I'm making some progress on Frank!

[Flash69]

If thats the case i dont think it will matter where you put it as long as it fairly close. I just took a guess on mine. It may not be close to where it was from factory.

 

[Bronco Ben]

the 3rd picture in my last post with pictures, shows a blue line down the right side of the channel, this line is 26 5/8" from the front of the bed panel. And where the channel is sitting in the picture above is where I will have to locate it for it to seat properly over the seat belt nuts?
Ben

 

[Flash69]

I like that panel. They didnt make them when i did mine. I had to buy a sheet of steel and make my own. Needless to say mine dont have the factory ridges in it. I wish it did. I think you will be fine welding it in where you have it in the pic. Tack it on and see how well it is going to fit over your frame.

 

[Bronco Ben]

update January 16th, after a birthday party for my oldest, and between that and haveing a couple extra kids yesterday and today I didnt get to much done, well actually I did, I taught my youngest son to ride his bike with no training wheels
anyways here is some pics
Ben

#1 what to do with old fence pipe laying around, make braces
#2 #3 #4 body mounts ........do I need to remove the spacers???
#5 what to do with old bed frames when your on a budjet, make angle iron!
#6 #7 #8 pictures extensive rust on the door post, I wont be breaking the bank, these parts will be cut out and I'll build patch panels for it (the best I can anyways). enjoy

 

[Bronco Ben]

and a few more......
#1 another shot of the inner kick panel on drivers side, I may patch this panel as well
#2 far front floor brace
#3 rust on far front floor brace, this I intend to repair
#4 my eldest son Brandon hard at work on our EB.
#5 a patch for the floor channel brace made from 1/8" plate steel.
#6 not the best welds in the world but its better than rust....
#7 after a little cleanup
#8 I drilled out the mount hole with 1/8" bit then a 5/16" bit, I'll eventually drill this out to the correct size.

well I'm having to build some of my patches, but hell I saved $60(this is an edit on this price I thought it was $150??) just on that one floor brace. And its not like I'm gonna show the thing in concours at a car show, ya know?
Ben

 

[Bronco Ben]

and one more picture,
after welding this patch inside and out I think it should hold well dont ya'll?
Ben

 

[2badrotties]

Keep plugging away. You are getting something done. It is a shame that more people don't post wanted ads in the parts wanted section. I tossed out two "cherry" floor braces not too long ago. I cut them out of my green 75 and hung onto them for months. Sometimes USED parts are far better than aftermarket. Now I really need the upper quarter panel section off that same Bronco - long gone

 

[Bronco Ben]

Late night tonight boys:
update January 17th 12:16 a.m.

here is a few pictures of what I worked on tonight.
Picture #1
this is the back side of my kick panel (inside view)
Picture #2
this is a view of my kick panel removed with a metabo cutoff wheel.
Picture #3
outter picture of the kick panel being cut out
Picture #4
outter picture of the kick panel removed
Picture #5
Picture of the piece I cut out of the kick panel, I'll be home building this piece
Picture #6
bottem of the drivers door post removed ready for clean up and patch panel
Picture #7
patch panel built and tacked in to see how it looks....looks like $150 to me!
Picture #8 This is the first patch panel I made for the door post bottem....wound up being a little to short and a little to narrow. Actually I made it just like the origional but problem was the origional was rusted away in two different sections.

 

[Bronco Ben]

heres a few more.....then I'm headed to bed. Gonna have my brother in law help me tomorrow so we should get quite a bit done. .......did I mention the hood of a 1981 buick regal works well for patch panels

picture #1 this is the finished product (both pieces are home made patch panels) with still just a bit of trimming to do, and I have to finish welding it out.

picture #2 the back side of the patch panel I made. how do I feel about it you wonder, I feel like I saved $225 plus dollars, thats how I feel! ;D
Plus whos gonna ever see it behind the new rocker panels anyways!

 

[MnkyBiz]

Ben!!!!

Great work! Wow wow wow!!!!

Gotta love seeing good metal work getting done on a worthy mobile!

Keep up the great work!

