Project Huck - Build Thread

[toddz69]

Nice video!

Todd Z.

 

[sprdv1]

last, can we all just take a moment and look at the stock rear tire carrier? Just LOOK at it!! It is a nice piece and the Hi lift jack mounted to the tire carrier is actually from my first EB I bought in 2010.

I know the stock bumpers are not the best setup for going on medium to hard trails but this Bronco is not one I want to beat up or add a bunch of body armor too. I will keep it on the easy to mild trails for now which is plenty of action for a build like this.


MM

Nice to have that little piece of history on there.. Hoping to see it in person at OCBR

 

[Monster Mike]

Nice to have that little piece of history on there.. Hoping to see it in person at OCBR

Agreed Super Dave! I think we are going to SCW in Colorado this year. Not sure if we can swing OCBR too.

Nice video!

Todd Z.

Thanks Todd but I'm slacking! 2 more videos are out since my last update and another video will be out very soon.

 

[Monster Mike]

FINALLY! Making some real progress on Huck. The difference in handling and control are night and day on this Bronco in terms of drivability now.

Power and having the ability to just enjoy a take off from the light are going to be addressed next. Being able to crawl offroad & steer with the gas pedal will be nice too but at least it can move down the road w/o trying to kill the people inside or anyone close by. I know this may sound like an exaggeration but if you are not experienced driving ill mannered Broncos it can go sideways fast.

We have a new salesman we are training and he is GREEN. I told him last week I am nervous letting him get behind the wheel of any of the EB's in the stable. He is in his twenties, drives a BMW and talks about superchargers and going triple digits all the time. I think I'll help him buy his own Bronco and he can drive that and tell me how its going.

 

[904Bronco]

Watched the overview of the gear change, looking forward to the in-depth version as I always have to pay someone to do this work for me... By the way, I have enjoyed all the Videos on your project.

 

[Monster Mike]

Watched the overview of the gear change, looking forward to the in-depth version as I always have to pay someone to do this work for me... By the way, I have enjoyed all the Videos on your project.

Thank you! I am looking forward to getting that video out too after we get the Huck Series completed.

 

[Monster Mike]

Next up is Episode 7 and honestly this episode and the next one are my two favorites. I truly believe a gear swap is what completely changed the enjoyment level and the drivability of this Bronco.

As you can see in the video, we just highlighted the steps and info it takes to do a gear swap and I added a few things while there that I wanted for this Bronco.

Funny enough the rear axle housing was actually ripping apart at the weld that holds the cover on the back of the housing. I am not surprised as this Bronco was pushed hard for several months during rigorous testing. That was pretty much the worst of it other than flat spotting its old tires. Some might say I probably didn't push it hard enough. I think there is a fine line between asking a machine to give everything its got and abusing it. It is also important to mention that the Bronco was gone through with a fine tooth comb before testing so there was preventative measures taken so it didn't break. Things like making sure we had plenty of good fluids, parts working properly and everything being properly installed and torqued down.

I want to give a huge shout out to two guys that have played a big part with Huck in this video as well as the series. They both are incredibly talented and knowledgeable & I couldn't do this without them. Tom Hyde with Lick Creek Restorations and Brian Beeman who is the Master Mechanic at James Duff. Both of these guys have been over the top passionate about Broncos for over 20 years.

I am putting together a list of parts I used in Huck with links to where I purchased them for this gear and locker swap as well as a list of tools & resources used so if anyone has a similar job they want to tackle they can see what goes into it. I will add it here and to the description in the video asap.

I have been daily driving Huck with the new gears & lockers for about 500 miles now and it has made a night and day difference with takes offs, shifts and driving on surface streets.Huck's engine really doesn't wake up till it gets over 3K RPM so take offs in first gear and switching gears still has some lag. Even with 4:56 gears!

Next up is to take a closer look at the carburetor and see what we can do to improve it. I am confident that fuel delivery is still playing a big roll in the overall drivability and performance of Huck so I do not want to read too deep into how Huck is doing until we get the tune up complete.

Of course this means we will need to do a couple more 0-60mph tests Hoping we can get Huck to 60mph under 10 seconds. Crazy to think it took 18 seconds to get to 60mph when I first brought Huck home. What a turd

MM

 

[toddz69]

What transmission exactly is in Huck? I can't tell from the videos? A nit - you keep referring to them as lockers, but I think you put TrueTracs in Huck? Those are limited-slips (as you know), not locking differentials.

Todd Z.

 

[Monster Mike]

What transmission exactly is in Huck? I can't tell from the videos? A nit - you keep referring to them as lockers, but I think you put TrueTracs in Huck? Those are limited-slips (as you know), not locking differentials.

Todd Z.

Hey Todd! It is a Tremec 170 I believe which likely came out of a 80's F150. Yes, good catch. I do generalize the term lockers and I shouldn't. Semantics are important!

 

[Monster Mike]

Oof...this build thread was all the way back on page 7. I have been slacking!

