EB Aluminum Body Tub Interest

[ghostwriter]

A Hundred Units total? Its interesting to note with these specs that this is initial interest. If he can get a modicum of initial interest, which offsets initial cost then it will be worth it to produce in upcoming years. They are monitoring bronco fix as well. Still hope its a go.

 

[roundhouse]

the alum would be too expensive to repair when it gets damaged.

Id be happy with a steel one.
rust is not an issue with the late model vehicles, unless they are from jersey or somewhere like that, evidently the new vehicles get treated with something that prevents it.

 

[BroncoWyatt]

I would absolutely buy one. I am in the process of finishing my latest Bronco build with a fiberglass body. I will not do another glass Bronco. I am also inthe process of building a FJ40 for my best friend using an aluminum cowl and tub. The difference in quailty is unbelievable. I am not sure if this would be the same manufacturer, but I have a feeling it is. After seeing there attention to quality that goes into just the cowl for an FJ, I would not think twice about buying a Bronco body from them, even with a higher price. The tub we have was built a few years ago and the cowl was just purchased but they fit together as if they were built as one piece. Very impressive.

 

[broncowil]

Hey,i be interested in one.I have 73 in the garage that i have replaced both front wheel tubs,inner fenders,kick panels,doors post,inner rockers,rockers,front floor pans,rear strikers and strikers braces.I know what its costed me and the labour i have put into it.And i still have to finish welding some parts in and get it blasted.I'm sure anybody that has done this much work to one know the labour that it takes and when you start there no end to it.You say that enought metal.So count me in.

 

[broncotime]

I would be interested at some point down the road. I've come across lots of rust buckets that just really needed a new body. After having spent a lot of time and money on one rusty body, I would not want to do it again. I would think the aluminuim bodies would last a long long time. If you go down to central or south america you see ancient rovers with aluminium bodies all over the place! They keep those things running and running and running!

Glenn

 

[SaddleUp]

Id be happy with a steel one.
rust is not an issue with the late model vehicles, unless they are from jersey or somewhere like that, evidently the new vehicles get treated with something that prevents it.

Personally I would like to see a tub made from stainless. (Which I believe is what most late model automobiles use now if they are not plastic) Unfortunately I think it would be too expensive to sell.

 

[HotWheels]

Where do I send my deposit? Hey Mad..lets hit the trail and destroy this one!! ;D

 

[feitctaj]

Where do I send my deposit? Hey Mad..lets hit the trail and destroy this one!! ;D

don't y0u dare ,there are EB dudes on the Mainland that have an emotional attachment to that body

 

[Skipdevil]

Why don't you set up an online vote on the subject. I suspect you will get a better response from the members.

Skipdevil

 

[Scoop]

Why don't you set up an online vote on the subject. I suspect you will get a better response from the members.

Skipdevil

Agree. I think a poll would be good here. I am interested but not enough to commit to any big $$$ now!

 

[Skiddy]

I think alum. would be good but the prices goes up and down so much as were fiberglass doesn't change near as much.

 

[SteveR77]

I would be interested. I'm in the process of building a steel body now and by the time i get the metal panels needed and my time and labor put into it i would buy one in a heartbeat. I think if they could be done in the price range of $3500.00 to $5,000.00 they would sell. Anyone who has built a steel tub and knows the hours it takes would gladly pay that for one. Steve

 

[WheelHorse]

This thread is all over the place and any marketing analysis would show that the R&D money invested would not be returned at this point.

Let’s make this simple for everyone including the manufacture who is reviewing the board.

Concerns:
1)Cost- Can a Bronco tub (aluminum) that has close to stock
dimensions as possible and still competes price-wise against fiber-bodies?

2)Some are afraid that it will be harder to repair than their current steel
body; due to work hardening or buying the proper gas and wire for their
welders.

3)Stock Parts “may” not fit. How about we address this major area of
concern because no one wants to spend an estimated 5G+ to have
to “slightly modify” parts to fit; especially body parts.

