Another Bronco project starting- updated 7-30-05 getting close

[67bondobronc]

You may things look so easy, definately first class work.

 

[2badrotties]

You may things look so easy, definately first class work.

Thanks. I am doing this thread for a couple of reasons. First, so NYBronco can keep up with his truck because he lives hours away from me. Second was to show people how to fix a bronco with used parts, repair some parts, and use parts that are just so-so quality and still have a decent truck when done. This truck is not going to be a show truck but should turn out pretty nice. Some people just don't have the money to buy NEW parts so I wanted to show how things could be done with used parts ( quarter panel ) and patch panels ( rockers ) without having to spend the money for brand new parts. I am doing door skins on this truck too and I'll post pictures as I go along.

 

[1975stroppebaja]

Thanks. I am doing this thread for a couple of reasons. First, so NYBronco can keep up with his truck because he lives hours away from me. Second was to show people how to fix a bronco with used parts, repair some parts, and use parts that are just so-so quality and still have a decent truck when done. This truck is not going to be a show truck but should turn out pretty nice. Some people just don't have the money to buy NEW parts so I wanted to show how things could be done with used parts ( quarter panel ) and patch panels ( rockers ) without having to spend the money for brand new parts. I am doing door skins on this truck too and I'll post pictures as I go along.

Lookin great as usual 2Bad!! I'm very interested in seeing the door skin replacement. I considered that but ended up buying different doors. Awesome job!

 

[wdbowers]

progress looking nice. What kind of welder are you using, I was welding in my kick panel and inner fender today with a hobart mig welder and had a tendacy to burn through and cause warpage on lowest setting. using flux core wire.

 

[2badrotties]

progress looking nice. What kind of welder are you using, I was welding in my kick panel and inner fender today with a hobart mig welder and had a tendacy to burn through and cause warpage on lowest setting. using flux core wire.

here at home I have a small welder but it kicks ass. I have told others about them but people just disregard them. Will weld 1/8th and 3/16ths pretty good too and it only cost me $300. I have had it for a long time with NO PROBLEMS at all. This is the welder I have...

http://www.toolking.com/shop/view.asp?ID=9902

I can take it out in the yard with a extension cord and weld swingset, front porch railings, fence, etc and have no problems even on extension cord




1975stroppebaja - I did one of the skins already. The quality is crude but I think I can make them look real good. The problem is the edges they bend on them. They come all crimped up on the edges and DO NOT hammer flat. I think with a little grinding I can make them look okay. Keep your eye opened right here for pictures.

 

[4x4Alaska]

looks great man!...I love how the pros can just bust something out in a simple afternoon! Thanks for the tips on my quarters, hopefully I can have some pics up soon...keep it up man..

 

[Familyman]

Wow, 2Bad now I understand what good body work looks like. I can believe you use that little welder to produce those welds . Please advise me what size wire and type of gas are you using. Like others I tend to burn through but I suspect its because I am using pure CO2 not C25 as my gas. Another question, do you just cut out the section you want, wasting the sheet metal around it, or do you cut out each section without damaging the other section? I am curious because my tub is bent, twisted and dented ;D but after seeing what you do it makes me think that it could be repaired? Although I think I will still just fix up a strait tub seems alot easier, but maybe I am wrong? Thanks for your help and great job!!

 

[Familyman]

Hey 2Bad, one more question, how would you straighten the firewall/bulkhead that the windsheild sits one, if one side had been bent due to a rollover. This maybe answered in my last post

Although I think I will still just fix up a strait tub

Thanks for the help. FM

 

[2badrotties]

Update march 5th

Did a little more welding today. Fixed your holes in right quarter panel. Installed left rocker. What a job, fit like crap, 1/4 inch too long. I had to cut the end off and reweld it or you would have never got a fender on there. Pics as follows 1st old tire carrier holes. 2nd is grinding spotwelds instead of drilling them ( rub a cutoff wheel over the weld ). 3rd is pulling off the piece after grinding spotwelds. 4th new rocker repair panel welded on. 5th is all ground down. and the 6th picture is just teasing you ;D . Probably never saw this much Bronco before

I added the grinding of spotwelds pictures to help others out. This will work for all of the welds on floorpans as well. A lot easier than drilling and you never touch the panel underneath. Try it !

 

[tejayandtina]

Good progress. A little off topic question, who's the inspiration on the wall in pic # 6? (the one to the left of the old Jeff Burton fender).

