It all started as a cold drury night in Kansas. A boy dreaming big. Trying to dream. I got my car bug early on, I mean cool cars are cool lets face it. I would see the Chevelles, Camaros, Mustangs and Corvettes out there and thought those were for rich people or people who only worked on cars so they were always out of my reach. Then my dads best friend showed up in a beautiful Early Bronco. I was like holy cow he is just a cop. A normal dude. So I watched him come to the house and leave and just kept falling more in more in love with it. Fast forward to highschool I got a 1987 IROC-Z and loved it, but I had no mechanical skills at all and was overwhelmed with electrical and mechanical issues.
I just kept seeing the Bronco come to the house and got to look closer and closer at it.
Fast forward some more I really started to enjoy challenging myself in many different forums. I was a professional athlete by trade, and an art major. My goals was to restore a classic car and daily drive it. Then the lightbulb turned on. I cant have a Camaro and daily drive it in Kansas. I don't want a jeep because they are everywhere. So it was between a Scout and a Bronco. So I started ebaying and dreaming about want I would want. Cut/Uncut, color, tire size, and all the other details......mmmmm 3 on the tree sounds fun.
Of course a college kid couldn't afford that. So I just kept dreaming and kept annoying anyone in my life about it. everyone thinking I was crazy because they knew I lacked the skills needed.
So I retired from athletics and decided I was going to challenge myself in anyway possible not just athletically.
I got my first job out of retirement as a cop, where I met one of my best friends who was an arborist and deputy. He invited me to come pick up sticks for him and paid very well because he likes hard workers, and he hates picking up sticks. After working almost 7 days a week as a cop or apprentice I saved enough "Bronco Money." Back step real quick. The wife supports the Bronco need as long as it doesn't come from the family account. I honestly think she doubted that I would be able to save enough to actually ever get one. She never asked how much I saved or asked for any "Bronco Money." Until she wanted a new car. She asked if she could get a nicer car than we talked about and I said you know our finances and your more responsible than me. I then offered some Bronco money if it would help get her what she wanted...........(what I was really thinking is i'll be sweet and offer and she will feel guilty and get the car she was supposed to.) Boy, was I wrong. Mama showed up in a nearly new Audi.
I then had to ask her how much did she need of "Bronco Money." Well I took all of it..............GULP. That's when our lives changed forever. Not only did she come to her senses but she felt absolutely terrible that she did it. And then supported basically any venture I wanted to do to make "Bronco Money" So yes I lost out on a lot of cash, but I was able to double it even faster. So this was my first real investment as an adult.
I finally made Patrol/SWAT team as a deputy and that means I get to drive around the country and explore the world. One of my favorite hobbies was driving onto peoples property and meeting the old folks and just listening to their stories.......and of course asking if they knew anyone with old cool stuff. Which led me to my first chance at a Bronco. I did what any of us would do and knocked on the door, left notes, asked neighbors, knocked, left notes again to see if it was for sale. Of course it was for sale, but for a horrendous price. After a couple years of hanging out with the old man, he cracked.......of course I was so happy. Went to get it and got a junk Honda Trail mini with it. I got it home and immediately realized I got my hands full......
I started small. I asked a buddy what I needed to do to see if it runs. He knew what I needed to hear.......fuel/air/spark. I was like oh that makes sense. Drain fluids, add fluids, check spark, go through fuel system, turn the key. Got through that process and sure enough it fired. I almost cried knowing that I did this. It sat for 15 years, fired and ran like a champ. Of course then there were the leaks, brake lines, power steering leaks. got those buttoned up. I was so scared to take it on the road, so I jacked it up, made sure I could shift the 3 on the tree, made sure the brakes stopped like they should and then took the plung..............and it was PERFECT. I drove that rust bucket for 6 months daily around town, so happy.
That winter I took the front half apart and tackled this rust. Some days just looking at it in confusions for hours, but just remembering you can take it off and put it back on its metal.
I almost got it all done when a good buddy of mine calls and says hes done with his project Bronco. Now this individual is the top 1% of humans. He was a lot older than me and financially better off. We went through the academy together and loved talking cars. So he came to me and said hey I found you one. And I of course said heck no I cant. So he asked if he could get it and restore it so I could drive it when I wanted too. I of course said you are dang right you can. So he grabbed it and got dang near all the rust under control when he lost steam. So I sold my first Bronco and took this off his hands. It was dang near rust free other than a couple spots, it was lifted like I wanted and had chrome trim. Oh and it was a Red ranger, with Red interior which I thought was cool.
So I trailored it home during a house move and left it for awhile so I could gain some momentum. So I started buttoning up a few panels that needed put on and some rust issues. All things I got confidence from on the first Bronco. Things that used to scare me to death were just another day in the garage. I got it back together and was like what to do body work wise. Ive never seen this done let alone done it. so I just started watching YouTube. got some confidence and decided to start on it. started off terribly just working my but off, then slowly got better and better. it was terrible I hate it still to this day. dust everywhere............annoying. So now I'm a rust free Bronco owner getting ready to prime the L.O.F.T. I'm tackling the primer myself after my wifes cousin who is a stud painter comes over and lines me out, and then he will paint it for me.
