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JB's 1971 patina build

Johnnyb

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2001
Messages
775
Loc.
Flagstaff
Link to gallery: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ri9M1B3NZyJxzqfw9

Inspired by some of the other build threads on here, I decided I'd start my own, even though I'm getting near the end of the project.
I've owned this 1971 EB since 1983, when I was only 14 years old. With some help from my father, I bought this as a pretty roached out driver. It had been ridden hard and put away wet and showed all of the signs of the worst sort of PO work.

Back in the '80s I rebuilt the 302 myself, replaced all the C bushings to cure the death wobble, and drove it as a daily driver until 1996.
Many trips into Mexico, and up to Canada over those years.
On one of those trips in 1989, I overheated a rear wheel bearing in Montana and subsequently had it replaced. Unfortunately the axle snapped off outside the wheel bearing, while going about 60 mph, 60 mi east of Ely, Nevada. The truck sat down on the driver side backing plate and I skidded a stop in the middle of US highway 93. I didn't know about bronco vendors at the time, and the internet didn't exist so it took quite some time to locate a replacement big bearing axle, so I lived in Ely a little bit.
In the mid 1990s, I installed a wild horses 2.5 in suspension with shock hoops up front, a 1976 disc brake axle, and a new process 435 transmission. Some of the best upgrades I ever made.
Then in 2005, I installed a motor out of a 1995 mustang GT, complete with the 1995 EFI system. That setup never quite worked to my satisfaction. 1995 was a strange year and it just didn't perform well, though it did run and reliably. I also pulled out the dash to reverse the factory speaker and glove compartment so I could clear my roll cage.
Unfortunately, due to work and life the project went dormant at that point, and the EB moved to storage, then to my backyard (in Flagstaff), then to two different locations in Phoenix, then back to my backyard and sat basically exposed from 2005 until 2020.
In 2020, my wife (a Bolivian who likes cars), encouraged me to put the bronco back on the road.
My first plan was to swap the 95 mustang fuel injection for a 93 system, fix it and drive it. Fortunately for me, the Arizona weather had not caused significant rust, except as it turns out inside the transmission!
So out comes the motor and transmission, and then why not paint the engine compartment. After I saw how good the engine compartment turned out, I decided to do everything I had always wanted.
2 years, and a ton of parts later, I'm getting near the point of firing the motor up for the first time since 2006.
It's the same 1995 mustang GT block, but I stripped it down to rods and mains and put proflow 4 EFI on it, with an explorer serpentine replacing the mustang serpentine.
I also did power steering with an EB box, Eaton locker in back, ARB up front, full harness, tilt column, Dakota digital, protofab prerunner front and rear, new tires and wheels, you name it, it's on there!
Anyway, this is kind of long-winded but I hope it's going to be everything I always wanted.

THX,
JB
 

Dude 713

Jr. Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2019
Messages
95
Looks good! Can't believe you kept it all these years. I bought and sold a dozen cars by the time I was 18 and now I wish I had them all back.
Keep up the progress and keep the pictures coming.
 
OP
OP
Johnnyb

Johnnyb

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2001
Messages
775
Loc.
Flagstaff
Edelbrock valve covers. The Ford ones were fine, except there was no good solution for PCV/crank case ventilation after the Pro-Flo 4 manifold.
 

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