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Dad/daughter 77 build opinion

matts460

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2013
Messages
582
I could post pic of econo car "girls car" smashed between two big rigs on highway but why? Technically all cars are coffins on wheels. Its all about whos behind the wheel. Somehow my Mom survived driving in the 60's, with no disc brakes or rollcage or seatbelts!!!! Somehow I survived my child hood with no A/C I could have been cooked alive ahhhhh. Seems to me safe is relative term.
 

okie4570

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
9,420
Loc.
NW OK
Agree, every time you meet someone on a two lane highway, you're six feet from death. If the Wiki statistics are correct, we're much "safer" now than we were in 60's, which appears to have had the highest death rate of any decade since the invention of the automobile (besides the Model T days lol). Wonder if it was the introduction of the Ford Bronco, or the dope......... or both lol :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_vehicle_fatality_rate_in_U.S._by_year
 

JaxLax

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 22, 2002
Messages
3,310
Loc.
Jacksonville, FL
Tasks:
NO CELL PHONE!!!
Disc Brakes w/ Power Hydroboost
Full Family Roll Cage and Hard Top
Small tires / no lift.
Hi-Back Seats
Telescoping Steering Column
NO CELL PHONE!!!

I plan all these upgrades on my newest acquisition, but I'll drive as I do them. But I'm also a grown a$$ man living on an island with a max speed limit of 30mph.

You're in my boat. I'm slowly stacking parts and prepping to do a family friendly LUBR (ok, maybe no lift at all, still debating there).

To the list above, hydroboost isn't necessary as the 77 SHOULD have power discs in the front. That's plenty of stopping power if you have a 30mph limit and you aren't going 35s and up. Cage is great for protection as well as a mounting point for better 3pt seatbelts (but you already knew that). Take the effort and extra cost to tie it to the frame! I rolled my red one at 45mph with an endo and 3 side rolls in a median (according to the people around me) and got out without a scratch [8pt tied to frame and 5 pt harness]. My current build will be a Krawlers Edge cage with frame tie-ins.

Any special reason for the telescoping column? Or is that tilt and telescoping. My wife is short and I moved the seat bracket before allowing her to slide close enough. The tilt would be nice, but if you're going IDIDIT the cost usually outweighs the benefits for me.

But my build is ultimately going to concentrate on safety and ease of driving [whether that's for my wife or my kids down the line] while looking as stock as possible.
 

rcmbronc

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 15, 2003
Messages
2,746
Loc.
Tomah WI
Here is my take on it. My middle daughter wanted to help build a coll vehicle for herself. I said i would get one and work with her on it. At first I said what about a Bronco. She said maybe and then I got thinking about it. Honestly as well as we make these trucks drive they still are older truck that is no where near as safe and predictable as newer vehicles. We has since gotten a Heep wrangler. Even that is not like driving our Accords but it I think is a bit safer plus it has air bags. Roads and other drivers are worse now than when we were young. Plus if a dent ends up in the Heep I wont be nearly as upset.

I love the idea of getting her an EB but in my opinion maybe not right away. Parts are dirt cheap for the wrangler and easy also to work on. I am no Heep fan but I think it will work good for my duaghter.
 

matts460

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2013
Messages
582
You know you could buy her a 73-79 dent side f100- disc brakes, shoulder belts, telescoping colume. Drive and ride like modern pickup and tough as nails, every guy in my highschool parking lot in late 90's had one and every guy that wrecked/rolled their trucks walked away fine. My brother had one in early 90's and wrecked into tree sliding off icy rural road at 30mph, and he could still drive it! He just had to beat the front frame horns back out straight and new grill and fender. I never understood putting girls in any jeep they breakdown every ware, just what I want my kid stranded at night some ware and then have to go get them. Any f-series pickup trucks going to be more reliable than some old 90's jeep Cherokee those are like the number one thing broke down that I see on highway quite often. In fact one time I was telling my wife how often my brother and I see jeeps broke down on highway over the past fifteen years carpooling and then like perfect clockwork two guys were pushing one down the road by my house! It was classic. If that didn't make you a believer I don't know what would!! lol My Bro has the best sticker on his truck it reads "Its a Toyota because I do understand"
 
Last edited:

pipeline010

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2017
Messages
618
good tips to leave of the hydro; I learned something here too.

Also I'm not delifting my truck, nor am I putting stocker wheels on it...I do want to be cool with 33-35s but with A/Ts not MTs that are currently on it.
 
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