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My 1971/76, 2000 (Oops not really) 2023 Bronco Build

ba123

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Hello everyone. Thought I should post a little blurb about me and my Bronco. I was very active back in the day of the bronco.com site, I think it was, I had my own website that I was documenting my build on, but life and life events took over and the project sat. And sat some more.

I bought this Bronco October 3, 1998 after passing up a whole lot of cleaner ones I should have bough, but being a Bronco newbie back then I really didn't know what to look for. It drove pretty well, had stock front disc brakes and a whole lot of good stuff. But...I'm not a fan of stock so back when it wasn't a thing, maybe a few guys had done it, I got a Mustang 5.0 engine, the wiring from the donor car, computer and spliced it all in. Bought the engine from a wrecker in Sacramento on 10/30/98, had to go back a forth a couple times for some exchanging of parts and stuff I forgot to grab, and that took some time since they were two hours+ away, but got it running on 12/6/98.

I enjoyed driving it around for the winter, had a blast with it in Tahoe in the snow, but I was young, single and making some decent money and had to do something with it...little did I know what I would get into. Once spring hit, it was time. The teardown started on 4/17/99.

I wish I'd taken some pics of it before I started tearing it down but cellphones back then aren't what they are now!
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Body did have some rust and I had a lot to do. Some work right away:

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I was lucky back then...my best friend's dad, who is my second dad, owned a body shop and he let me leave the project there and work on it at my desire (which was at minimum every Friday night -Sunday Night). Once I took care of the parts that were structural, I completed disassembly and everything went to blasting.
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And then there was no turning back....I'll post more until I get up to date.
 

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ba123

ba123

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From there, everything was coated in Glasurit epoxy primer, and then the Frame sprayed in Glasurit Black and wet sanded between coats.
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I did a ton of body work, had to replace some more metal, I put in a hotrod fuel door and permanently mounted the fender flares as I wanted them blended in as one (go figure now they sell parts like that--they did not then):
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ba123

ba123

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Meanwhile, since I only worked on the Bronco body at the shop on weekends, my weekdays we spent working during the day and obsessing over the engine at night. My two best buds, each had mustangs. one a '65 and the other a '94. We were into cars and always doing stuff to the '94 and that friend got ALL the Mustang mags. I always looked through all of them and kept seeing this stupidly expensive intake for the Mustang 5.0 that was supposed to be "the shit".

It's only money right? I didn't feel like I needed to go crazy on the motor, but I guess with cars I have an addictive personality. I did this, why not do that, I did that, why not also do this, it's only a couple hundred more...you all know how it is!

I did what I felt was necessary...it was a great engine, hardly any wear so only bored to .030, but put in a DSS main support brace, E303 Cam, Trick Flow Twisted Wedge heads, chromoly rods, Ford Performance rollers, hardened studs throughout...I did put in a gear drive, which now I'm not so sure I'll love since I'm not a kid anymore so we'll see.
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ba123

ba123

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Anyway, back to those Mustang mags and that Intake Manifold. Here is a page where someone re-created the original page: https://mustangbxr.ollav.com/disclaimer.htm

This intake is so large and difficult to put on (and so expensive) that the company did not make it. I don't think there are very many of them out there. There was no room for a Distributor, so part of the kit is a belt drive distributor conversion, I wish it were two pieces at least to make things easier, but nope, it's tough to put on and work with but it's supposed to be ideal in terms of how it works. I don't even remember all the details.

Here is a recent pic of the engine:

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I've decided that I'd rather not go belt drive distributor so I ordered an explorer cam sync to see if I can get that to fit and if it does, I might use that or go with the nicer Holley/MSD one and add a crank trigger and go coil near plug.

I also have 30lb injectors and a 75mm throttle body, so can't use the stock ecu unless I want all the emissions stuff and also buy a larger mass air meter and makes more sense to go Megasquirt with PiMPxs, ditch the mass air, and so will prob use the Stinger stuff for CNP with the IGN-1A coils.

