First Bronco Arrived Today!

[NJBronk]

Some more pics:

 

[FordBronc]

Nice Bronco, get the trans part repaired/figured out for sure before you go get a twin stick for it. Because depending it is a T or J shift xfer case, the twin stick job can be easy or hard.

 

[DirtDonk]

A floor coating makes most of us around here nervous for what it was used to cover up. If anything...
But it does look like there was some rust on the floors, but from here it really does not look all that bad. Other than it may have actually gone through in some spots, it's not bad.
I wonder what the three new bolts are that are sticking through the body mount on the frame? Roll bar attachment point? Traction bar bracket? Some other exotic appendage that we can't wait to see?
Which basically means, keep the pics coming!

Regarding the floor coating. Whether it's bedliner, undercoating, or some specific specialized coating will dictate just how fun the truck is to drive especially in the summer.
In the hot weather most coatings do not keep the floor insulated enough. Especially if the engine has headers.
In the winter they let the cold in too.
In any season the noise transmitted through the floor is tremendous!
If on the other hand it's a specialized sound or thermal barrier coating, you might be in luck. Did the PO (previous owner in forum-speak) let you in on what was used?

Definitely keep the pics coming. We love pics around here!

Paul

 

[NJBronk]

A floor coating makes most of us around here nervous for what it was used to cover up. If anything...
But it does look like there was some rust on the floors, but from here it really does not look all that bad. Other than it may have actually gone through in some spots, it's not bad.
I wonder what the three new bolts are that are sticking through the body mount on the frame? Roll bar attachment point? Traction bar bracket? Some other exotic appendage that we can't wait to see?
Which basically means, keep the pics coming!

Regarding the floor coating. Whether it's bedliner, undercoating, or some specific specialized coating will dictate just how fun the truck is to drive especially in the summer.
In the hot weather most coatings do not keep the floor insulated enough. Especially if the engine has headers.
In the winter they let the cold in too.
In any season the noise transmitted through the floor is tremendous!
If on the other hand it's a specialized sound or thermal barrier coating, you might be in luck. Did the PO (previous owner in forum-speak) let you in on what was used?

Definitely keep the pics coming. We love pics around here!

Paul

Thanks for the input!

I've poked and prodded everywhere I can and the metal all looks very solid underneath and on the door posts (including from inside the fender wells). I don't see anything more than surface rust. The truck was "restored" back in 2014, which is when it was painted, and seems to have held up pretty well since.

It looks like there was a standard roll bar at one point, based on the mounting points behind the seats. I think the PO removed a lot of the "off roading" accessories - removed 3" lift, roll bar, etc. I want to get a family style roll cage anyway, so not upset about the bar missing.

It seems like it's just a regular spray-on bedliner, definitely no insulation and it is indeed loud! Luckily the heat works and it has A/C, so that may help a bit, but it's going to be a fair-weather truck, so I'm not too concerned but will think about whether I do some insulation barrier. I like the idea of not having carpet for cleanup / occasional rain shower with the top off.

 

[NJBronk]

Nice Bronco, get the trans part repaired/figured out for sure before you go get a twin stick for it. Because depending it is a T or J shift xfer case, the twin stick job can be easy or hard.

It's a J-shift, which I think isn't too bad. I plan to do that and the floor shift conversion this winter.

 

[Fireball05]

Drive the 3 on the column for a bit longer before deciding to swap it to the floor. I (and many others) really enjoyed the 3 on the tree. I added a few new bushings and fiddled with the linkage on my last bronco and got it shifting pretty darn good.

For me, I'd either keep the column shifter, or look at a transmission swap/upgrade.

 

[NJBronk]

Drive the 3 on the column for a bit longer before deciding to swap it to the floor. I (and many others) really enjoyed the 3 on the tree. I added a few new bushings and fiddled with the linkage on my last bronco and got it shifting pretty darn good.

For me, I'd either keep the column shifter, or look at a transmission swap/upgrade.