Theres nothing better than going on in the garage and seeing what you have done. People ask me where I learned and I say I have great friends who answer my calls, and the internet. My family always doubted I could do it and thought I was just crazy to spend the money on this. But they see it now and just are amazed. They believe my skills were only athletically but I wanted to prove that if you want to do something just spend the time learning and trying. The internet can be such an amazing tool for people. You guys have been so great I love it.
I will continue to update but have been wanting to tell my story.
I just kept seeing the Bronco come to the house and got to look closer and closer at it.
Fast forward some more I really started to enjoy challenging myself in many different forums. I was a professional athlete by trade, and an art major. My goals was to restore a classic car and daily drive it. Then the lightbulb turned on. I cant have a Camaro and daily drive it in Kansas. I don't want a jeep because they are everywhere. So it was between a Scout and a Bronco. So I started ebaying and dreaming about want I would want. Cut/Uncut, color, tire size, and all the other details......mmmmm 3 on the tree sounds fun.
Of course a college kid couldn't afford that. So I just kept dreaming and kept annoying anyone in my life about it. everyone thinking I was crazy because they knew I lacked the skills needed.
So I retired from athletics and decided I was going to challenge myself in anyway possible not just athletically.
I got my first job out of retirement as a cop, where I met one of my best friends who was an arborist and deputy. He invited me to come pick up sticks for him and paid very well because he likes hard workers, and he hates picking up sticks. After working almost 7 days a week as a cop or apprentice I saved enough "Bronco Money." Back step real quick. The wife supports the Bronco need as long as it doesn't come from the family account. I honestly think she doubted that I would be able to save enough to actually ever get one. She never asked how much I saved or asked for any "Bronco Money." Until she wanted a new car. She asked if she could get a nicer car than we talked about and I said you know our finances and your more responsible than me. I then offered some Bronco money if it would help get her what she wanted...........(what I was really thinking is i'll be sweet and offer and she will feel guilty and get the car she was supposed to.) Boy, was I wrong. Mama showed up in a nearly new Audi.
I then had to ask her how much did she need of "Bronco Money." Well I took all of it..............GULP. That's when our lives changed forever. Not only did she come to her senses but she felt absolutely terrible that she did it. And then supported basically any venture I wanted to do to make "Bronco Money" So yes I lost out on a lot of cash, but I was able to double it even faster. So this was my first real investment as an adult. I finally made Patrol/SWAT team as a deputy and that means I get to drive around the country and explore the world. One of my favorite hobbies was driving onto peoples property and meeting the old folks and just listening to their stories.......and of course asking if they knew anyone with old cool stuff. Which led me to my first chance at a Bronco. I did what any of us would do and knocked on the door, left notes, asked neighbors, knocked, left notes again to see if it was for sale. Of course it was for sale, but for a horrendous price. After a couple years of hanging out with the old man, he cracked.......of course I was so happy. Went to get it and got a junk Honda Trail mini with it. I got it home and immediately realized I got my hands full......
I started small. I asked a buddy what I needed to do to see if it runs. He knew what I needed to hear.......fuel/air/spark. I was like oh that makes sense. Drain fluids, add fluids, check spark, go through fuel system, turn the key. Got through that process and sure enough it fired. I almost cried knowing that I did this. It sat for 15 years, fired and ran like a champ. Of course then there were the leaks, brake lines, power steering leaks. got those buttoned up. I was so scared to take it on the road, so I jacked it up, made sure I could shift the 3 on the tree, made sure the brakes stopped like they should and then took the plung..............and it was PERFECT. I drove that rust bucket for 6 months daily around town, so happy.
That winter I took the front half apart and tackled this rust. Some days just looking at it in confusions for hours, but just remembering you can take it off and put it back on its metal.
I almost got it all done when a good buddy of mine calls and says hes done with his project Bronco. Now this individual is the top 1% of humans. He was a lot older than me and financially better off. We went through the academy together and loved talking cars. So he came to me and said hey I found you one. And I of course said heck no I cant. So he asked if he could get it and restore it so I could drive it when I wanted too. I of course said you are dang right you can. So he grabbed it and got dang near all the rust under control when he lost steam. So I sold my first Bronco and took this off his hands. It was dang near rust free other than a couple spots, it was lifted like I wanted and had chrome trim. Oh and it was a Red ranger, with Red interior which I thought was cool.
So I trailored it home during a house move and left it for awhile so I could gain some momentum. So I started buttoning up a few panels that needed put on and some rust issues. All things I got confidence from on the first Bronco. Things that used to scare me to death were just another day in the garage. I got it back together and was like what to do body work wise. Ive never seen this done let alone done it. so I just started watching YouTube. got some confidence and decided to start on it. started off terribly just working my but off, then slowly got better and better. it was terrible I hate it still to this day. dust everywhere............annoying. So now I'm a rust free Bronco owner getting ready to prime the L.O.F.T. I'm tackling the primer myself after my wifes cousin who is a stud painter comes over and lines me out, and then he will paint it for me.
Theres nothing better than going on in the garage and seeing what you have done. People ask me where I learned and I say I have great friends who answer my calls, and the internet. My family always doubted I could do it and thought I was just crazy to spend the money on this. But they see it now and just are amazed. They believe my skills were only athletically but I wanted to prove that if you want to do something just spend the time learning and trying. The internet can be such an amazing tool for people. You guys have been so great I love it.
I will continue to update but have been wanting to tell my story.