I'm sure a lot of you reading this have already made it past episode 8 since episode 9 just came out. It's easy to get behind during event season. So much going on.

Here is Episode 8 - My commentary for it below.

Huck is ready for round 2 0-60 testing and I am not happy! Even with the new 4:56 gears installed and broken in, it’s clear this test just won’t yield a great result until a few more areas are dialed in.

Huck needs better fuel delivery. The distributor and carburetor are under heavy scrutiny and could be on the chopping block.

But what to do? So many ways to go and if you ask me, I’ll tell you that many of them should be avoided.

So the big question is, stay Carbureted or convert to fuel injection?

Many of you may be surprised that Huck is not getting converted to EFI but THAT is on purpose. Many people are intimidated by carburetors! They avoid working on them or rebuilding them because they believe they are mysterious. Honestly, if you are not wheeling your Bronco hard, you may wan to hold on to the carburetor. Well, it’s time to educate. If you can’t figure out a carburetor, should you really be diving into fuel injection??

If we could choose any carburetor for Huck we would likely choose a 600 cfm 4 barrel due to how the engine is built and add some tweaks to make it offroad better. Many Broncos with relatively stock engines would work great with a 500 cfm carb or even a 2100 2-barrel motor craft. As far as which brand, there are several to choose from but we are going to use a 630 CFM 4 barrel AFB Carter. Why? well, it’s a very similar design to the 650 CFM Edelbrock but a little smaller which will help reduce the low-end lag.

The Carter is an older model so the design is a little different and we think it may actually outperform the Edelbrock on & off-road. We wouldn’t hesitate using a Holley either but we are building on a budget so we are using what we’ve got first! Some of you will argue that off roading with a carburetor is a waste of time. Well…I am going to put this old AFB carburetor to the test!

Next is swapping out the old Mallory ignition system for a Pertronixs distributor and coil. The Mallory setup was running through a ballast Only getting 6 volts at the coil. With a quality timing light, vacuum gauge and the Innovate air fuel gauge meter we purchased from Summit Racing, we got Huck purring like a kitten at idle and roaring like a lion at high RPM’s! It’s time for Round 3 of the 0-60 test

WOW!! Huck's a 10-second Bronco! Shaving 8 seconds off Huck's original 0-60 time is downright impressive.

The question is, can we shave off more while keeping Huck a great all-around on and off-road Bronco? Speaking of off road, it’s time to get Huck off-road and see how well the Bronco does with its new gears and carburetor. But…before I take Huck back to Windrock, I've got a few more ideas kicking around which I discuss in Episode 9 but first a celebratory burnout is in order!

MM

 

[Monster Mike]

Episode 9 just dropped and its a doozy!

Watch the end…it’s bad Just can’t leave well enough alone!

Well actually…the brakes still suck and need to be fixed proper this time before I flat spot ANOTHER pair of tires. I am really pissing off Brian my mechanic but we take turns annoying each other.

Looks like Huck is going to get some much needed upgrades like a new adjustable proportioning valve. And while at it, may as well throw new hard lines on Huck and a freshen up the brake booster and master cylinder.

Now that we have the carburetor dialed in on the road it’s time to take it off road and see how it can do before going to Windrock park. I have access to a nice little testing ground close by that Brian & I have affectionately nicknamed, your moms backyard. We tend to hang out there a lot. But before Huck gets it’s legs stretched, just a few new goodies have to be added Like the new 1.5” lift system from James Duff. https://dufftuff.com/product/66-77-br... Ok ok…that wasn’t a very spend thrift decision but in the long run it makes a ton of sense when wanting to run 33” tires on cut fenders and adding a 1” body lift. With the new 1.5” lift, Huck has all the modern features offered by James Duff Inc to make the Bronco drive and handle like a new SUV while being incredibly capable offroad. All while maintaining control, stability and articulation. You'll see how well this works out very soon.

Body lifts suck!!?? NUH UH!! 66-77 Broncos look great and can function a TON better with a body lift. Besides, Huck needs a body lift to run the new hidden winch with the stock front bumper. A really cool product designed by Lick Creek Restorations and produced by James Duff Inc.

Huck is now ready to show the world just how capable it is!! Or is it??

Watch the very end and see what our shenanigans lead us to...

What on earth did we do to Huck!?

Links to products used in this video below:
Integrated 1" Body Lift Mount Kit, 1966-77 Ford Bronco
66-77 Bronco 1.5" 's Performance Package
Lick Creek Restorations Early Bronco Winch Assembly


MM

 

[gnsteam]

Looking forward to the next installment. Thanks Mike and crew at James Duff.

 

[Monster Mike]

Looking forward to the next installment. Thanks Mike and crew at James Duff.

It will be coming out this week!

In the meantime, we are also doing small segments where we just focus on the action and having fun.

Like this video

Huck takes on the Mighty Duck in a impromptu drag race!

Two Early Broncos built very differently. Who wins on paper and who wins on the track?

