'72 Bronco project (Cypress, Tx)

[Dne007]

lol, I don't think I'll ever be back to "100%", but despite the past few weeks, my back has stabilized and is tolerable, so I'm working pretty good, but setup soon for a trigger point injection which usually buys me 4-5 years. Not for another week though, or longer. Vacation? hm I'll be honest, I don't really like to travel, I hate airports, TSA, etc. Very stressful to me. However we have our Dr. Daughter which lives in Philly and I genuinely hate that town!
Yes, how "the world has changed!" ain't it the truth However, I'm looking forward to putting what I have back together, should be fun! I just work a few hours in the morning and actually get a lot done
Thank you

Many of us are still living in the past. Our world has changed. Hopefully it will come in early. Gives you more time to be back 100%. Aren't you guys due for a vacation somewhere .

Love the progress.

 

[gnpenning]

Everyone has a different version of what's a vacation. For me, I don't care if I ever fly commercial again. Leaving the country anymore is driving to see a friend in Canada. I don't want to go anywhere that I will have people closer than I have at home, except when visiting family. Some place in the woods works for me, hopefully with shade and a stream.

I get the back issues, had a couple surgeries myself. Take care of it. 100% is relative these days. Do what you can when you can. You still are moving along at a great pace.

 

[Dne007]

I Love your avatar, Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou~!

Everyone has a different version of what's a vacation. For me, I don't care if I ever fly commercial again. Leaving the country anymore is driving to see a friend in Canada. I don't want to go anywhere that I will have people closer than I have at home, except when visiting family. Some place in the woods works for me, hopefully with shade and a stream.

I get the back issues, had a couple surgeries myself. Take care of it. 100% is relative these days. Do what you can when you can. You still are moving along at a great pace.

 

[Dne007]

Taking a little break for lunch On the parking brake, am I missing a bracket which steadies it to the metal dash? Other than that, looking to see where I might put the fuse box, thinking maybe beside the inner part of the parking brake assembly, you know, accessible. Ok, my brothers stopping by to visit yay

 

[gnpenning]

I Love your avatar, Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou~!

Years ago I had a gray that looked similar.

Lee said that horse should have won a Oscar award. Supposedly the trainer had a half hour or so to teach the horse to cross his legs like that .

 

[Oldtimer]

On my 68, parking brake bracket bolts directly to bottom of dash, and fire wall.
I mounted an accessories fuse panel on driver kick panel 40+ years ago. Sure are better options today.

 

[Dne007]

Well, oldtimer, that's what I was thinking, I'm going back out to take a look, thank you so much for the picture!!!!!!

On my 68, parking brake bracket bolts directly to bottom of dash, and fire wall.
I mounted an accessories fuse panel on driver kick panel 40+ years ago. Sure are better options today.

View attachment 885669

 

[Dne007]

We just watched Cat Ballou a few weeks ago, I just love the music from Nat, and don't know the other singers name, sometimes I just put the music on to listen. funny, I love the music from Davy Crocket,(Fess Parker), the kids think it's silly, but I beg to differ

Years ago I had a gray that looked similar.

Lee said that horse should have won a Oscar award. Supposedly the trainer had a half hour or so to teach the horse to cross his legs like that .

 

[Dne007]

I may have a little problem on the mounting of the parking brake, I can understand the depth being off, but not the height. Yes, I replaced the A pillar~ just have to tweek it or make it fit ran out of time today and also started "body work" on the hard top. I'd like to get it done, install it on the bronco to make more room. That hard top is a lot of surface area!

 

[Oldtimer]

If you bolt bracket to dash, how far off are the firewall attach points?
A question for others as I have not had my dash out, Is it possible to mount the dash too high?

 

[Dne007]

Hey oldtimer, with the park brake assembly bolted up completetly to the firewall, have to tighten due to the 10mm insulation, I'd say a good 3/4-1" away from bolting to the metal dash hole, but that not taken the height into consideration. I can flex the firewall a bit by lifting on the parking brake assembly, and obtain a little height. The dash is not going anywhere to adjust; it's fixed and lined up well. All I can think is that when I installed the A pillar, and welded the front firewall to the left kick panel apron, it must have thrown off something. I'll be back, just put leg quarters in the oven

 

[Dne007]

I thought maybe the lower dash brackets may have been Left/right, maybe by a fraction, but I took the drivers side off and moved the lower dash outwards, kind of tilts the dash; that's the only way it will fit, but the lower bracket won't work now. My only option is study is maybe modify the parking brake mounting. I even looked around to make sure this is THE parking brake as I've had a few projects over the past few years, but I don't think that's the case. However, I could modify the new lower brackets to adjust to fit(cut/weld), after exhausting all other options. dinners ready

 

[Oldtimer]

Tomorrow (or next week), after dinner and family. . . .

Hopefully someone with multiple restorations will chime in, Is parking brake bracket same for all years?

I see in an earlier post you put in new floor panels.
Is it possible fire wall is not quite correct fore & aft?

