Well I haven't posted on here in a while but I have to break my silence.
This is a great website and message board and has a great deal of information so I do a lot of reading. I appreciate the postings and technical articles, and how too's. This is the best site by far.
Being a single woman with some mechanical ability, I was not comfortable asking for help as I wanted to be sure I wasn't upsetting the "harmony" amongst the married or involved people on this board, but what can I say I'm old school and this shat happens,,, I know so I try to avoid any misunderstandings. Plus sometimes guys don't want girls hanging around too much,,, and I understand the need for the sexes to hangout with each without alot of grief. Me, I kinda do my own thing,,, but it's a little hard for me to talk broncos with my girlfriends,, hahaha.
My first bronco was is a real beater and way beyond my abilities (the pics are on here) and I was really discouraged. Then I happened to come by a 69 sitting under a shed last December and this one was too good to pass up. As usual with it sitting for a while it had the usual issues.
As I started to drive and attempt work on things I ran into things I knew I either have to pay someone to fix or try and get help. No Brakes and it was backfiring through the carb, (we're talking flames), fuel pump leaking, it was cooking the battery, so I had electrical issues galore and enough fumes to gas a elephant and a host of little things to be resolved but definitely a diamond in the rough.
I paid a shop to go through the bronco and fix the brakes and the bill was "breath taking" shall we say. They did a good job but I really wanted to learn to work on this bronco without being so much in the dark about the mechanics.
Anyway I ended up putting a ad on CL in the automotive services for a "old school" ford mechanic, one who knew carburetors etc and NC-Fordguy "Ed" was one that responded. I recognized his name from Classicbroncos.com and figured he'd be good contact.
Long story short , he came over and hauled my bronco to his garage a few months ago. Over several weekends I would drive down and we started to go over things and making lists of things that needed to be addressed and I ordered parts. I paid for all the parts, gas, and food and we started work. He didn't just do the repairs he taught me and let me do as much of the wrenching as I could and that's exactly what I was looking for.
I got a bronco education, it was hot, dirty and sometimes I just didn't get things, but he kept his patience. We'd fix one thing and two more things would pop up,, but that's what being a bronco owner is about sometimes. If I drive it I'll have to learn to fix it he said. So now I know TDC, BTDC, Dwell, how to gap the plugs, make plug wires, use a timing light, how to check the vacuum, what a multimeter is and how to read it, check the electrical system, learned carburetor stuff, about jets and what a power valve is,, what the difference between a center hung and side hung float and whole lot of stuff I can't even remember
I'm happy camper now as it's running fantastic, as we addressed several issues and made it into a reliable daily driver. I've got a ways to go as I have to address the suspension and other stuff etc,, etc. but it make's it all worth when out driving,
NC-Fordguy probably wouldn't want me on here saying this,, But I cannot say Thanks!! enough to Ed and his wife for their hospitality and his expertise,,,, He is a true Bronco brother
Anna
This is a great website and message board and has a great deal of information so I do a lot of reading. I appreciate the postings and technical articles, and how too's. This is the best site by far.
Being a single woman with some mechanical ability, I was not comfortable asking for help as I wanted to be sure I wasn't upsetting the "harmony" amongst the married or involved people on this board, but what can I say I'm old school and this shat happens,,, I know so I try to avoid any misunderstandings. Plus sometimes guys don't want girls hanging around too much,,, and I understand the need for the sexes to hangout with each without alot of grief. Me, I kinda do my own thing,,, but it's a little hard for me to talk broncos with my girlfriends,, hahaha.
My first bronco was is a real beater and way beyond my abilities (the pics are on here) and I was really discouraged. Then I happened to come by a 69 sitting under a shed last December and this one was too good to pass up. As usual with it sitting for a while it had the usual issues.
As I started to drive and attempt work on things I ran into things I knew I either have to pay someone to fix or try and get help. No Brakes and it was backfiring through the carb, (we're talking flames), fuel pump leaking, it was cooking the battery, so I had electrical issues galore and enough fumes to gas a elephant and a host of little things to be resolved but definitely a diamond in the rough.
I paid a shop to go through the bronco and fix the brakes and the bill was "breath taking" shall we say. They did a good job but I really wanted to learn to work on this bronco without being so much in the dark about the mechanics.
Anyway I ended up putting a ad on CL in the automotive services for a "old school" ford mechanic, one who knew carburetors etc and NC-Fordguy "Ed" was one that responded. I recognized his name from Classicbroncos.com and figured he'd be good contact.
Long story short , he came over and hauled my bronco to his garage a few months ago. Over several weekends I would drive down and we started to go over things and making lists of things that needed to be addressed and I ordered parts. I paid for all the parts, gas, and food and we started work. He didn't just do the repairs he taught me and let me do as much of the wrenching as I could and that's exactly what I was looking for.
I got a bronco education, it was hot, dirty and sometimes I just didn't get things, but he kept his patience. We'd fix one thing and two more things would pop up,, but that's what being a bronco owner is about sometimes. If I drive it I'll have to learn to fix it he said. So now I know TDC, BTDC, Dwell, how to gap the plugs, make plug wires, use a timing light, how to check the vacuum, what a multimeter is and how to read it, check the electrical system, learned carburetor stuff, about jets and what a power valve is,, what the difference between a center hung and side hung float and whole lot of stuff I can't even remember
I'm happy camper now as it's running fantastic, as we addressed several issues and made it into a reliable daily driver. I've got a ways to go as I have to address the suspension and other stuff etc,, etc. but it make's it all worth when out driving,
NC-Fordguy probably wouldn't want me on here saying this,, But I cannot say Thanks!! enough to Ed and his wife for their hospitality and his expertise,,,, He is a true Bronco brother
Anna
