I did some work over the last couple weeks and figured out my Bronco has some hidden issues. I was lifting the body to install new mounts and noticed my rocker panel was moving. Did a little investigation and realized my plan to get the Bronco driving in the next month is unrealistic as hell freezing over. Up until now I figured hey, it was a daily driver for years. If I just get the engine going and other systems going again, I'll just drive it for the summer and do my metal work in the winter. Well....curious it's killed the cat.
I pulled off the driver side door weather stripping and saw that some of my Sheetmetal is pop riveted and siliconed together.....not welded. Floor pan to rocker panel? Pop rivets and bathroom silicone.
Then the subject of body mounts comes in....what body mounts. The only connection between the body and frame that was still operational was the body mount in the front floor boards. Both sides were bolted, but they were loose. The floor boards had been replaced and the just cut around the bolts. The bolts were sitting down in the channel under the new floorboards. Some of the frame holes for the mounts are too big as well because of rust or excessive wear so I'll need to reinforce those as well.
So long story short......I've put my delusion of getting it driving this summer in the trash.
Bottom line is I am replacing:
A Post driver side
Inner fenders both sides
Outer fenders both sides
Drivers front wheel well
Maybe radiator support
Front body mount brackets
Grill
Rear tailgate body mounts (hopefully not entire channel)
Both rear quarters
Passenger rocker
Driver/pass front floorboards
Windshield frame
All this on a Bronco that looked "pretty good".
I enjoy this kind of work so it will be an adventure for sure. Luckily the parts are relatively cheep and I live pretty close to a supplier (CJ Pony) so no shipping on sheetmetal. The talk with the wife about spending money is the only part I don't look forward to.....
Cleaned up a little and removed the rivets and silicone.