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73 Explorer Rebuild: year 8/9/10/11

73azbronco

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UPDATE 2020, Feb 29.

This "buiild" started with the purchase of a 1973 EB in El Paso one night in 2008. Drove it all the way back to Phoenix and except for a leaking aux tank, some serious exhasut fumes, it worked and ran great with what I believe to be a Stroppe prepped EB of the time chase truck. No Stroppe markings, but has been found to have the 351, and AC mods a non race stroppe would have had. The owner before me was a race enthusiast, which if he was still around, I'd ask for sure. I am the second owner.

Got it home, and it was dripping some oil, and over the next few years of gaskets here and there, in 2011 as the rebuild craze hit, I jumped in as well.

I was scoffed for paying $7,400 at the time, when others could be had for $3,500. But this has no rust, I mean, no rust. Every inch has been gone through, resurfaced or painted.
Except for outer body, all original nicks and all.

Below is my original build thread start in 2011.

Thought I'd load up what my "oil pan gasket repair" has turned into after deciding to do full frame off on January 2nd 2011, after finding floor rusted through (edit 2021, there was no rust, it was the residue from the red carpet glue made it look like rust, and the factory option of not completely welding the floor corner closed making it look like it had a 1/16th hole at the floor to tunnel corner. NO rust.). Second photo looks like I have 12 inch body lift, D20 is already out, shifter just sitting there.

Note one of three super secret switches below steering column, the PO must have been very afraid, of course this was an El Paso truck.... hmmm.
 

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73azbronco

73azbronco

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next week getting to the engine bay
 

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73azbronco

73azbronco

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interior stripping, waiting for front d44 to come back so it can be a roller to the paint shop.
 

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73azbronco

73azbronco

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interior again, rust through floors. PO used some type of nuclear powered carpet glue, the red stuff. (edit 2021 again, no rust it was a factory goof of not welding corner seem all the way, red glue made it look rusty)
 

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73azbronco

73azbronco

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dash almost out, glass removed, windows down. Dog watching, wondering why its not alpo time.
 

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73azbronco

73azbronco

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dash dropped, wires off, need to remove switches for paint, weld in patch for aftermarket radio.
 

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73azbronco

73azbronco

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Rest of story: Front end powdercoated, had to get it back from shop so I could have a rolller frame to get body to paint, bare axle, needs to go back to shop for ARB 4.11. Note 78 Big Bronco disk knuckle, arms will get painted when it goes frame off..
 

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DirtDonk

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Nice oil pan gasket repair!
I would probably go ahead and paint the surface you kept from the powder coat. Probably smart to keep it un-coated, but a nice coat of paint is not so thick as to cause trouble, and it will keep the rust down over the years. In your area especially, it will be YEEERRRRS before the spindle is stuck to the knuckle with rust, but at least you'll be a head of the game with some paint on there.

Paul
 
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73azbronco

73azbronco

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actually I was going to use the dust shield which is galvanized and a little dab of grease, i think that would protect it for a few decades.


Aztec Orange: A Harley bike color circa 2000. This guys webpage, on the bike, not the car. Not me. Pictures don't do it justice, it always looks dark red when in fact it's realy dark orange.

http://karlziii.com/erik.html
 
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73azbronco

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And then nothing happened for two years as life gets in the way.

Until this last week, Oct 2013.

The Aztec Orange Idea is out the window, paint is not the priority this year(s). Making it drivable is 100% the goal as soon as possible.

Truck has been at Driven having some custom work completed by Randy and his fine crew of folks.

First, front end was built with 4.1 and ARB, mile marker locks and Mosser axles with CTM joints. Front Big Bronco disks with Heavy duty Ball joints. Rear was previously completed a few years ago by Steve in the West valley, but I lost all contact with him unfortunately, hope he is OK.

Steering swapped to over vs under and went heavy duty on the steering links. Raised track bar mount as well. Frame was modded with internally welded bungs for 4x4x2 conversion.

Front shock hoop with more shock attachment points than I've ever seen installed. Note old school long shock adapter still attached to spring tower, that will be ground off before paint.

Loaner dead block used to mock up NV4500 and D20 installed, test fit BC headers and they fit great with heavy duty engine mounts. This will be using a 2 inch BL with 3 inch springs.

Ladder anti torque link added to rear axle. This is not a traction device, it is an anti axle wrap device.

Rear extended shock mounts added to frame and to axle.

Photos.
 

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73azbronco

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Next up on the list is to remove everything attached to frame, grind off the 500 factory weld BB's which I hate, and get it blasted and painted, Eastwood sealer inside the frame, everything back on it, install real motor (Ford 5.0 punched to 347)/tranny/D20, get it back to driven for the body they are modding.

Body is being worked over to remove 40 years of goo, black asphalt undercoating, and prepping interior for liner spray. Modding center hump for twin stick and NV4500 shifter. Underhood is being prepped for line spray as well. I'm going sand colored liner, sand colored seats, and keeping the blue paint scheme and white top. My wife says it will look great, what do I know about color... I'm doing it because everything in AZ is sand coloered, why not get the stuff which gets dirty the same color, right? Can I get an amen?

