Sac '68 sport
Bronco Guru
Well I figure I'm far enough along to finally start a build thread and put some documentation out there for posterity’s sake.
I originally got the Bronco in October 1994. I had a Honda prelude that I drove in High School, but moved up to the Sierras for college and needed a 4x4. Being a car guy and always wanting to get a project for him and I to do my Dad found this little 68 bronco sport in Reno NV for $3200. It was in great shape. It had the factory sea foam green paint with no rust and very few dents. It had a 302 in it, but I’m not sure if it was swapped in at some point in place of the 289 or if it was just a late build date in 68 and was a factory 302 but with 289 badges. Either way the heads said 302 on them. It had rear flares laying in the back, a new carpet kit, dealer installed AC, and some really ugly mustang seats that had been recovered to match the sea foam green paint. I put a stereo in it and drove it like that for a few years. Around 1996 the paint was starting to show it’s age so on Dad and I started on Resto #1. We sanded it all down, did the body work and had it sprayed. Unfortunately being only 19 and not knowing any better I had used silicone sealant everywhere I could to try and stop my feet from getting soaked every time it rained or snowed. As I’m sure you can imagine that didn’t work out so well for the new paint job. Fish eyes everywhere. The poor painter had primed it twice and sprayed it twice (all for only $600). He got it looking pretty good, but tt still had the fish eyes. We threw in some seats my dad got from his neighbor’s street rod and had the rear seat recovered to match. This is how I drove it all through college. I have to say I had the sweetest ride at Chico State from 1997 to January 2000. Couldn’t of had a better ride for a small college town. I’m pretty sure it’s what set the hook on the current misses. (Yes if your adding it up it took me from 94 to 2000 to get through college. I had some fun…) I got my first real job in my chosen field over on the coast in Fort Bragg CA. It was great only being a ¼ mile from the ocean but it rapidly started taking its toll on my beloved Bronco. The seams were starting to rust all over. I couldn’t have that so I changed jobs and moved back to the dry Central Valley air. I saved up a little out of every check from my first job out of school and bought a stock height Duff suspension. Bit of a mistake. I went with the dual shocks all around and it rode worse than a 1 ton truck. Oh well. Kept it pretty much like that since about 2002, took it to lots of Hot August Nights shows in Reno and was pretty happy. Starting in about 2003 I started squirreling money away for the big resto. when ever I could between buying a house, getting married and having 2 kids. There were a few incidents in the between time that wound up getting me some insurance monies to use for the restoration so that was helpful and the payments are what really got me started.
I started the tear down in mid December 2009. I did as much as I could do but I was having some elbow issues that I wound up having to have surgery for in April 2010. I took advantage of the time off and sent the body in for paint while I was out. It’s tough taking things apart with only one arm. Thank goodness for air tools.
So without further adue Pictures...
I originally got the Bronco in October 1994. I had a Honda prelude that I drove in High School, but moved up to the Sierras for college and needed a 4x4. Being a car guy and always wanting to get a project for him and I to do my Dad found this little 68 bronco sport in Reno NV for $3200. It was in great shape. It had the factory sea foam green paint with no rust and very few dents. It had a 302 in it, but I’m not sure if it was swapped in at some point in place of the 289 or if it was just a late build date in 68 and was a factory 302 but with 289 badges. Either way the heads said 302 on them. It had rear flares laying in the back, a new carpet kit, dealer installed AC, and some really ugly mustang seats that had been recovered to match the sea foam green paint. I put a stereo in it and drove it like that for a few years. Around 1996 the paint was starting to show it’s age so on Dad and I started on Resto #1. We sanded it all down, did the body work and had it sprayed. Unfortunately being only 19 and not knowing any better I had used silicone sealant everywhere I could to try and stop my feet from getting soaked every time it rained or snowed. As I’m sure you can imagine that didn’t work out so well for the new paint job. Fish eyes everywhere. The poor painter had primed it twice and sprayed it twice (all for only $600). He got it looking pretty good, but tt still had the fish eyes. We threw in some seats my dad got from his neighbor’s street rod and had the rear seat recovered to match. This is how I drove it all through college. I have to say I had the sweetest ride at Chico State from 1997 to January 2000. Couldn’t of had a better ride for a small college town. I’m pretty sure it’s what set the hook on the current misses. (Yes if your adding it up it took me from 94 to 2000 to get through college. I had some fun…) I got my first real job in my chosen field over on the coast in Fort Bragg CA. It was great only being a ¼ mile from the ocean but it rapidly started taking its toll on my beloved Bronco. The seams were starting to rust all over. I couldn’t have that so I changed jobs and moved back to the dry Central Valley air. I saved up a little out of every check from my first job out of school and bought a stock height Duff suspension. Bit of a mistake. I went with the dual shocks all around and it rode worse than a 1 ton truck. Oh well. Kept it pretty much like that since about 2002, took it to lots of Hot August Nights shows in Reno and was pretty happy. Starting in about 2003 I started squirreling money away for the big resto. when ever I could between buying a house, getting married and having 2 kids. There were a few incidents in the between time that wound up getting me some insurance monies to use for the restoration so that was helpful and the payments are what really got me started.
I started the tear down in mid December 2009. I did as much as I could do but I was having some elbow issues that I wound up having to have surgery for in April 2010. I took advantage of the time off and sent the body in for paint while I was out. It’s tough taking things apart with only one arm. Thank goodness for air tools.
So without further adue Pictures...
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