Finally starting my ‘66 U14 restoration

[KFS35]

Your lucky. That frame doesn't look to bad. Should clean up nice. By the way here is a suggestion for moving the frame around in and out of the shop pretty easily until you get the axles back on. Ken

Wow, that’s great! Thanks, I’ll fab one up.

 

[Firefloor]

Can you show me your wire wheel set up?

 

[KFS35]

Can you show me your wire wheel set up?

I have a couple of Harbor Freight 4” angle grinders that I put wire wheel cups on. I usually use a 3” and a 4” wheel, and alternate between the two grindrs so they don’t get too hot. I’ve got a lot of hours of abuse on those things, and they just keep going. I think I paid about $10 apiece.

I get the wheels at Ace Hardware, I tried a couple from HF, but they shed wires like crazy. The ones from Ace are more expensive, but last a lot longer.

 

[sprdv1]

And the party begins..

Today’s progress:

Changed my mind on keeping it as a rolling chassis. I figured if it’s in smaller pieces I can move it out of the way easily enough when I need the lift. Of course the rear springs fought hard , but with a little heat I managed to convince the bushing to let go of the bolt. Got almost everything stripped off the frame, few more items to go, and then I can start on it with a wire wheel.

So far, the frame looks good. The rust goes a little deeper than the surface back by the rear axle on both sides, but doesn’t look bad. I’ll see for sure once I hit it with a wire wheel. Found a mouse nest inside the frame on the left side back there too. The body mount brackets all look good so far.

I should be able to spend some more time on it tomorrow, so hopefully I can make some more progress.

Today’s pics:

 

[KFS35]

Can you show me your wire wheel set up?

Here you go.

 

[KFS35]

Today I worked on cleaning up the frame.

Spent a few hours running the wire wheel on it. I gave it a quick once-over to get the majority of the loose rust off the surface. Then I started the serious, time consuming rust removal process.

Overall it’s in good shape. The majority of it just had surface rust. There are some areas that have deeper pits that are cleaning up ok. Most of those are under the bed area.

There is an area that had some holes rusted through back by the left rear spring hanger. It’s only on the bottom of the frame, and maybe about 8 inches long. This just happens to be the area that I found an old mouse nest. Looks like it should be an easy fix.

A couple of pics from today.

 

[Firefloor]

Thank you!!!

 

[KFS35]

Thank you!!!

You’re welcome.

Be aware that it will remove denim and skin faster than rust and paint!;D

 

[KFS35]

I’ve been able to do a little work on the frame here and there. I’ve gotten most of the rust removed with a wire wheel.

Finally managed to kill one of my HF grinders, and the other isn’t too far behind it. The bearings went out on the first one, it was vibrating so badly I could hardly hold onto it anymore. The other one is developing the same vibration. They’ve had many years of abuse. So yesterday I stopped at HF and bought two more.;D

Today I cut the Swiss cheese portion out of the frame. Need to pick up a piece of steel for the patch, I didn’t have any big enough. It ended up being about a ten inch section I cut out before I got back to full thickness. Plus a little bonus hole on the inside section there too.

 

[NGABronco]

Looking good!!! Thanks for the postings and updates!!;D;D;D

 

[KFS35]

Since the last post I welded the patches on the frame. My TIG was having amperage control issues, so I had to break out the old reliable Lincoln buzzbox. They weren’t the prettiest welds I’ve ever made, kinda out of practice. It’s been a few years. They were going to get ground down, and the scab patch will be hidden by the fuel tank anyway.

I’m going to wait on some warmer weather to paint the frame with Chassis Saver, so I started on the transmission and transfer case. Split them so they’re easier to handle, and then I gave them a once-over with a wire wheel. There was lots of crud on them, now I can handle them without getting too filthy. So far everything is looking good, need to get some gaskets and seals. Planning on tackling the engine next.

 

[KFS35]

It’s been almost a month since I’ve done anything to the Bronco. I’ve had other projects going on, and when I have had time I haven’t felt like freezing my butt off waiting for the shop to heat up. And then of course work expects me to come in every once in a while.

I finallly had time and ambition concurrently yesterday and today, though.

Got the engine torn down and cleaned up a little. Everything went pretty well except for breaking about half of the oil pan bolts. I probably should have stopped after I broke the first couple, but I didn’t. I got about half of the broken ones out today with a little heat and some Kroil. The rest are soaking in more Kroil, and hopefully I can get them out tomorrow.

Everything looks good internally, I plan on taking it to a machine shop I’ve used before to have them check it over. I don’t think it will need to be bored, and the crank looks good. Assuming everything checks ok, I’ll stick it back together with rings, bearings and gaskets. The exhaust ports on the head need to be machined down, one is a little eroded. It has had an exhaust leak between the head and manifold for years on the #1 cylinder. Need to get a new manifold.

 

[77Bronco636]

Your making some great progress.......
The smell of Kroil brings a smile to me (My wife use to say I would wear it as cologne as I always had it on my cloths and soaked into my skin) LOL
Keep up the good work and really enjoying the pics!!!!

 

[Bajabrewer]

It’s been almost a month since I’ve done anything to the Bronco. I’ve had other projects going on, and when I have had time I haven’t felt like freezing my butt off waiting for the shop to heat up. And then of course work expects me to come in every once in a while.

Man I could write that! Lake Orion here & I'm getting in the garage tomorrow one way or the other....

Glad your making progress!

 

[KFS35]

Made some more progress over the last couple of days.

Cleaned up the transmission and transfer case, and the transmission is back together. I got the transfer case torn down today, and washed out thoroughly. It had some nasty, thick sludge in the bottom. Pretty sure the fluid had never been changed. Other than that, everything looks good in it. Hopefully I can get it reassembled tomorrow.

Still waiting on the engine parts to get done at the machine shop so I can reassemble it.

 

[chuckyb]

Looks nice all cleaned up, keep up the good work.

 

[jmhend]

Looking great. What would we ever do without the good ole buzzbox!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Allen_69]

Today I worked on cleaning up the frame.

Spent a few hours running the wire wheel on it. I gave it a quick once-over to get the majority of the loose rust off the surface. Then I started the serious, time consuming rust removal process.

Overall it’s in good shape. The majority of it just had surface rust. There are some areas that have deeper pits that are cleaning up ok. Most of those are under the bed area.

There is an area that had some holes rusted through back by the left rear spring hanger. It’s only on the bottom of the frame, and maybe about 8 inches long. This just happens to be the area that I found an old mouse nest. Looks like it should be an easy fix.

A couple of pics from today.

I've run into the almost the same thing at the same time. I found two bad spots under the fuel tank brackets on the rear cross brace. Got to run out for some more 1/8 flat stock today.

 

[Evolkid]

820043, supposedly February 1966 from what I found.

Very cool. Mine was prob made pretty close to yours. Mines 820080. It’s in the range for late Feb 1966.

 

[KFS35]

The last couple of days have involved getting the frame ready for paint, and two coats on it today.

I’ll try to get another coat on it tomorrow, if I don’t get called in to work. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.