Also installing family cage, protofab front and rear bumpers with all the bells. 23 gallon tank and last but not least frame welded nerf bars, but that may mean I lose the aux tank.

My punch list is to get this back to Randy by Early Nov, so he can get me a body back by end of Nov to work over Dec installing new wires, AC unit in dahs so he can then install roll cage and seats so I can finish it.

Finally by 2014ish.

8 years ago this started out as a full stock restomod/survivor to be used as daily driver, then turned into a full frame off resto, then 2008 happened with the economy, then backed off that to a full frame off underside being completed, with the interior to a daily driver trail truck level and chase vehicle for the 2013 Jeep Rubicon modded to the hilt i'm working on in unison to this Bronco.

See Randy's part here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.527295890694189.1073741865.127320714025044&type=1
 

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73azbronco

73azbronco

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Freshly sand blasted frame, 25 Nov 2013

Finally, after 8 plus years, the build begins, mockup complete.

Freshly blasted built 73 frame. Of note, the Gods where against us, it rained a record 2 inches in two days in Scottsdale, shutdown every blast and paint shop around for days.

At this point in most TV shows, the guys put the car together in 10-12 minutes.

I'm unable to do anything with it for a week so I wrapped it in plastic, put in a few chem dri containers and turned the heat to 60 degree's in the garage.

I plan to coat the bare metal with marine wash, then dry, then coat with Metal ready to add a layer of zinc phosphate, then internal frame coating from Eastwood, then take it to a painter and self etch prime and add a descent frame paint.

Besides Por15, any recommendations for a factory'ish black paint? I may do POPR15, but still think I need to put a coat of clear over it to protect it here in AZ.
 

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73azbronco

73azbronco

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23 Nov frame grind and internal frame paint applied, ready for paint

29 Nov 2013, frame ground and sanded to remove billions of factory weld BB's and smooth spots to improve look and paint.


Internal frame coated with Eastwood internal frame treatment, rust preventative. Very good looking product, covers well, only need 1.25 cans.

I am changing frame coating to use etching product (leaves a zinc phosphate coating), etch primer, and then final quality single stage frame paint. I was going to use Por15, but the steps to obtain the finish and time killed that idea. I have a paint reservation Tuesday and I had to have it ready today.
 

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helo-mech

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I've seen were one pulls something like POR15 through their frame with a rope and a rag, but with the method you are using, how are you planning to coat the inside of the frame. Crazy to see all the changes this project has taken. Makes me a little scared to start anything on mine.

Of course I don't have to money to start anything serious, so I guess I've got time to calm down and come up with a plan.
 
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73azbronco

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The picture showing the green paint is inside the frame, it's done! It is even still a little wet. The spray can came with a two foot hose with a four holed nozzle which evenly sprayed everything inside.

I would be afraid to try the por on a rope/swab through the frame, that stuff sets up pretty fast (where I am) and all the mess from the frame holes to boot. That and I have frame strengtheners/spacers at points the steering box connects to the frame so its pretty blocked off. The Eastwood stuff worked great.

The changes are really the result of waiting so long to start. I had the luxury of not needing this as a driver. If I would have kept going 7 years ago, I would have only done the valve cover leak and driven it as is waiting for the chance to pull everything off. But as the house needed my Bronco cash, time slipped, kids went to college and finally graduated, it morphed into this version.

As time kept moving, so did the idea of what I wanted, I started pulling more and more off the truck. Pretty soon, I rebuilt the engine (302), then another (351) then finally went all in with a custom 347, rebuilt the D20, a C4 which is gone to another member, and picked up an NV4500. I like rebuilding motors so it's more hobby than anything, and I came out even because I did most of the work myself.

I had no real intention of off-roading it, but then I bought a new jeep and found out it was pretty capable, I figured to do the same to this to have two trucks on the trail as back-up for each other, so no more resto, and off I went into full trail rig. Even with that idea came changes as time passed: paint, interior, tires, etc.

So I would not be afraid of what I did, I would be sure to have an idea of what you want, and as long as you stick to the plan it all works out, even if the plan changes five times.
 

helo-mech

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I like the idea of the spray inside the frame as well. I'll have to look into that. I used POR15 on the floors about 7 years ago and I always worried about the same mess if it ever came time to do the frame.
 
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73azbronco

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Just looked inside frame today after it dried, very nice finish. I am impressed with all of Eastwoods products so far, to bad nobody local carries their stuff.

While looking at frame one last time in its pure state, I noted the OEM front shock towers still attached with aftermarket shock hoops attached. Oops! Those need to go to make room for new shock position, so once again, Thor, God of Fire, back at work cutting those away. Now its ready to paint.




ps, yes, I know Thor is not God of fire but it sounds good.
 

jmhend

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Internal frame coated with Eastwood internal frame treatment, rust preventative. Very good looking product, covers well, only need 1.25 cans.

Glad to see you are back at the build. how did you get the inside of the rails prepped for the Eastwood treatment?
 
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