amfw
Full Member
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2008
- Messages
- 522
Well as the title says, after 14 years on this forum and on my second Bronco I have decided to start my first build thread. I have long been a fan of this forum for both the recorded knowledge and community access it provides and the more time I spend here, the more a build thread seems to make sense as both a way for me to keep a record of my progress, to share any problems and solutions that arise and to serve as an expanded “signature” with more detailed info about me, my truck and our history/experience.
So with that I will start with myself. I didn't grow up around people that worked on cars. It wasn’t a thing that my father was into, and while I liked cars and trucks as a kid it was never something that I was super into. But in 2000, I ended up with a used 1987 Jeep wrangler. It was the first car that I ever had that felt “cool”. I loved riding with the top off and found myself looking back at it when I walked away from it (a feeling every Bronco owner knows). I had a friend named Andrew (who ended up totaling this jeep haha) who helped me install a custom stereo in it and thats when I started getting into customizing cars/stereos.
One day I parked my ‘87 Wrangler next to an ‘86 CJ7. When I looked in that CJ and saw the flat metal dash with the big old gauge cluster and all the knobs that pull like the old cigarette machines, I was SUPER interested. I waited around to talk with the owner and when I found out that our vehicles were only one year apart I was wondering what the hell wen ton over at jeep that made them throw all that plastic crap in between 1986 and 1987. That was the day I became obsessed with Jeep CJs and a few years later in 2005 I got my first 70s 4x4, a 1979 Jeep CJ7.
As we all know, owning a vintage car means that like it or not YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK ON IT. So this Jeep is the car that I started to get some more experience on, in working on it, researching finding parts, and building a tool and skill set. Somewhere in here, I saw Bill Murray driving a blue Bronco in he first Charlies Angels, and from then on, I knew the Jeep just wasnt gonna cut it. I started my search for a classic Bronco and in 2008, I bought Betsy, a red and cream ‘76 that I paid 5k for and drove for a year before needing to do anything.
Unfortunately, Betsy wasn't long for this world, and in 2012 it was absolutely destroyed by a drunk driver while parked near my house. It would be 9 years before I was able to replace her. In that 9 years though, I kept at my DIY hobbies, working on my ‘98 Cherokee and doing a ton of work and a buildout on a ‘88 E250 4x4 Econoline Camper Van.
As of today, I generally TRY and tackle anything that comes up on my own, and resort to calling in friends or forum members for help when I need it. I had a 4wd shop about 50 miles away that I used to use for stuff that was beyond my capability, but they have closed as of this year, so I think even more will be in my court. I have mostly basic tools, and some more specialty stuff. I don't have a garage, but I do work in a portable garage that is set up in my driveway. I do not currently weld, though I am hoping to learn this year.
OK that is quite enough about me, now about the Bronco!!! In the 9 years between Broncos I never stopped hankering for another one. By early 2021 I had finally got myself in a position to replace my ‘76 and started a search in earnest. I was looking pretty much anywhere in the US since, while expensive everywhere, they are expensive and RUSTY in the northeast where I live, so I kind of ruled out getting one locally. When I saw this hot ginger 74 in Louisiana, I got that feeling you get when you know you’ve just found the truck you’ve been looking for. The seller and I reached a deal pretty easily, and the truck shipped up here SO fast. Like I ordered parts from Wildhorses the day I closed on the truck and the truck got here (Boston) before the parts!
So I will tell you all what I know about the truck. Its a ‘74, spent its whole life in Louisiana until purchased by me in 2021. I think it was flooded at some point just based on the amount of caked up mud I find in weird places. Its got the 302 in there, carbed. It’s got the 3 speed moved to the floor. T- case is the Dana 20 J shift (with the duff lever) Not sure about axles/gearing yet. I have power steering and four wheel disc brakes (blazer up front, 79-85 Eldorado in the rear). Aux fuel tank has been deleted. There is a suspension lift installed (unsure of brand/height) as well as (I think) a 1 inch body lift.
