1975 Bronco project resurrected

[buckroseau]

Another question(s). Getting ready to drill in my seats and seat belts. I'm assuming the 1975 Bronco's came with seat belts, or at least an option? And, I think I know what holes they were supposed to go in. This Bronco did NOT have seat belts in it. It may have came that way from the factory, but they were not in there when it was taken apart.

2nd, passenger side rear seat mounting holes. I think I've got the seat lined up where it is supposed to go in the old tub, but I see no holes for the rear mounts in the original body? Am I missing something? I made some marks where they should be, but nothing. Was there something else that mounted the rear portion of the passenger seat?

Matt

 

[Slowleak]

There are no bolts for the rear of the passenger seat. It has to be able to flip forward. The latch is the only thing holding it down.

A '75 would have come with seat belts....

 

[buckroseau]

There are no bolts for the rear of the passenger seat. It has to be able to flip forward. The latch is the only thing holding it down.

A '75 would have come with seat belts....

I just thought the seat backrest flipped forward, not the entire seat. That make perfect sense now that you said that.

Next question. Would you be able to give me, a measurement from the edge of the body / door lip to center of the outside seat mounting holes? My bracket is a little tweaked I think and the original floor was rotted out and replace with pop riveted sheet metal, and they didn't bolt that bracket back in. I'm not so much worried about front to back, since I think I'm going to move both seats back approx. 2 to 3 inches.


Matt

 

[Slowleak]

Those holes are 6 inches in from where the end of your tape is.

 

[buckroseau]

Those holes are 6 inches in from where the end of your tape is.

Can I ask you another favor. Measurement from this portion of the body to the back bolt on the right side mount, on center? I'm guessing it will be in the 11" to 11.5" ballpark.

Just trying to square it up, then move all marks back the same amount.

Thanks, Matt

 

[Slowleak]

That's looks to be 11.5. I can't get a real accurate measurement on it since I have carpet and padding in the way....

 

[buckroseau]

Update and question.

Took the bronco out today for the pretty much the first test run, my kids and I went to perkins. About 20 miles round trip. Couple issues, maybe minor maybe not. Initially some basic burning smells. I stopped after about 4 miles and cracked to hood to check it out. Nothing was on fire, so I assumed it was the motor getting up to ramming speed and burning off some manifold, valve cover and other paint. It went away after about 10 or so miles.

Transmission. In Drive it wouldn't shift out of 2nd unless I popped the shifter over to D2, then it would shift and I could pop it back to Drive on the column. I'm guessing something is out of adjustment, but I just don't know what it is?

Now for a really dumb question. Where does the speedo gear/cable go into the transmission. I've been poking around underneath there and I'm not seeing it. Can someone circle the area in one of my pics, or post up one of there own. I would like to get that in there.

Thanks, Matt

 

[buckroseau]

Can someone post up a pic of the approx. location to mount the dimmer switch on the floor? I've got my lights working and the dimmer hooked up, but as you can see on the floor of the old body it was covered with a sheet of aluminum.

On another note, drove the bronco to a car show today. Lots of positive comments.

Matt

 

[Skiddy]

the speedo cable is on the back of the transfer case

 

[buckroseau]

Thought I would post up a few pics, painted this weekend. Went ok, tough not working in an actual paint booth, but turned out alright. I have a run to sand out tomorrow and some orange peel. Hit it with the buffer and I should be good to go.

Still have several hours of misc. things, but it's looking like a bronco again.

Matt

 

[buckroseau]

Old body loaded on my 1 ton, all done with it. Heading to the metal recycle'r this week. At least what's left of it.

Matt

 

[buckroseau]

Question. I was able to acquire an original bronco rear bench seat. Decent shape, but wrong color. Is there any company out there making replica original upholstery? I need the green.


Thanks, Matt

 

[buckroseau]

Another question. Is there a trick to getting this inner panel off without destroying it? I need to transfer all the parts off my old door to the new door currently hanging on the truck. I know that panel has a fiber board on the back side, I would hate to ruin it. Currently not getting it.

Thanks, Matt

 

[buckroseau]

Can someone tell be the measurement between the wheel wells? Mine is measuring 38" on the glass tub.

I picked up a stock rear bench seat today, went to set it in and it's to wide? I have to assume either the seats not stock or they make glass tubs narrower between the wheel wells.

I would measure my old one, but I thought I was done with it and dropped it off at the metal recyclers today.

Thanks matt

 

[Rustytruck]

Check with Mellisa at Bronco hut about your ulpolstery and trim questions. She seems to be able to comeup with the unique colors.

 

[Rustytruck]

Check with the seat on the other side of the wheel well. My inside tire mount use to hold a 10.5 inch tire between the seat and tail gate on my steel tub.

 

[buckroseau]

I've been meaning to post up a few pics, lazy I guess. Pretty much wrapped up the majority of the work around the end of June, that's when most of these pics were taken. Overall the project took me a little over 3 months and about 450 hours. Still a couple little things here and there I've been tinkering with now and then, but overall happy with the results.

1 problem I'm having and haven't been able to figure out is that my lights after they've been on for about 10 minutes will shut off. After about 10 seconds they come back on, and after about 20 seconds they turn off again. This cycle will continue over and over again. I initially thought it was a ground, but the cycle isn't random. If the lights are turned on after the truck hasn't been used in a while the times are very consistent. If I were to guess, I believe something is heating up, turning the lights off, cooling down and then coming back on, etc......

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks, Matt

 

[canzelc]

I had a similar problem with the head lights on my 73, although mine was less consistent. I chased a number of causes, it turned out to be the head light switch.

 

[66broncoCT]

The headlight switch has a circuit breaker in it so it's doing exactly like you say: heats up breaks, cools down, makes, repeat. The fix is to make or buy a relay harness that pulls power directly from the battery and only uses the power through the switch to activate the relays. No more on off funny business and most people say their headlights get brighter as well.

 

[buckroseau]

The headlight switch has a circuit breaker in it so it's doing exactly like you say: heats up breaks, cools down, makes, repeat. The fix is to make or buy a relay harness that pulls power directly from the battery and only uses the power through the switch to activate the relays. No more on off funny business and most people say their headlights get brighter as well.

Is the breaker faulty? Would a new headlight switch correct this problem? I only ask because I'm assuming it didn't do this when it was new.

Matt