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My 2021 updates on my 73 - long overdue - FINISHED

JWMcCrary

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Bronco Guru
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Oct 14, 2004
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Never had any type of build thread on this Bronco. I bought it in 2004 and it has gone thru numerous upgrades over the years but has never had any body and paint work. It got a new buckaroo hood that was painted in 2007, other than that it has just been touchups from dings and bangs on the trails over the years. It got a new painless harness in 2006 which is still in great shape but other wiring has been added and deleted over the years making it now look like a rats nest. I built a 351w stroker (395) in 2005 that is now smoking, using oil, and has blowby. Still run good but I'm just not happy with it anymore.
SO, I decided it was time to give it some love. Pulled it in my house carport/garage last Friday, 15th, and pulled the engine.
Below is a list of work planned, not really a build thread, but it gives me a way to track progress and for others to comment and/or get and/or give ideas.

#1 - New engine, I acquired a 351w roller block which is currently at the machine shop. Doing all new internals, Scat crank & rods, ICON forged pistons, new custom camshaft, reworking my Edelbrock heads and swapping valve springs and adding new Harland roller rockers. Changing from Edelbrock performer intake to Edelbrock performer air gap intake. Updating the dual sync distributor, give the Holley fuel injection components a good cleaning. Cleanup my BCB headers.

#2 - Reworking dash with a dash overlay, getting rid of the aluminum panel I made in 2006 and painting the same color as the Bronco, Forest Green. Reworking cubby console panel as well. Using all Autometer gauges, keeping ignition switch but all other switches will be rocker switches. All parts acquired, just need to get it done. Removing unnecessary wiring and redundant wiring, make a cleaner look. Putting in new IDIDIT tilt column, Deleting Heater.

#3 - While engine is out adding Bilt Cool panels to the inner fenders. Swapping my B&M trans cooler to the passenger side and moving my ARB compressor to the drivers side. That eliminates the need for plumbing to cross from one side of the bronco to the other, that's what happens when you add things as you go in a hurry and just use space available. Paint the engine bay.

#4 - Remove tailgate and rebuild, straighten, and paint. Tailgate has always been a pain to open and close.

#5 - Remove fenders, grill, hood, etc - for minor body work and paint. Install with new hardware. Considering painting the grill argent silver and adding the trim back that it had from the factory. Currently grill is same color as rest of body.

#6 - Remove windshield to paint frame. Delete the the gas fillers, straighten, and paint rear quarters.

#7 - Paint bumpers, 1/4 guards, and rock skis. Rock skis will need some work to secure better. Try and revive some shine in the warflares, they currently have a flat black hazy look to them. Having roll cage powdercoated.

#8 - replace rear seat with a seat I have that came from a passenger van, will need some work to make fit but will be better suited for handling a childs car seat.

Will be somewhat slow process, first need to get past the frigid cold weather in Ohio. But doing updates here will help me stay motivated and keep track of things.
 
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JWMcCrary

JWMcCrary

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Out with the old . . . . .
 

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JWMcCrary

JWMcCrary

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Dang sideways pics...super dave, fix please. I'll try and fix before posting going forward
 
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JWMcCrary

JWMcCrary

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New parts . . . . . hope to have the short block back soon. Having machine shop furnish bearings and assemble.
CAMS in Canton Ohio is doing the work, was recommended by numerous people.
 

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JWMcCrary

JWMcCrary

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Finally settled on a dash layout. The black billet steering column cover that was backordered came a few days ago, so I'm ready to work on the dash. As luck would have it the motor on my drill press went out, and I don't think I trust myself to cut those gauge holes with a hand held drill. Took drill press motor to a shop, hope to get back soon. In the meantime I did cut the hole for the glove box. Tedster was kind enough to hook me up with an old dash for the overlay, that way I'm not in a hurry to get my old one out, which can't happen until the cage is out.
 

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sprdv1

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sprdv1

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Finally settled on a dash layout. The black billet steering column cover that was backordered came a few days ago, so I'm ready to work on the dash. As luck would have it the motor on my drill press went out, and I don't think I trust myself to cut those gauge holes with a hand held drill. Took drill press motor to a shop, hope to get back soon. In the meantime I did cut the hole for the glove box. Tedster was kind enough to hook me up with an old dash for the overlay, that way I'm in a hurry to get my old one out, which can't happen until the cage is out.