4)Market instability- currently, due to crude wars, we can’t predict what any
material will be going for a month from now.

Area of Interest:
1)Keeping the tub as close as possible to factory specs

2)Corrosion protection for those who live in salty climates

3)Just producing Doors because no one has captured that market yet.

4)Working with Dennis Carpenter utilizing original Ford stamps. I some how
doubt that you could use a steel stamp for aluminum panels; I could be
incorrect.

On different forums, a manufacture will produce a prototype, show the picture of it, give a price of the current model and say “here it is folks I have produced what you have asked for.” Here is what it will cost you.

Now for practical purposes, I could see utilizing the current specifications of a stock tub with all of the complicated bends, over-estimate the material, labor, R&D, tooling, etc and say as is, this is the price per unit.

In other words you could build exactly what people want, but if they can’t afford it, you have missed your market.

I believe that if no one has reproduced doors then run with that market. There are lots of crummy doors out there and if you could repro a set for under 1G (no hardware) I have a good feeling that the manufacture could turn a profit on these, once word hits the streets on their quality.

 

[77TexasBronc]

You bet,,lets see it!

I would love to see this happen.. I wouldnt even mind changing up a few things either like making the rear quarters bolt on like the front clip/fenders bolt on..Now that would be sweet..Talk about potential cost savings, Bust a quarter panel on a tree, no problem, unbolt it and slap another one on...Or if you have a weekend planed for the heavy trails, no problem, take them off and head for the rocks.... So How much......

 

[surfer-b]

The price i'm sure will be more than glass but if the fit is good, no mods needed to assemble parts, and looks like a stock bronco i'm sure it will sell even if its 5k-6k range, by the time aftermarket metal parts are purchased and the mods are made for correct fit might as well purchase a complete tub that is already assembled and not worry with rust.

 

[dustybronco]

I would buy in multiple quantities.

 

[Denver]

This is my first post on classicbroncos.com since I was referred to your site by 70EB(Bill). My name is Bob and I am the person that Bill has been in contact with in regards to possibly producing an aluminum replacement body for the early Ford Bronco. I have been following the thread that was originally posted last week and have been taking notes as I read through the posts. I am trying to get a feel for what the community would like to see in the finished product and at the same time get an idea of the response to the original concept. I will try to answer as many questions as possible through this thread and I will also be watching a similar thread posted on broncofix.com. Anyhow I just wanted to introduce myself to your community and let you know that I am here to try and answer any questions that you may have. Thanks, Bob.

 

[bax]

Hello Bob, and welcome. I have to ask, what is your gut feeling on this adventure? What type of production # are you looking for? In one of my posts I compaired the jeep body to the bronco body. I feel the bronco body is way more complex than the jeep body is. How much harder will it be to make a bronco body? would you try to make it in the same pieces as a steel body or would there be less pieces / More? One member talked about removable panels? any thought on that?
Thank you for your interest.

Bax

 

[Denver]

Hi there Bax,thank you for welcoming me.At this point in time we are watching what the response is like to the possibility of producing an aluminum replacement body and at the same time we are listening to what the end user is looking for.We would like to see a product that is as close to factory specs. as possible and would work in conjunction with the OEM doors/hood/fenders/taillights etc. The Bronco body definetly has a lot more curves than a Jeep or a Landcruiser body and that is something that we need to consider, there is a limit to what we can do and still keep the price within reason.As for the number of pieces involved and whether any of these pieces would be removable that has yet to be determined. Right now we are just trying to gauge what the response is like to the concept of producing a replacement body and from there we can decide where to go with it.
Thanks,Bob...

 

[Broncitis]

Personally I would like to see a tub made from stainless. (Which I believe is what most late model automobiles use now if they are not plastic) Unfortunately I think it would be too expensive to sell.

What production vehicles have stainless body panels? I'm not aware of any other than the long gone DeLoren.

OEM's are using some newer high strength steels and corrosion resistant alloys and coatings as well as some new steel alloys that are supposed to help reduce noise transmission, but I don't think any fall into the metalurgical definition of stainless steel.