1970 Ford Bronco 302 - Build Thread

[tonytony9]

There is no rhyme or reason to where the spot welds are on the windshield frame hinge. You have to remove all the paint and hopefully you can locate them.
I think the guy on the assembly line that was put the hinge on was the least experieced and got a lot of practice in when welding these on.

Haha fair enough, this is what I have been seeing. Thank you

 

[tonytony9]

Page 3 of the Build Thread:

Replacing the Windshield Frame Cowl, Horizontal Cowl and more (February 2026 - June 2026):

Questions:

1. I am trying to pick a mig welder to purchaser. Under $300. I am welding inside. Need to attach the windshield frame cowl (riser) to the existing end caps. Need to attach the horizontal cowl to the riser and the existing fire wall. No clue which welder to pick. I have 120v.
2. What type of welding? Punch holes, plug weld?

Some pictures and videos for the visual update:

Video of Some of The Restoration Process

*End cap to end cap measurement

*End cap spot welds were not easy


July 2026 Update - Getting ready for welding the new horizonal cowl and the windshield frame riser cowl piece. Prepping the metal.

Classic Bronco Cowl & Windshield Frame Cowl Alignment Video

 

[tonytony9]

October 2026 Update: Getting closer to welding, I think. I went the "extra mile" and decided to cut out the Z shaped shelf on the driver side firewall/kick. My horiztonal cowl piece has this Z shelf built into the cowl, rather than it being its own piece. Which is how Ford original manufactured it, to my understanding. However, it needs a flat support beneath it. So I mocked up some sheet metal as a template and am cutting about 18g as the final product. On the passenger side, I bent up something thicker, maybe 18g+. Might take it a step further and make it longer to connect on top of the A-Pillar.


Question: How do I connect the wide gaps beneath and on the sides of each new piece of sheet metal I fabricated...fabricated is a loose term here. Stack welds on top of each other? You'll see in the pictures below. I am planning to drop my wire down to .023, using 75/25, and my buddies Eastwood Mig on 110v

@kman67 @EPB72 @stout22

 

[stout22]

I'm not a welding expert - more of a hack but I would pull the gaps as close as possible then put a substantial spot weld at the closest gap, let it cool, then build the next spot weld next to the first - repeat process.

 

[.94 OR]

I'm not a welding expert - more of a hack but I would pull the gaps as close as possible then put a substantial spot weld at the closest gap, let it cool, then build the next spot weld next to the first - repeat process.

That would be my approach as well. I have decent luck with a 1-1.5 second on and then let the puddle cool until it changes back to red, blast again. I even find I get better penetration than a single bead and fewer blow outs.

 

[tonytony9]

Page 3 of the Build Thread - Continued (November 2026):
The windshield Cowl was welded in to the existing a-pillar end caps. Steering column brace and pedal assembly bolted to the windshield cowl. End cap to end cap measurement is about 60 inches. Within 1/16th or 1/8th of an inch from before. For the driver side, I fabricated a shelf with a 90 bend over the inside of the kick - this sits on top of the kick. Spot weld in. Stich weld to the top of the a-pillar.


Questions for Next Steps:

1. I weld-through, galz-coated all the areas which will be welded for the horizontal cowl. The valley (low part of the windshield cowl), I think I want to POR-15 it. I can't tell what kind of metal process these pre-fabricated pieces were shipped. When you scuff it or spray with cleaner, it turns a darkish gray and runs. So I am thinking this is some sort of e-coat. Can I use POR-15 metal prep on the valley and then apply the POR-15 right on top? Of course, cleaning up the weld-through primer I already laid on the valley.