Pilgrim's Progress

[BronCowie]

That is one cool deck there you ole' fart. I like the curved shape you gave it!

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Thanks Mark. I built the first ideration of the deck 29 years ago and I'm amazed and pleased with how long it lasted, since I'm only 39, same age as Jack Benny. Here's just a bit about how sausage is made -

Oops, wandered off topic a bit, well, quite a bit. To bring it back to Broncos, howzabout I say I was gonna build flares outa wood.

 

[Yeller]

Only a problem if you think it’s a problem, this is your thread

Amazing work Howard!

 

[fordfan]

That's a pretty fancy deck Howard! No wonder it took a while to build it. My deck is rectangular and my wife has had me working on it all summer it seems! LOL.... and that was just rebuilding a set of steps, replacing a bit of the decking, and building a small "sub main deck level".

You insulation under the cowl panel looks like it will do the job! Keep the horses' heat in the engine bay instead of it being shared with the people bay!

 

[Howard2x4x4]

That is one cool deck there you ole' fart. I like the curved shape you gave it!

And on a totally unrelated and does not apply in this case note -

 

[bronco italiano]

Thanks Steve! The deck was fun, but a bit on the labor-intensive side. I kept putzing on the Bronco at the same time, stuff like bolting on the tailgate. Also, a HUGE milestone, got the hydroboost low enuff to clear the hood. Phew. Used banjo bolts instead of bent ss hardlines. I'd show the pic, but that's one the 'putor decided not to download.

Good question, Ken! I hope not, since it's only me and the Mrs. (I hope that's the abbreviation for 'missus', not 'misters', not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you) and she can whup me easily. I also made a storage area underneath the deck for kayaks, pond supplies, etc., and mis-behaving grandkids.
View attachment 907473 Also, a big shout-out to Dennis (Fordfan) for his expert counsel on under-cowl insulation. I used marine-grade, non-combustible, vinyl-backed foam insulation. View attachment 907474

Where did you get your insulation at?

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Where did you get your insulation at?

That is a really good and sorta interesting question! I have a HUGE roll of it that my son-in-law dragged home when he was working for a foam company. It was so long ago that, at first, he couldn't remember anything about it! Gradually, the light came on and he recalled it's intended purpose as marine interior.

Imho, this qualifies as HUGE! I would gladly share if only it could be transported in a cost-effective manner.

 

[sprdv1]

Nice Dad.. Too much you got going on.. Still waiting on that adoption paper work hee hee

but seriously.. Keep on doing it man

 

[bronco italiano]

That is a really good and sorta interesting question! I have a HUGE roll of it that my son-in-law dragged home when he was working for a foam company. It was so long ago that, at first, he couldn't remember anything about it! Gradually, the light came on and he recalled it's intended purpose as marine interior.

View attachment 907586

Imho, this qualifies as HUGE! I would gladly share if only it could be transported in a cost-efective manner.

Are you against selling some of it?

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Nice Dad.. Too much you got going on.. Still waiting on that adoption paper work hee hee

but seriously.. Keep on doing it man

Sprdv1, you're a Hoot! And you're spot on regarding 'too much going on'. Trying to blend wiring, floor insulation. seats, wipers, dash, yada, yada, yada, seamlessly. Easier said than done!

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Are you against selling some of it?

PM sent

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Awright How, that's prolly enuff of that chit-chat chit. Time seems to be moving faster than I am, and the consensus seems to be that I'm not 39 anymore. So I best keep the ball rollin' to get the bronc rollin'. Remember what I said to Sprdv1 a bit ago? Well, that's so, so I'm trying to prioritize stuff. I reckon that I should know where the seats go before the floor gets insulated, so I began with the back seat. Came from a Ford Freestyle. There was a heavy duty pipe running through it that had to be trimmed to fit between the fenderwells. Pipe cut, got to ponder some to figure out

attachment. Got some ideas, but then it popped into my noggin that I won't be drivin' from the back seat, so just nevermind for now.

Front seats are also from a Ford freestyle, power seats with heated seats, more to ponder on. Eventually. For now, just need them mounted. And bolted. Temporarily. Drill the holes inorder to insulate.

Let's see, two seats, two brackets each... That'll do, Pig, leave someting for tomorrow

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Jumpin' around here, doncha just love evolution? And movies? And popcorn? Well, grab some popcorn and sit back.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1086235051544700

Ah, an oldie, but a goodie! And things have evolved.

No longer using those wiper blades, due to the windshield evolving with the bottom coming up. Btw, the bottom of the windshield came up in hopes of acheiving a desert racer vibe. Spent a bit of my life wandering in the pick-n-pulls for blades that might work. Came up with what's pictured, but in the picture the wipers are not yet connected to the Bronco wiper pivot gizmo. Hmmm... howm I gonna do that? Sit back, grab some popcorn if you like, although this is pics, not vids.

Here's the wiper pivot gizmos and here's the stock Bronco arm end and here's the end of

the Darwin-ed wiper arm. Notice to the left of the pic on the left, the little grooved grommet has been removed.

Here's how that happened. That's a vice*, btw. the end.

Well, not really the end. This is where (I hope) the story comes together to make some sense.

* I've got quite a few of them.

 

[Howard2x4x4]

While on the topic of wipers, I began at the very beginning, a very good place to start* Made a few modifications to an earlier version wiper pivot gizmo Trial and error, mostly error Had to adjust the dangle angle just a bit,

and build a connecting rod and then install said connecting rod and gizmo.

And again, enuff for now.







* sung to the tune of 'do,Re, Mi' from "Sound of Music".

Popcorn please.

 

[wsager]

You’re always up to something interesting.

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Well, that's certainly one way to look at it, thanks. I suppose another perspective could be constantly getting in over my head. A bit of truth in both. On a somewhat personal note, I've always (well, almost always) enjoyed challenges and the question 'Howm I gonna do that' pops up a lot.

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Now, back to Bronk building, seating chapter. Lessee here, there's 7 mounting brackets sofar, and need 8. Ahh, here. This should suffice. And this is how the seats are SITuated, for now. See that sticky-uppy thing at the front of the seat? That's the short leg of a framing square, so the lead edge of the seat is about 14" above the floor. As to the front/back placement, this gives an idea. And another view Btw, the drivers seat is all the way forward on it's tracks, and the passenger seat is all the way back. I reckon it'll do. My biggest concern now is height, because there is only about 1/2" that they can be lowered. Poobahs, Gurus and Wizards, what say you?

 

[Yeller]

Looking good Howard. Seat height is always subjective. I like them low and others like them higher. Mine are super low, seat bottom is the same height as your floor.

 

[wsager]

How tall are you, or more importantly, how long is your torso? Maybe screw a couple of boards together with the horizontal on top of the windshield and see how you fit under it?

 

[sprdv1]

Sprdv1, you're a Hoot! And you're spot on regarding 'too much going on'. Trying to blend wiring, floor insulation. seats, wipers, dash, yada, yada, yada, seamlessly. Easier said than done!

lmao