first Bronco in 23 years

unimogger · Jan 8, 2020

Busy day today. Made some shims and got the drivers side door to fit better, before doing the rocker. In hindsight, I wish I had left a little more room, but it's workable for sure. I might put the hinges on the milling machine, and take a 1/16th off the back of them though. I've gotten a few messages about why the rockers had to come apart, so I took some better pics. You can see, that overlap where the two parts are spot welded together is sloppy. Measured, it was over 1/8 different from end to end! And too big even at the small end.. and the spot welds wander down to the very edge of the overlap. Someone asleep at quality control
Anyway, the door shuts well, though not as nicely as the passenger side. Might be the latch
Took the body off, which was actually quite a fight. My lift arms were too long for the short bronco, and kept getting hung on the tires or spring perch. Then the front passenger side mount wasn't fully cut, and I accidentally bent the inner fender down a few inches. Bleh. But at least it's done.
SD

unimogger · Jan 14, 2020

Frame is back from blasting. Of course it started raining on my way back with it, so I improvised a tent and cooked it dry with some propane torpedo heaters. Got a heat gun pointed down each frame rail, really got it warm, and then hosed it down with some black epoxy
Whatever layer of steel mounts the rear bump stop, it has caught a ton of moisture and needs to be repaired, as do the rear shock mounts and some rear frame sections. Nothing terrible

stout22 · Jan 15, 2020

Wow! You really are moving along at a good pace. Keep up the good work.

Revelation · Jan 15, 2020

Looking good. A lot of work but moving fast. how are you handling the no title situation?

unimogger · Jan 15, 2020

Revelation said:
Looking good. A lot of work but moving fast. how are you handling the no title situation?

I have just applied for a Vermont registration, which I will transfer to my state and apply for a title.

Revelation · Jan 15, 2020

unimogger said:
I have just applied for a Vermont registration, which I will transfer to my state and apply for a title.

Good deal, Living in Florida no title no dice. They wont use just a registration, has to be title.

unimogger · Jan 17, 2020

My crew ran out of stuff to do while I was out running errands today, so they surprised me and stripped the entire underside. I was trying to figure out how to flip it and take it to be blasted, and they said screw it’ and did it all with wire knot wheels on 4” grinders. Amazing.
It’s in decent shape considering it’s an original east coast truck.

unimogger · Jan 20, 2020

Blasted and painted the stock wheels today. Almost went w Wimbledon white but thought it was a bit too yellow. Instead I picked a white that’s the same hue, but about halfway between pure white and Wimbledon white.
Grabbed some nice dog dish caps off a 65 ford truck, should look sweet

sprdv1 · Jan 20, 2020

unimogger said:
Blasted and painted the stock wheels today. Almost went w Wimbledon white but thought it was a bit too yellow. Instead I picked a white that’s the same hue, but about halfway between pure white and Wimbledon white.
Grabbed some nice dog dish caps off a 65 ford truck, should look sweet

Fixed......

sprdv1 · Jan 20, 2020

unimogger said:
My crew ran out of stuff to do while I was out running errands today, so they surprised me and stripped the entire underside. I was trying to figure out how to flip it and take it to be blasted, and they said screw it’ and did it all with wire knot wheels on 4” grinders. Amazing.
It’s in decent shape considering it’s an original east coast truck.

a little better...…

unimogger · Jan 20, 2020

I'll figure out posting everything right side up tonight. I tried the other day and it didn't work so I sorta gave up. Thanks for taking care of it

unimogger · Jan 22, 2020

Scored a set of barely run 33/10.5 BFG tires from Facebook marketplace, and got them mounted up. Then I cut out the last of the rust under the seats today. Not great, there’s rust in every seam that leads to the wheel wells. Which is why this is as far as I’m going this time. If I pick at it any farther back, I’ll have the inner and outer quarters off and this will be sitting for another year..
Here’s what replacing, and a pic of the rear floor. You can see why I’m not eager to dig into that. Can o’worms waiting to happen.

unimogger · Jan 23, 2020

Making parts out of 16 gauge

unimogger · Feb 2, 2020

Update: It's been cold and wet, which has finally slowed me down.
I have the frame at home behind my barn, and have been slowly going through the axles. I pulled the front apart, replaced the pinion seal, inner axle seals, and then installed the disc knuckles with all new everything. Currently the rear axle has one axles out, and one stuck in. Heating the axle end casting made no difference. So, tomorrow I'll weld a big slide hammer to an old ford wheel.. that should do it. New wheel bearings, pinion seal/ crush sleeve, and drain plug for the housing are all waiting.
I have all new brake hardware, hoses, and will bend up new hard lines, and do a 3/8 stainless hardline for the fuel supply.
The body is back at my shop on the lift still. Now that much of the floor/ rockers/ door posts are repaired, I removed the hardtop. After that the windshield folded down and removed the dash. A few surprises: the windshield frame is really solid, and the wiring harness is in great shape. I had been hoping to salvage the wiring (I know I know), but it's in surprising condition. After pulling the tape off, the wiring is flexible, and barely any oxidation on the terminals. Just a few cuts and splices to solder up..
The rear of the tub did sag when I pulled the hardtop, which opened up the door gaps.. and thats not unexpected. But I do wonder how rigid these bodies are when they're in good solid shape? My supports are under the rockers so all of the rear weight was just hanging, currently I have a saw horse under the very back. Does a new tub flex like this if the rear is unsupported? Anyway, given the movement, I can't get the body out to be blasted on its own, so I'll have to get it back on the frame. I'm going to epoxy and rhino line the underside before it goes back on though..
I'll post some pics from my mobile. Might even get them right side up

unimogger · Feb 2, 2020

Pictures

unimogger · Feb 3, 2020

Slide hammer did the trick. The housing was full of sludge, outer bearings shot, ring gear is rusted. Gonna hunt for a set of 3.50 gears, as re- gearing both ends is not in the budget right now.

unimogger · Feb 11, 2020

Making progress
Picked up a good used center 9" section with the correct gears, rebuilt my trak-lock and installed it. New bearings and brakes, welded a drain fitting onto the housing while out was apart.
Got the underside in epoxy, seam sealed the joints, and then grey Rhino Liner. Man that stuff does deaden the sound!
Dash board had a bazillion holes drilled all over, which got welded up and sanded smooth. The radio had been hacked, and rather than weld it back up I opened to to a standard DIN chases size. Sprayed it down with a few coats of the same white as the wheels.
Can't wait to get the body back on it.. I hate having one project take up three spaces.

unimogger · Mar 10, 2020

Chassis wrapping up.
Hard and soft lines run, 2.5” Duff springs installed, all new brakes, bearings, seals, and bushings throughout.
Still have to extend the front shock towers and repair the rear shock mounts, but it’s about ready to set the body back on. Didn’t plan to do as much as I did, somehow I told myself that it was in better condition than it was.

unimogger · Mar 11, 2020

The engine was in my way, so nothing I could do but drop it back into the frame.
I love how easy it is working on the bare frame.

unimogger · Mar 22, 2020

Some rear frame repairs. Rear body mounts, shock mounts and bump stops were all shot. Started cutting repair pieces out of 3/16 plate

first Bronco in 23 years

Full Member

Attachments

Full Member

Attachments

Bronco Guru

Bronco Guru

Full Member

Bronco Guru

Full Member

Attachments

Full Member

Attachments

REBEL

Attachments

REBEL

Attachments

Full Member

Full Member

Attachments

Full Member

Attachments

Full Member

Full Member

Attachments

Full Member

Attachments

Full Member

Attachments

Full Member

Attachments

Full Member

Attachments

Full Member

Attachments

Similar threads