When I got it it would start and move but was not actually driveable. There was so much mud caked in the 3 speed floor unit that it couldn’t move side to side so only options were reverse and first. The factory J shift lever was absolutely trashed as well so it was in 4wd. Also the seat tracks were rusted/frozen so the drivers seat was so far from the clutch it was comical to engage. FIrst thing I did was to free up the seats and repair the 3 speed floor unit. After that it was actually VERY nice to drive!
Goals for the truck are pretty mild. I would like a nice driver to enjoy reliably with some added modern convenience and adherence to the spirit of the vintage design, but not a strict restoration.
Over the last year and change here is the list of repairs/upgrades I have done
REPAIRS
New Seat belts
New seat brackets
Clean and paint roll bar
Chevy mirrors - I run no doors, and the PO had factory mirrors mounted on the fender in a useless location. These mirrors mount in the same spot but are visible
Restored factory horn wiring from dash mounted horn
Replaced aftermarket bumpers with stock chrome
Replaced reverse light switch
Fixed 3 speed floor unit
refurbed dash
-new paint, knobs and refurb gauge cluster
Fixed water temp sensor
Replaced Pads/Rotors on front discs
Cleaned and painted steering column, brake/e-brake/accelerator levers
UPGRADES
Dual electric wipers with synchro switch
https://classicbroncos.com/forums/t...tors-links-pics-write-up.313714/#post-3413202
Factory radio faceplate with bluetooth https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threads/stock-faceplate-bluetooth-upgrade.315236/#post-3433835
65 thunderbird console
https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threads/ford-thunderbird-console-swap-build.313836/
Roadster panel speaker install
https://classicbroncos.com/forums/t...ation-in-roadster-panels.308951/#post-3364028
Relay wiring and H4 lamps/enclosures
Bronco script roadster treads
Rampage soft top
Replaced factory rear gate linkage with the cable kit from WH
CURRENT ISSUES
Thermostat housing leaks
Unknown oil leak
Core support bracket is rusted through
No E BRAKE/ Need new calipers for rear.
ALL RIGHT So thats me, my Bronco and the start of my build thread. Please always feel free to offer advice or ask questions either here or via PM. I will probably continue to start threads for specific issues but will also link those threads here.
So with that I will start with myself. I didn't grow up around people that worked on cars. It wasn’t a thing that my father was into, and while I liked cars and trucks as a kid it was never something that I was super into. But in 2000, I ended up with a used 1987 Jeep wrangler. It was the first car that I ever had that felt “cool”. I loved riding with the top off and found myself looking back at it when I walked away from it (a feeling every Bronco owner knows). I had a friend named Andrew (who ended up totaling this jeep haha) who helped me install a custom stereo in it and thats when I started getting into customizing cars/stereos.
One day I parked my ‘87 Wrangler next to an ‘86 CJ7. When I looked in that CJ and saw the flat metal dash with the big old gauge cluster and all the knobs that pull like the old cigarette machines, I was SUPER interested. I waited around to talk with the owner and when I found out that our vehicles were only one year apart I was wondering what the hell wen ton over at jeep that made them throw all that plastic crap in between 1986 and 1987. That was the day I became obsessed with Jeep CJs and a few years later in 2005 I got my first 70s 4x4, a 1979 Jeep CJ7.
As we all know, owning a vintage car means that like it or not YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK ON IT. So this Jeep is the car that I started to get some more experience on, in working on it, researching finding parts, and building a tool and skill set. Somewhere in here, I saw Bill Murray driving a blue Bronco in he first Charlies Angels, and from then on, I knew the Jeep just wasnt gonna cut it. I started my search for a classic Bronco and in 2008, I bought Betsy, a red and cream ‘76 that I paid 5k for and drove for a year before needing to do anything.
Unfortunately, Betsy wasn't long for this world, and in 2012 it was absolutely destroyed by a drunk driver while parked near my house. It would be 9 years before I was able to replace her. In that 9 years though, I kept at my DIY hobbies, working on my ‘98 Cherokee and doing a ton of work and a buildout on a ‘88 E250 4x4 Econoline Camper Van.
