1975 Wind Blue Survivor

[green61bug]

So I picked up this 1975 back in October of 2021. It was listed on the forum for sale and luckily that was the only place or else it would have been snatched up quick. The day I saw the ad I knew I I had seen the bronco before. It was in Cherokee, NC under a hotel awning for a couple of years. I remember passing it not too long ago on one of my long cruises around the NC mountains. I spoke with the owner and made the decision to take my one day off and drive the 4hrs to take a closer look. We came to an agreement so my Dad and I picked the bronco up a couple days later. The bronco has sat in my driveway for the past few months but we had a few good days of weather so I decided I'd tinker on it a little to see if I could get it running and moved into the garage (which also meant getting my econoline running and out of the garage). haha... I need a bigger garage.

I was able to throw a battery and the rebuilt carb on it, drain the fuel and refill it as well as change a couple rubber lines and she cranked right up. Now to figure out what exactly I want to do with it.

This '75 was shipped to LA, bought by a company at the Vegas airport as a parts runner. It was then sold a few years later to a police officer who used it for his sign painting business on the side. After a while it went into storage and then to a second home in Montana where it was found by a member on here and then sold to the guy in Cherokee where I purchased it. Unfortunately all the paper work was trashed at some point along the way but was said to have lots of the history with it before coming to NC. It also had some cool tie down points mounted on it that were also missing when I got it.

A couple of pics show it before it made its way to NC with the tie downs still attached.

 

[Scoop]

Looks to be pretty solid and just surface rust? Any story on the driver's front corner damage? Might be a candidate for a patina build or a full restoration. Interior pics?

 

[green61bug]

Here are some more pics...

 

[green61bug]

Looks to be pretty solid and just surface rust? Any story on the driver's front corner damage? Might be a candidate for a patina build or a full restoration. Interior pics?

Its not bad! Couple small holes in the front floors and a little hole on the backside of the drivers a pillar behind the fender area where stuff is always splashing. I never heard any stories about the fender damage but they did a pretty good old school job of straightening everything.

 

[green61bug]

More pics

 

[green61bug]

A couple more for now...

 

[green61bug]

When I bought the bronco it came with a ton of new parts in boxes and I finally opened them up and made a list of what all was there. Here is the list as far as I can tell.

Plugs, Wires, Distributor Cap, Rotor Button, Coil, Belts, Water pump, upper/lower radiator hoses, power steering pump, power steering hose, thermostat, aluminum radiator, rebuilt original motorcraft carb, metal gas tank/sending unit, fuel pump, motor mounts, alternator, rear brake drums, rear brake shoes, rear wheel cylinders, rear brake hardware kit, TBP 2.5 inch lift kit, adjustable track arm, WH body lift kit, used C4 and transfer case, soft brake lines, used wiper motor and linkage, explorer front dress setup, and a Leed Brakes power front disc conversion.

It's quite a bit of stuff. A lot of it would have been stuff I would buy so I'm pretty pumped I dont have to start shopping yet other than a few little things. I already started on it a little yesterday evening with plugs, wires, coil, dizzy cap and rotor as well as the belts. I noticed the factory PS pump was leaking a little so I may have to put the new or rebuilt one that came with the bronco on.

Also, has anyone else done the Leed brakes conversion? I haven't opened all the boxes but just doesn't seem complete, at least not as thorough as the toms kit I did on the '69.

 

[broncojack]

So I picked up this 1975 back in October of 2021. It was listed on the forum for sale and luckily that was the only place or else it would have been snatched up quick. The day I saw the ad I knew I I had seen the bronco before. It was in Cherokee, NC under a hotel awning for a couple of years. I remember passing it not too long ago on one of my long cruises around the NC mountains. I spoke with the owner and made the decision to take my one day off and drive the 4hrs to take a closer look. We came to an agreement so my Dad and I picked the bronco up a couple days later. The bronco has sat in my driveway for the past few months but we had a few good days of weather so I decided I'd tinker on it a little to see if I could get it running and moved into the garage (which also meant getting my econoline running and out of the garage). haha... I need a bigger garage.

I was able to throw a battery and the rebuilt carb on it, drain the fuel and refill it as well as change a couple rubber lines and she cranked right up. Now to figure out what exactly I want to do with it.

This '75 was shipped to LA, bought by a company at the Vegas airport as a parts runner. It was then sold a few years later to a police officer who used it for his sign painting business on the side. After a while it went into storage and then to a second home in Montana where it was found by a member on here and then sold to the guy in Cherokee where I purchased it. Unfortunately all the paper work was trashed at some point along the way but was said to have lots of the history with it before coming to NC. It also had some cool tie down points mounted on it that were also missing when I got it.

