73 rebuild start’ish, kinda.

[TX73Bronco]

Hi all, I’ve been reading and searching this forum for the better part of a year to learn and get ideas on my journey. So I figured I’d share some photos and get any info for some upcoming work.
I’ve got a 73 Bronco and it’s been sitting since I bought it in early 2019. This summer I got a rolling chassis from Kincer Engineering. With a ton of parts for when I find a good used gen 3 coyote and transmission.
This spring I’ll begin stripping the vehicle out and prep it for a body shop. If you have recommendations in the Denver, CO area I’d love to hear them.
After that’s complete and it’s on the new chassis, I’ll start the long journey of installing the new painless wiring harness. If you have experience with these and are in the Denver area, I’d love to be able to pick your brain during the process and even potentially hire assistance/guidance to complete the wiring and learn. (I have zero experience in all of this)

Having it running by the end of summer would be awesome, but I’m sure my wallet will disagree with that at some point.

That’s it for now, here’s some photos!

 

[Speedrdr]

I don’t know about your billfold, but looks to me that the high dollar stuff has already been done. Not sure what your plans are for trans, gearing and what you might do to under the hood, but it’s looking pretty good to me…except what looks like a whole bunch of bondo to deal with.
Summer looks like a reasonable goal to me.

Randy

 

[Yeller]

^^^^ that’s funny
when I talk to people about building a buggy, they are all excited, they have the axles built, tires, wheels, coil overs, engine, trans, tcase and winch and are ready to build. They freak when they figure out they are almost 1/2 way there on the expenses, and that’s if we don’t do any body panels past floor and firewall.

Nice looking chassis! Going to be a nice ride when it’s done

PS: no ill feelings or animosity about the cost, I love it when people have the resources to build what they want and I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to partake in some epic builds, most of them missed their budget by a lot. So I maybe a bit brutally honest at times, but would rather we all have our eyes wide open and not just seeing the sunshine.

 

[Speedrdr]

^^^^ that’s funny

PS: no ill feelings or animosity about the cost, I love it when people have the resources to build what they want and I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to partake in some epic builds, most of them missed their budget by a lot. So I maybe a bit brutally honest at times, but would rather we all have our eyes wide open and not just seeing the sunshine.

I know that when I bought my ‘77, I was thinking that some body work/paint, tuneup, new ignition, a little wiring and . Well, it’s getting closer and closer to a frame off. Got about $4K in parts and such to put on.
I’m just hoping for done by the SuperCel 2025!!

Randy

 

[Steve Tool]

Wow, starting with a new rolling chasis, I would'nt worry about getting it done for summer, you have more to work with than most of us did when we drug ours out of barns and woods, good luck and stay with the forum while you build, their are absuolute great Bronco minds here,

 

[Beau Nugget]

^^^^ that’s funny
when I talk to people about building a buggy, they are all excited, they have the axles built, tires, wheels, coil overs, engine, trans, tcase and winch and are ready to build. They freak when they figure out they are almost 1/2 way there on the expenses, and that’s if we don’t do any body panels past floor and firewall.

Nice looking chassis! Going to be a nice ride when it’s done

PS: no ill feelings or animosity about the cost, I love it when people have the resources to build what they want and I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to partake in some epic builds, most of them missed their budget by a lot. So I maybe a bit brutally honest at times, but would rather we all have our eyes wide open and not just seeing the sunshine.

Good advice and valuable observations. Your experience with the cost and cost over runs of bronco builds sounds a lot like my experience with the costs when building a house. Lol

 

[Torkman66]

With a new chassis that nice, my guess is it won’t take long after digging into the body to start thinking about getting a new body. It looks ok on the outside but I can almost guarantee you the body will require some major surgery. Not being negative, just setting up expectations.

I’ve restored several dozen various rides over the past 40 years. EVERY single one took longer and cost more than I originally estimated. You’d think I’d learn, right! But I fall into the “while I’m at it trap.” Once you get 20 or 30k invested and it’s in parts all over your shop it’s easy to start saying “I’m in it this much might as well get this or that for it.” Or, “what’s another $200, I’ll just get it.” After you do that several times all the sudden your budget is blown.

Saving grace with Broncos is that it will likely still be more than you put in it…just a Bronco thing.