As of today, I generally TRY and tackle anything that comes up on my own, and resort to calling in friends or forum members for help when I need it. I had a 4wd shop about 50 miles away that I used to use for stuff that was beyond my capability, but they have closed as of this year, so I think even more will be in my court. I have mostly basic tools, and some more specialty stuff. I don't have a garage, but I do work in a portable garage that is set up in my driveway. I do not currently weld, though I am hoping to learn this year.
OK that is quite enough about me, now about the Bronco!!! In the 9 years between Broncos I never stopped hankering for another one. By early 2021 I had finally got myself in a position to replace my ‘76 and started a search in earnest. I was looking pretty much anywhere in the US since, while expensive everywhere, they are expensive and RUSTY in the northeast where I live, so I kind of ruled out getting one locally. When I saw this hot ginger 74 in Louisiana, I got that feeling you get when you know you’ve just found the truck you’ve been looking for. The seller and I reached a deal pretty easily, and the truck shipped up here SO fast. Like I ordered parts from Wildhorses the day I closed on the truck and the truck got here (Boston) before the parts!
So I will tell you all what I know about the truck. Its a ‘74, spent its whole life in Louisiana until purchased by me in 2021. I think it was flooded at some point just based on the amount of caked up mud I find in weird places. Its got the 302 in there, carbed. It’s got the 3 speed moved to the floor. T- case is the Dana 20 J shift (with the duff lever) Not sure about axles/gearing yet. I have power steering and four wheel disc brakes (blazer up front, 79-85 Eldorado in the rear). Aux fuel tank has been deleted. There is a suspension lift installed (unsure of brand/height) as well as (I think) a 1 inch body lift.
When I got it it would start and move but was not actually driveable. There was so much mud caked in the 3 speed floor unit that it couldn’t move side to side so only options were reverse and first. The factory J shift lever was absolutely trashed as well so it was in 4wd. Also the seat tracks were rusted/frozen so the drivers seat was so far from the clutch it was comical to engage. FIrst thing I did was to free up the seats and repair the 3 speed floor unit. After that it was actually VERY nice to drive!
Goals for the truck are pretty mild. I would like a nice driver to enjoy reliably with some added modern convenience and adherence to the spirit of the vintage design, but not a strict restoration.
Over the last year and change here is the list of repairs/upgrades I have done
REPAIRS
New Seat belts
New seat brackets
Clean and paint roll bar
Chevy mirrors - I run no doors, and the PO had factory mirrors mounted on the fender in a useless location. These mirrors mount in the same spot but are visible
Restored factory horn wiring from dash mounted horn
Replaced aftermarket bumpers with stock chrome
Replaced reverse light switch
Fixed 3 speed floor unit
refurbed dash
-new paint, knobs and refurb gauge cluster
Fixed water temp sensor
Replaced Pads/Rotors on front discs
Cleaned and painted steering column, brake/e-brake/accelerator levers
UPGRADES
Dual electric wipers with synchro switch
https://classicbroncos.com/forums/t...tors-links-pics-write-up.313714/#post-3413202
Factory radio faceplate with bluetooth https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threads/stock-faceplate-bluetooth-upgrade.315236/#post-3433835
65 thunderbird console
https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threads/ford-thunderbird-console-swap-build.313836/
Roadster panel speaker install
https://classicbroncos.com/forums/t...ation-in-roadster-panels.308951/#post-3364028
Relay wiring and H4 lamps/enclosures
Bronco script roadster treads
Rampage soft top
Replaced factory rear gate linkage with the cable kit from WH
CURRENT ISSUES
Thermostat housing leaks
Unknown oil leak
Core support bracket is rusted through
No E BRAKE/ Need new calipers for rear.
ALL RIGHT So thats me, my Bronco and the start of my build thread. Please always feel free to offer advice or ask questions either here or via PM. I will probably continue to start threads for specific issues but will also link those threads here.