Gonna look great brother....
 

stout22

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That's quite a list to update on the Bronco. Looking forward to reading on your progress.
 

Madgyver

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Jul 30, 2001
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Nice to have a plan...
I try to list what I will do with my builds but they never stay on track...
 
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JWMcCrary

JWMcCrary

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Nice to have a plan...
I try to list what I will do with my builds but they never stay on track...

yeah, will see how this goes. I hope I'm disciplined enough to follow through without getting anxious and throwing back together.
 
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JWMcCrary

JWMcCrary

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Got a call from the machine shop, seems my heads are toast, mainly intake valves and guides. Edelbrock RPM Performer heads but all the valve guides and all the intake valves will have to be replaced. They said it shows signs of bad valve train geometry but it didn't make sense that it was only on the intake valves. Since this will be a roller motor with new stronger springs he suggested upgrading the rocker studs to 7/16 since the heads are torn apart, seemed like a good idea to me so I had to go swap out my new rockers from 3/8 to 7/16. Heads will be rebuilt better than new but an increased expense I wasn't expecting.
Odds are this is where all my smoke and oil consumption was coming from, so that means my old short block is likely still good as is. Gong to store it for now, maybe sell it later on.
 
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JWMcCrary

JWMcCrary

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Finally decided on the dash layout, made some progress but still need to cut the hole for the ignition switch and the turn signal & high beam indicators. Also need to tweak a couple of the gauge holes for alignment.

Plan to strip all the old paint from the donor dash and attach the overlay with some of that 3M panel bond stuff, spray with epoxy primer until time to paint.
 

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JWMcCrary

JWMcCrary

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Reworked my WH cubby as part of my dash rebuild since my ARB controls will now be on the dash and easier to reach. Made a new panel out of metal to fit the dimensions of the front as opposed to the thin aluminum that was smaller overlay I had previously. Mounted the external speaker behind the panel with the speaker grill on front. I had to open up the opening on the cubby to have needed room for the speaker and to keep from being crowded. Bought a auto meter air pressure gauge to match my other gauges. Keeping the offroad radio in about the same position. I have a USB connection on the side for my EFI. Added a 12v lighter plug on the side and a led light on each side that will be part of my dome lighting. Installed nutserts for attaching the panel, previously I had riveted it on which wasn’t handy if you needed to get to anything. When I installed it initially I had to trim the back and bottom to push under the dash a little farther than intended but actually worked out great, just pushed the switches father back to reach, so that issue will now be a lot better. Will prime and paint to match dash.
 

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JWMcCrary

JWMcCrary

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Engine is getting closer to making it out of the machine shop. They gave me a call and said if I bring them my camshaft, timing set, a couple lifters, and couple rockers, they could temp one of the heads and measure for pushrods for me. I decided to let them do that. Also said they would degree the cam and check it all out and it could stay installed, all sounded good to me. I'm having them add a couple baffles to the oil pan to help keep the oil in the rear sump when on inclines.
They reworked my Edelbrock RPM Performer heads. Every intake guide and valve had to be replaced. The alignment between the guide and the seat was out of tolerance when they were built. It seems this is not an uncommon thing to happen on aftermarket heads. They said they never install a set of new heads without taking apart and checking, said it's not just Edelbrock, they find problems on occasion with all of them. Attached is couple valve pics, you can hang your nail on the ridge left from wear. All the exhaust valves were in great shape, no issues.
Block work is done and crank is balanced and installed. It's waiting its turn for completion.
 

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JWMcCrary

JWMcCrary

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Machine shop finished and picked up. Got the short block painted, used POR-15 engine paint, see how it holds up. Just need assembly. While it's apart and since I won't have the factory heater, I removed the heater hose connection on the water pump and plugged it, better than using one of those hose caps.
They rebalanced my 50 oz explorer balancer to match this assembly and marked 50 degrees for setting up the timing window for the the dual sync distributor.
 

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Rustytruck

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You can polish the warflaires I keep them shiny with a clay bar kit but I dont let them get too bad. might need to use some cutting compound if real bad.

I used a coverlay for 30 years until it finally cracked. then I bought a forest Green dash pad from bronco hut. worth the money when I bought it back in 2016.
 
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JWMcCrary

JWMcCrary

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Got the engine together, be a couple months probably before it goes in. For now will covered up and pushed into the corner.
 

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