A couple of pics show it before it made its way to NC with the tie downs still attached.

I think I would go the route of the blue patina Bronco that sold on BAT a couple of weeks ago. The whole chassis was restored and the underside of the body was lizard coated blue.

 

[green61bug]

I think I would go the route of the blue patina Bronco that sold on BAT a couple of weeks ago. The whole chassis was restored and the underside of the body was lizard coated blue.

That's the route I would like to go with both of my broncos! Unfortunately, I don't have the space to dive that deep into one. I was thinking maybe I would make it a nice driver like the 69 for now and when I get my new shop in a couple of years I will blow one of them apart and do one at a time. I know it would be a shame but I think a cut fender with white flares front and rear would look really good on the original blue paint.

 

[green61bug]

I got the Leed disc brake kit installed. I would not suggest it over the toms or other bronco parts houses kits. It came with the bronco so I was determined to use it. It required removing the factory hubs from the drums. There were spacers provided to fit the hub and make it flush to fit against the provided rotor. The spacers didnt fit so each one have to be sanded down. The factory hubs were tight fit in the rotors and needed a little filing to get them to sit nice and flush too. Once I got it all instaled withl with new bearings and races the factory wheels smashed the calipers. I had to get 1/4 inch spacers as well as grind the calipers down some. I posted some pics that show the difference in the way the caliper from toms was designed too. This kit was much harder to install than the Toms Offroad kit I used on the 1969 and not much cheaper. Plus it doesnt have backing plates.

 

[green61bug]

Since the bronco is drivable now I decided it was time to clean the paint up. I wanted to clean the inside up to install the mats so I figured I may as well clean up the outside too.

I took a bunch of pic to compare to when its all done.

I am using products all available at lowes or home depot, sometimes even just the local grocery store. I finished getting everything but the top CLRed tonight but it was too dark to get a photo but I did take a couple at the beginning so you can see the difference.

 

[eaglenest66]

That grille difference is amazing!! What did you use?

 

[green61bug]

Hey Tim, Thanks! The entire thing is cleaning up nicely. I actually used "Lime-Away" on the hood and the grille. I used a heavy duty scotch brite this time but depending on the paint you could vary between light and heavy... I typically use CLR instead of Lime-Away.

 

[BGBronco]

This project will be fun to watch. If you decide to repair the front fender, there is a guy on youtube that did a good matching fauxtina on a repair area on his bronco. if you are interested, PM me and I'll send it.

 

[green61bug]

This project will be fun to watch. If you decide to repair the front fender, there is a guy on youtube that did a good matching fauxtina on a repair area on his bronco. if you are interested, PM me and I'll send it.

I'm not sure I'll ever mess with it but ya never know. I have a buddy that paints and is pretty good at the fauxtina stuff. He does a lot of blending on original paint stuff and is pretty good at it so I'll probably let him do it. Id still love to chek out the video you're talking about tho!

 

[gnsteam]

CLR or Lime Away. I never would have guessed. Really cleaned up nice. great job, can't wait to see more.

 

[Broncoblood]

that is the old Las Vegas airport Bronco.
nice job! I like seeing the original stay original, good choice.
one suggestion, I think the front hubs would look better satin or flat black : )

 

[green61bug]

that is the old Las Vegas airport Bronco.
nice job! I like seeing the original stay original, good choice.
one suggestion, I think the front hubs would look better satin or flat black : )

Indeed it is! Glad you rescued this one!

 

[green61bug]

I got the inside of the bronco all cleaned out with CLR yesterday. It didnt remove the heavy stuff obviously but a lot of stains came up. Also got the entire exterior wet sanded with 1000 grit. I typically will wet sand older paint with 1500 to avoid cutting through as little as possible but the store was out. I will have to go back over it with a pass of 2000 grit today before I buff it... It is starting to feel nice and smooth now.

I also managed to cut holes in the Dennis Carpenter mat my buddy Mike let me have after winning it at Super Cel East last year. I still have to do the rear mat holes (I had to buy that one, haha) but glad to have the front figured out. It would have been great to have a heat gun just to get fitment perfect and snug before figuring out hole placement excatly but everything is pretty close.

 

[Broncoblood]

a preserved Dinosaur!
it was the airport parts Bronco then later a Las Vegas police officer that I believe was retired and had a sign painting business hence why some of the paint drippings in there.
here's the Marti in case you don't have it.