The Duck Driver - Tom Hyde
347 SBF redline 6,000 RPM
Ford AOD Trans with 4R70w gears
Boss Hog 1,900 stall torque converter
Dana 20 T transfer case
4:88 gears with true track lockers
35" tires
17 x 8.5" Method aluminum wheels
Gross weight estimate with driver 5,500 lbs

Huck Driver - Monster Mike
302 SBF redline 5,500 RPM
Tremec 170 4 speed manual
Dana 20 T transfer case
4:56 gears with true track lockers
33" tires
16X10 Dick Cepek aluminum wheels
Gross weight estimate 4,500 lbs

The Duck is built to do it all and is an impressive machine. The only real drawback is its gross weight.

Huck has a tall first gear and a long throw between gears. Its only real advantage is its weight, smaller tires and the impressive driving skills by yours truly

These two steeds lined up 5 times
race 1 - warm up
race 2 - Duck wins by a fender
race 3 - Duck wins by a fender
race 4 - switch sides - Huck wins by a car length and a half
Final Race - all adjustments made and both Broncos on solid flat dirt

HUCK WINS BY A CAR LENGTH!!

 

[Monster Mike]

So after an awesome day with Huck & winning the drag race one of my friends asked to take him back to the drag strip with Huck and take him down the drag strip and do a celebratory tire roost on video. I Obliged

Then this happened.

Details coming in Episode 10

 

[Beau Nugget]

I bet that could be welded back together—not. I think he should buy the beer. Looks like a really fun day.

 

[Yeller]

OOOOOPS! found the limits of the factory case I see
Good news is you can recycle all of the parts in a new case

Its a sickening feeling spotting someone and watching their pinion roll down the hill behind them.

 

[Monster Mike]

OOOOOPS! found the limits of the factory case I see
Good news is you can recycle all of the parts in a new case

Its a sickening feeling spotting someone and watching their pinion roll down the hill behind them.

I think if I just finessed the clutch a little I would have been fine. I took the advice of my mechanic a little too literally even though I knew better. That is what I get for thinking my bronco was invincible

Ya...sickening is a good word to describe how I felt for several weeks. I have grown quite fond of Huck and hurting it like that was SICKENING

 

[Monster Mike]

Once again I have been slacking on getting you guys updates on Huck.

Of course with the slight detour I made sending the rear pinion gear into orbit and literally obliterating the center section didn't help.

But the real reason I have been MIA aside from running a business is we took this downtime with Huck and turned it into an opportunity to get some new parts installed and do the install videos for those parts.

So now we will have some decent tech videos that show you how to install the LCR SS20 gas tank and the LCR Hidden winch that utilizes the stock front bumper.

I also want to say, i wish this "build thread" could follow a more traditional style. Hard to do with as little time as I have but also hard to do when there is a whole team involved. A lot of the details and pictures I would like to show you end up getting condensed and edited into a video and as you can see, I take the easy way out and tell you to just watch the video.

Another interesting note about this build is Brian our master mechanic is deadly with tools and parts and can stand toe to toe with the best of them who build Early Broncos. He makes it look easy and we take very few detours or have to go backwards which also speeds things up and in some ways makes a traditional update a little boring compared to someone in their garage learning as they go.

This "build" is also not anything special. In fact, it is probably about as basic as they get in terms of what parts we are putting on the Bronco and the overall goal. So to most who read the updates, there is nothing really captivating the viewer unless they are just new to Broncos and are going down a similar path.

I believe what makes this "build" great and somewhat unique is when the Bronco is done being built, anyone who drives it will fall in love with how fun it is to drive and it is incredibly well built for on and off road driving. You want to go fast on the straight a-ways, get rowdy in the twistys or just stand on it in the parking lot and burn the rubber off the back tires while rowing through the gears? Take Huck. You want to jump and get big air and land w/o tearing things up? Again, take Huck. You want to line up with your buddy and drag race or crawl on the rocks on medium trails and enjoy incredible amounts of articulation for such a low slung Bronco? Ding ding, thats right, take Huck. How about tow a small camper and go for a camping trip? Or just daily drive it to work and ball games or weekend outings. Come on... you know you're taking Huck.

Having a Bronco that looks great, is easy to get into and isn't heavily modified but can do so much I think is really what we are all after. I don't feel many of us are getting everything we want out of our Broncos and I'm on a mission to make The Huck "build" the norm for Early Bronco drivers.

I'll post up the next two episodes of this build. That will get you guys ready for the last Episode coming out soon.

MM

 

[Monster Mike]

Oh no!! Bronco down I repeat BRONCO DOWN!

Honestly, the video does a great job explaining what happened so I will not dive into that here. The question we all really should be asking is will Huck be put back together or is this the end?

Some of you know my track record... Apparently I like to break them and take them apart and take 10+ years to put them back together.

Hopefully Huck's fate is not sealed but it is not looking good.

Lets keep our fingers crossed that Huck's blown rear end gets repaired and there isn't more hidden damage that needs repair...

 

[Yeller]

Look at the bright side. The Torque Tamer worked you didn’t spit out the u joint and need a new yoke too