Wow! About 9 months since I updated this thread! Let's see, not a whole lot has been done since the last update due to relocating from Texas to Colorado. But the tranny started making noise in second gear and then started popping of second. It finally became almost undrivable without holding in second by hand. I sourced a good used tranny and had it swapped in a few weeks ago - all my tools are still in storage until our new home addition gets completed. It took 3 transmission shops before I found one that was willing to do it. The tranny had never been out of this Bronco and 2 shops were afraid of the the old bolts breaking and the job becoming too much work. Finally the third seemed unfazed by the challenge and did a great job. No issues and it came out and the new went in with no issues. Working great now. Did some minor floor repair and covered the front floor with Kilmat sound deadener and laid a new vinyl mat over it.
I've been working on it lately to get it ready for Super Celebration West this next week. I test drove it to almost 12,000 ft and it ran pretty good - just a little trouble idling and the expected loss of some power. But I think it's ready for some of the street cruises or mild trails at SC West.