The column shift is charming, but it just feels so disconnected from the transmission and has more points of failure. Plus the floor shift is just so much more natural to me... I am hesitant to cut the hole in the tunnel, but I'm 95% sure I'm going floor shift.

 

[bax]

The column shift is charming, but it just feels so disconnected from the transmission and has more points of failure. Plus the floor shift is just so much more natural to me... I am hesitant to cut the hole in the tunnel, but I'm 95% sure I'm going floor shift.

Looking at the inside of the truck, you have the under dash a/c and a huffy style center console. Putting a floor shift and a twin stick will be a little tricky with the limited room. You almost always need to heat and bend the shifters to get them in a spot where they will work. Also before I cut the big hole in the side of the tunnel for a standard shifter, I would upgrade the trans. stick with a standard pit an ax15 in it. That shifter fits well and its fun to drive. Go to automatic using a 4r70w or a 6r. Or go with the c4 and keep the shifter on the column . Nice looking truck

 

[NJBronk]

Looking at the inside of the truck, you have the under dash a/c and a huffy style center console. Putting a floor shift and a twin stick will be a little tricky with the limited room. You almost always need to heat and bend the shifters to get them in a spot where they will work. Also before I cut the big hole in the side of the tunnel for a standard shifter, I would upgrade the trans. stick with a standard pit an ax15 in it. That shifter fits well and its fun to drive. Go to automatic using a 4r70w or a 6r. Or go with the c4 and keep the shifter on the column . Nice looking truck

Good point. I figured I'd lose the cup holders, which I don't care about (no eating or drinking in any of my cars!), but I wasn't thinking about the A/C clearance.

I was looking at the Duff kit and knew it had an offset shifter for clearance around your leg and dash, but the A/C sticks out a good 4 inches. I may post that up on the tech forum and see if someone can tell me the clearance...

 

[bax]

I use my cup holder for wallet and phone. I like my cup holders.

 

[DirtDonk]

Can’t get a measurement for you anymore on the Duff three speed shifter because I removed mine last year.
Should have thought of that before I removed it.

I liked floor shifting just fine, but missed the extra room to move with all the space that it took up.
Fortunately for me, I was very lucky to buy my bronco when it was still relatively new and the shift mechanism was very tight and stayed that way for all the years I used it.
As others have mentioned, I really enjoyed the column shift. So I did like them both and would have a hard time choosing today.
Luckily, my next transmission is going to be a floor shifted five speed so I won’t have to choose.

 

[svastano]

Looks Nice! Welcome!

 

[sk1nw4lk3r]

So literally within the first five minutes I had people stop and ask questions - a couple town maintenance guys were driving by and stopped to watch it get unloaded from the trailer and ask about it, then a neighbor about 100 feet into the first drive. Then two more when I was on the side of the road today stuck in 3rd gear... I'm not really an extrovert, but will have to get used to it!

Just wait til the first time you're walking out to your truck from inside a store or gas station or whatever and have to approach your vehicle while people are taking pictures of it, or selfies in front of it, etc.
It's heartwarming

 

[sprdv1]

So I've been searching for almost 9 months and, after a couple margaritas on vacation, won an auction that I didn't really expect to... But overall I'm pleased with my first early bronco and think I did alright.
From my limited knowledge it seems like a solid truck with a few quirks and kinks to work out, including the ugly wheels and steps that will be the first thing to go! I'm sure I'll be reading and posting quite a bit on the tech forums. I haven't come up with a name for her yet, but here she is:



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yeah buddy congrats

 

[sprdv1]

A floor coating makes most of us around here nervous for what it was used to cover up. If anything...
But it does look like there was some rust on the floors, but from here it really does not look all that bad. Other than it may have actually gone through in some spots, it's not bad.
I wonder what the three new bolts are that are sticking through the body mount on the frame? Roll bar attachment point? Traction bar bracket? Some other exotic appendage that we can't wait to see?
Which basically means, keep the pics coming!

got to have all the pics fo sho

 

[sprdv1]

Some more pics:

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Pretty dang clean too