Bill

 

[Bronco Ben]

well I installed the pieces I made, and to me they turned out ok. here is a few pics

#1 inner kick panel (I butt welded these pieces if I had it to do over I would over lap it somehow!)
#2 outter kick panel welded
#3 ourter kick panel another angle
#4 door post welded ( I still have some triming to do)
#5 #1 floor pan tunnel support blasted
#6 Paint and Primer I may use......what about it 2bad is this stuff ok?
#7 door striker driver side .....needs replacing, I dont think I can build this panel because of to many curvitures.

 

[Bronco Ben]

well I got my door striker (drivers side) in today from Jeff's.....(thanks jeff for the great service, and Mark whos the one I actually bought them from).

here are a few pictures of what I got done today, or this afternoon. More to come soon! ;D

I decided to go with PPG primers, and Paint. thanks 2bad for the advice. I got a little confused with the part numbers, thinking they were Dupont numbers. Shoulda seen the dupont guys face when I ask for the PPG part numbers lol........hell it said DP###. I figured it stood for Du-Pont lol
anyways, I'm going with a White epoxy primer........I'll keep you guys up to date and see how it turns out. My welding isnt the best in the world but, at least I have a good grinder and know how to use it:
Ben

 

[MnkyBiz]

Ben!

Wow, you keep that train moving!!!!

OK, I used that same primer, the grey green color (whatever numbe that was) and top coated it with the Omni line paint! I really really am impressed with the Omni 2 stage paints! YOu can't go wrong there, and I am an amateur painter!

Bill

 

[Bronco Ben]

I am an amateur painter!

I am too. I called and talked with both PPG and Dupont sellers yesterday and decided to go with the PPG as its only about 5 minutes from my house. The lady and guy there were excellent help and told me anything they didnt have they could have shipped (the same day) and have in stock by the afternoon. The guy told me that the omni primer was one that would show sanding scratches and the reason was because it would actually soften up under the solvents of a good paint (if I used the primer without catlyst, i.e. a 1K primer compaired to what 2bad told me to use, i.e. a 2K primer, it has more solids and is catalyzed.....or thats my idea anyways) and that is where the dreade "bad" rap comes from on most omni paint jobs, not actually a paint problem but a primer/buyer buying problem. So according to what he told me you should be good to go. I may very well use the same method as yourself. Hopefully I can get a lots more done today and tomorrow plus I have off a day this week to watch my children (they're off school three days Mardi Gras). So I should have great results to view soon. "If the good lord is willing and the creek dont rise" Hank Williams Sr.
Ben

 

[Bronco Ben]

Got Holes?

man I have never in my life been so tired of drilling holes!.......but i have plenty to plug weld and the floor shouldnt move around much after this! lol

 

[HotWheels]

man I have never in my life been so tired of drilling holes!.......

I here ya...but you are doing an awesome job..keep the faith!!

 

[Bronco Ben]

here is my progress for today. (taxx and trailphyco smoked me but hey, I'm proud for em).

I did get my rear main pan in and the passenger extension pan in today and tonight. I have the main front trial fitted and the inner rockers drilled for my plug welds, but I still have to drill out my main front pan. Anyways here is a few pics of my progress today. I'm out of sheilding gas,and out of gas in my tank!........Thanks for viewing!
Ben

 

[MnkyBiz]

HOLY COW BEN!!!!!

That looks like $1Million!!!!!!!!!!

YOu are doing one Kisk A$$ job there! Keep the faith braddah & before you know it, you will be worrying over wires like me!!!! (Did I really wire that switch right???)

 

[Bronco Ben]

MnkyBiz,
Thanks brutha, for all the kind words.(thanks to everyone) I'm so obsessed I cant even get over 5 hours sleep anymore. Which is fine with me. ;D

This rig has no doubt come a long way. Without motivation,and this site... it would still be a big ole pile of rust. The support here is worth more than a million bucks to our beloved broncos! There is no other site out there (even with our politics sections) that even comes close to the freindlyness, the support, and the actual information we get from this forum/website. I've owned old mustangs, and later model mustangs and been members of local clubs etc.... and I tell you guys this place beats them all HANDS down! ..........and I just hope I can continue to do my part with help...back in the right direction. If I can just give a little support/help in return compaired to what I recieve, then I'll feel good about myself. thanks everyone!
Ben

 

[Flash69]

You must be an old Pro Ben. That looks really good.