Question answered.......thank you

 

[2badrotties]

Hey Chip, are you gonna reply ? I don't want to think you abandoned this here, I may have just the frame for my Bronco ;D .

 

[NYBronco]

True Progress-

Andy,
I have not abandoned you!! Everything looks great. Too bad I couldn't make it int hius weekend due to being stuck in the office. I like seeing the fenders on there too now. How are the doors coming? I'm just iutching to see what it looks lkike with the primer layer and seal seem on it. Cath you next weekend.

Thanks for all the quality work!!!

 

[2badrotties]

Don't get too excited about the fenders being on there. I just set that fender on there to weld the little tear in the front. I wanted to see if it really was a Bronco. Yep, it is starting to look like a Bronco again. As for the doors - Last time you were here you said to hold off on the doors.

 

[NYBronco]

Doors

That's right Andy. I am thinking of making those into summer doors and I have located a set for the full. Will follow woth more later. Don't worry about those for now.

 

[2badrotties]

UPDATE 3-13-05 NOT a good day

Took the body off the frame so I could do some priming and painting without the engine being in the way. We got the body off and set it on some plain metal saw horses so I could get to everything underneath.

So, I wash it all off with wax and grease remover and dried it. Mix up my DP40 epoxy primer so it can sit and do its thing. Blow everything off , pour primer in gun, DAMN - something in my eye ! Well that just sucks . I went in the house and tried to get it out by rubbing my eyeball with a Q-tip and then my fingernail , NO GOOD ! Gotta go to hospital to get it out. Went to emergency room and did the big long wait because there just isn't a eye doctor open in the middle of the night / early Sunday morning. Got home and slept for a while.

Went out this morning and blew it all off again ( eyes closed this time ;D ) and said lets try this again. I sprayed the front end up to the door posts so it could sit and dry for seam sealer. One hour, two hours, three hours, four hours, still lots of wet places especially around seams and brackets. I GOT IT ! It is stripper residue. Washing it and drying it still didn't get it all off So now I get a gallon of lacquer thinner and a red scotch brite pad and start scrubbing all of the primer back off :-X . Do you know what a pain in the azz it is washing epoxy primer off of a fire wall , door posts and cowl ? Good thing the wheel tubs and inner fenders are new and didn't see any stripper. I did learn a good lesson today. No matter how long ago something was stripped with stripper, wash it five or six times. Worst part is the entire truck ( EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY ) has been stripped and needs to be cleaned and cleaned and re-cleaned. I will not try wax and grease remover again either. I thought I was going to get something done this weekend and I'm almost back to where I started

 

[meathead333]

sorry to hear your troubles. i dont know much, but at least your doing it the right way and not taking short cuts. i bet when its done it will be awesome!

 

[NYBronco]

Bad Day-

Andy-
Sorry to hear about your trip to the hospital yesterday and then the time consumed washing the truck down. We sprayed it 2 to 3 times after stripping. Suprised to see there was that much left behind. Hope the next couple of days go better-

 

[j.r.nice]

Sorry to hear about your PITAs, hope your eye is okay. Your work looks great! Any idea what kind of stripper was used? ......was it water clean up type?

Better luck this week! ;D

 

[NicksTrix]

andy, sorry to hear you had to visit the ER. it's never any fun to have your eyeballs dug on.
Q: how do you get the tub off the frame yourself? i don't see any overhead hoists in your garage. you managing to do it with just an engine hoist? do you not support the front end other than the inner fender panels?

thanks for the tips on not using wax remover. think a hot pressure wash would have prevented this?
looking good on the resto.
let me know when you make it down. i've got plenty of jobs lined up to keep you busy if you need ;D
be good
get some rest
nick

 

[2badrotties]

Nick - Four guys lifted the body off this time. Had to go up pretty high because of engine, twin stick shifter, shock hoops. It wasn't too bad with 4 guys but 5 or 6 would have been better. NO BRACES in the doors at all. This bronco is pretty solid and even without braces is only closing the door gaps about 1/8th inch. NYBronco put the body on this frame so he knew it was pretty solid or should I say solid enough to lift it without it folding in half.

As for the metal chip in the eye - Part of the business it SEEMS. I'm getting pretty good at chip removal but couldn't get this one. Yes I wear glasses, guess I need goggles with sides