Worst case fix;
Put new dash brackets back in.
Section parking brake, bolt half to dash and half to firewall, fab and weld plate to reconnect.

 

[Dne007]

G mornin old timer yes a on the floor pans, A pillar , kick panel replacement, didn’t cross my mind to put the dash in when lining parts up but your resection idea is probably what I’ll do, breaks my heart to do that, but I’ll do a good job on it
But the temps have lessened and tolerable and my focus will be on the hard top. I’d like to finish it, put on the bronco, that will free up valuable space in my garage
Have a super day

 

[Dne007]

Good day my friends, got to work on the Hard top a little bit over the past couple days. It had a gazzllion little dents and small crunches, but it's going to be fine. This morning I sprayed 1 good coat of epoxy followed by 2 coats of high build. Block sanding reveals I have a quite a few lows to fill, but that's easy for me to take care of. Not bragging by any means. I just spent time mainly on the roof top. If all goes well, I think I should have it painted by next weekend, but the temps are back up in the 100plus ranges, so I'll just have to get up early (probably not going to happen as I'm not an early bird!) ,but I will go buy my paint supplies tomorrow, I think a quart of black(which makes 2 quarts), then instead of gloss, I'm hopping they have a semi-gloss clear. The underneath is quite clean, little rust, so insulation is coming for the entire underneath.
ok, that's my report for the day!

 

[Dne007]

Hey, sorry nothing terribly exciting going on, but got my power booster set up in place. Brian, gave me his old booster and it looks to be a Bendix vs the small new booster which came with my setup. So I'm using it. It's quite a lot of leverage being placed on the firewall, almost needs a support from the mc to the inner fender. The hard top, well, I ran out of glazing putty as there are still quite a few tiny lows that need filling. I took it off the rotisserie as there were some areas I couldn't get at. Guess that's it for today~ I think my carpet will be arriving today
dne'

 

[gunnibronco]

I just stumbled on your build thread and it looks awesome. I didn't have time to read all 30 pages and have a question.

Do you know the original paint code for the truck? Did you get a Marti report? I'm keeping track of all the 72 Explorer Sport paint codes. Most were either Durango Tan (X) or Hot Ginger Metallic (Z). If you have a Marti and a paint code other than X or Z I'd love to know the color and how many were made with that paint code and trim package. I have a Candyapple Red (T) that is 1 of 141 made in that color.

Thanks!

 

[Dne007]

Hi, I'm sorry but I don't know what the color is or was regarding the name of the paint. It came as a worn out metallic green? Forest green? I attached the VIN so maybe you can look it up? The other picture is when I brought it home, looks good from 100 yards! lol

I just stumbled on your build thread and it looks awesome. I didn't have time to read all 30 pages and have a question.

Do you know the original paint code for the truck? Did you get a Marti report? I'm keeping track of all the 72 Explorer Sport paint codes. Most were either Durango Tan (X) or Hot Ginger Metallic (Z). If you have a Marti and a paint code other than X or Z I'd love to know the color and how many were made with that paint code and trim package. I have a Candyapple Red (T) that is 1 of 141 made in that color.

Thanks!

 

[gunnibronco]

Hi, I'm sorry but I don't know what the color is or was regarding the name of the paint. It came as a worn out metallic green? Forest green? I attached the VIN so maybe you can look it up? The other picture is when I brought it home, looks good from 100 yards! lol

Thanks,

The paint code is on the warranty plate on the glove box door. If you don't have that, I think a Marti Report is the only way to know for sure. Did it show signs of older paint under the metallic green? I'm color blind so I don't try to guess what color I'm seeing, lol.
Marti Reports are fairly cheap and full of cool stats about your rig, if you are interested.

Marti Auto Works - Marti Report

A licensed manufacturer of true 'reproduction' parts for vintage Ford & Mercury cars, 1960-1973. Contact us for mail order retail sales, or wholesale account information.

www.martiauto.com

72 was the first year for the Explorer package and had to be added to the Sport package. After 72 you couldn't combine the Explorer and Sport packages so it's an odd ball trim package combo.

 

[Dne007]

DArn, I don't have a pic of the plate from the glove box handy. I promise to get a pic tomorrow of it. now you've got my curiosity going

Thanks,

The paint code is on the warranty plate on the glove box door. If you don't have that, I think a Marti Report is the only way to know for sure. Did it show signs of older paint under the metallic green? I'm color blind so I don't try to guess what color I'm seeing, lol.
Marti Reports are fairly cheap and full of cool stats about your rig, if you are interested.

Marti Auto Works - Marti Report

A licensed manufacturer of true 'reproduction' parts for vintage Ford & Mercury cars, 1960-1973. Contact us for mail order retail sales, or wholesale account information.

www.martiauto.com

72 was the first year for the Explorer package and had to be added to the Sport package. After 72 you couldn't combine the Explorer and Sport packages so it's an odd ball trim package combo.