I do have to back track a bit since the engine has been sitting for so long and I pulled the intake off. I was originally using the stock roller lifters but since they've been sitting for so long, I bought new ones and will soak those before reassembly. Not worth it to me to try to save a few bucks with the ones in there. Also need the intake off to test fit the cam sync. If that ever goes bad and I have to change it, I'd have to pull the intake! OUCH!
 
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ba123

ba123

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more on present-day...

I had to stop working on the Bronco because first off, life of growing up took over and then my "dad" sold the body shop and I had nowhere to work on it anymore. It moved around between a coupe moves, a decent number of years outdoors and covered but the majority indoors.

The epoxy primer only did so much for those outdoor years. Not surprised with that body blending I did...I knew when I did it that it wouldn't last forever. Even though the majority of time was indoors, it was outside at the start and there was gonna be work to be done and I wasn't going to do that at home and I had to find someone to finish it for me. I would ask around here and there but never found anyone I felt comfortable handing it over to so I kept looking.

Asked on the Norcal Forum and a few people suggested Dave Virga in Sacramento, so we exchanged some texts and emails and I was put on his waiting list and over a year later....I dropped it off to him and he will complete the body work and then I get to do the rest.

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Meanwhile, I'm trying to get the engine and everything else ready.
 

DirtDonk

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Wow, a long, an epic journey for sure!
Thanks for joining up and posting your story.

What was your old user name back in the day? Some of the members here will likely remember you.
Dave is a good guy and does good work so hopefully you get it back just the way you want.
Can’t wait to hear more updates.
 
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ba123

ba123

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It's been a long time, but I think we all just went by names back then... Ben Elie Aslan.
 

DirtDonk

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You’re probably right. Hopefully you’ll get a chance to reconnect with some of the previous people on those older sites and email lists though.
 
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ba123

ba123

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Next update from today is the engine compartment is painted (looks like windshield frame as well). Next will be the paint tinted spray liner in the tub and then prep for body paint.

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ba123

ba123

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I’m not sure if it’s fun or not (can’t decide) taking apart an engine that’s never been run just to make a few changes, but oh well. I tried to take off the timing cover for the Explorer swap leaving the pan on, but I had that pan on there…it was tough to take off on it’s own and ring careful not to mess anything else up.

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Backwards to move forwards, I guess.
 

blade

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Looks like a great build. The gear drive threw me for a bit, i was looking at that and thinking the timing chain is missing LOL. I remember when those intakes were available, one popped up near me on craigslist recently, i should have grabbed it because it was a great price.
 
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ba123

ba123

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Looks like a great build. The gear drive threw me for a bit, i was looking at that and thinking the timing chain is missing LOL. I remember when those intakes were available, one popped up near me on craigslist recently, i should have grabbed it because it was a great price.
Haha, yeah, I'm not sure I'm going to love the gear drive but we'll see. I gotta try it. If I hate it and or my cam, I can do both at the same time later.

When I was building this motor forever ago, this intake was in all the Mustang magazines and I just had to have it. I hope it's worth it but if you saw my other thread about it, I am ditching the belt drive distributor which has added a ton of work to ditch.
 
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ba123

ba123

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Nice new explorer cover and pump on the ‘stang engine. Decided to keep the front silver this time and I like it. Goes with the heads.

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ba123

ba123

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Stoked to get a paint update today from Dave. He said the shadows in the shop do not do the color justice so he took the last one with a light on it. Need to decide on a color for the top. Anyone have any suggestions? White won’t look right on this and black wouldn’t be right either.

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Speedrdr

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Ford used to have a color they called Wineberry that would look good. In some light it looked black, in some light it looked burgundy, some light it looked very dark red. But that’s just my opinion. Lol

Randy
 

raleigh_bronco

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That patch is sick. Love the old “Thrush” muffler logo!

Bronco is looking really sharp as well. Great progress.
 

Gsxr7000

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Black top and flares and you won't be disappointed. Nice build.
 
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ba123

ba123

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Yup, got the black WH Gorilla Warflares going on, but I think I’ve decided to go body color on the roof.

Thanks, Gsxr.
 
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