did talk them down, QUITE a bit, and I did submit a formal complaint, about being misled. Greg the sales man did say he was submitting my complaints to the owners and would look into / discuss compensation (what ever that means or will be). I have seen worse for about the what I paid OR MORE (those the ppl must've been smoking something). During my searching I DID learn that these Broncos are expensive and going up and up in cost daily. The biggest problem is that I had asked all about the truck during the sale, had I known all these other things, I would've negotiated an even lower price. Let's see if they do the "right thing" , then I'll be happier. Don't get me wrong, I love the truck just if I paid less for it....

Tasker, thanks for the info. Feel free to PM me your contact info. Yes I'm south of PJ. I have an 02 F350 7.3L Super Duty as well, that I tightened that steering box up, is the bronco the same? (Haven't looked at that yet) . As far as the brakes do you think the power vacuum boost brakes will / won't do the trick after bleeding, etc. If not with the Hydroboost , what's involved, and how much $$ are you taking about? I have a WH catalog, can I get away with just changing the master (if the brake line are all good)?

having the lines made is probably the hardest part.....I did both of mine for under $100
BLEED THEM FIRST, SEE WHERE YOU ARE AT THOUGH!

Trying to figure out the controls (no labelling), there's 5 original style knobs/controls. (there's a pic of the dash up in the link of pics). There mounted facing down. I figured out the lights,wipers are on the column, found fan Hi/ low (by turning). Any ideas of the rest temp adjustment, defrost select. I know some you have to pull.... Also any ideas of labeling, the dash is Rihno lined, so not sure of what's avail. to stick on ..?

Taming your steering is a major requirement asap and can be done...search the forum here for how to address that one. With your lift, if there was no compensation in steering geometry it's likely an easy fix with some c bushings and additional brackets to correct, plus possibly a drop pitman...very common on these. Even with people who know their way around a garage it can seem elusive but the info and expertise is all here on the forum. I've pulled my front end apart several times and now I have it dialed in, but also to a point that I can tear it down on Saturday and know that it can be back together and driven by Sunday night ��

One other Problem that's giving me a challenge is I have no reverse lights. That gets activated right off of the Trans - right? ( C4 trans) . Where / how to I begin to trouble shoot this ? ?:?

You sure you have a C-4 transmission? The switch on the transmission looks like this...

https://www.tomsbroncoparts.com/pro...itch-c4-automatic-66-77-early-ford-bronco-new

Too bad about your purchase. It is good they didn't do this to me. I'd take a flame thrower to their place. But, seriously, not worth going to prison over. you need to lick your wounds and get on with getting the truck like you want it.

Step back, calm down and just start going over things methodically. Make a list and then tackle things by importance. Meaning, make sure it stops and steers safely. Then go after all the mickey mouse crap (knobs, gauges, etc). It can be made right.

Isn't this where the Neutral Safety switch is supposed to be ?

https://goo.gl/photos/aXybaZ1jaL8wXR1n9

Also I see there's an oil leak from the rear of the oil pan. How hard is it to fix (drop the pan on/in the truck, etc)?

I'm not up on the C4 configuration.

Regarding your oil leak...could be many things. You need to track it down. Oil can run down from the valve covers. Oil can run out the oil pan gasket. Oil can run down from the rear oil seal. Oil can be coming from up front some place, but driving down the road tends to make it migrate to the rear. I had to recently snug up the oil pan bolts on mine because I saw a tiny bit of oil seepage from around the pan. That took care of that.

Too bad about your Bronco. Did they sell you this as a restored truck? Or just an as is type deal? Of course 'restored' is a word thrown around and means many things to different people.

I just did an oil pan gasket replacement, really an easy job. Just a bit messy. Difficulty is really figuring out where the leak is coming from. Time will tell I suppose.

By the pictures it looked like a nice Bronco, really nice. Sorry to hear of the troubles....

see pic link , there's no shifter button/cable either...
https://goo.gl/photos/V1bhifoaKFAHF4Hy5

When looking for replacement pan gasket how do I know what to get ? All I know is it's a 302ci, 5.0L with mass air ... I think I read they could be anywhere from 89 -93 ... Should I be safe and just say it's a 90?

There are casting numbers on the engine block. They tell the story on the engine year.

http://diyford.com/ford-small-block-engine-interchange-guide-cylinder-block/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Windsor_engine

Look what else I found hiding behind the inner panel on drivers door striker
https://goo.gl/photos/j4kQ17LjMWsxReZL6
Does this mean that it's not a 75, but a 74?

So, as far as the NSS/reverse lights go. I'm not seeing wiring going to the Trans/ floor shifter (besides the no button or cable on the shifter itself) . I'll have to look closer, it's hard to see around the headers/exhaust... Maybe it was bypassed?
What are my alternatives in this situation ?

https://goo.gl/photos/eLipuuBtrJ7Eo7Ju8