Mass Confusion Build. After 2 1/2 years It started!!

[DonsBolt]

comming along great

 

[71massbronco]

comming along great

Thanks, Don. Considering that it looked like this to begin with, I would say it is a step in the right direction.

 

[71massbronco]

I love working on my bronco. Just had to say that.

Today, set the MC on its side to get at the bottom and get it all cleaned up. Three things happened. I got incredibly dirty, a fellow bronco driver showed up, and my cheapo grinder started to go on me.

The factory undercoating is a PITA. Discovered some more fixes that need to be done once I got the undercoating off.

So I am grinding away and out of the corner of my eye I see someone coming up to the garage. By this time my black lab was barking so I took of my hearing protection and look over. At the end of my driveway is the fantastic 5 inch SL'ed red 74 at the end of my driveway. I recognized the young man from last year when pulled over to the gas station he was filling up at to tell him he had a great truck, and I was building a bronco as well. He didn't pay me much attention at the time I'm sure because he gets chatted up all the time. Well, this time he pulled over because he saw my Red 71 in the driveway. Told me he wanted to pull in many times but never saw me in the garage. Well, today was the day. Nice guy, told him about CB and all the swell folks here so hoping he will check us out. Real nice guy with a really sweet, well kept ride. Of course, I didn't take any pictures but his truck is very nice. He has definitely put alot of time and effort into it. We exchanged numbers so when I get the rig rollin, I'll have a local bronco buddy. I joked with him "What's better then seeing a Bronco rollin down the road? Seein' TWO broncos rolling down the road." Was a good day.

As for the grinder, the housing started to loosen up on me and throw the grinder out of balance. Thought I was done for the day, but then remembered my other non working grinder (same brand) in the junk pile. Took out the motor assembly, put in the now vibrating one, and was back in action and back in the gunk.

Also here is a pick of my now 98% complete motor. Still need to put the chrome valve covers on but that's going to wait until I get the body back on.

 

[71massbronco]

I changed my tactics for removal of the undercoating. My grinder was throwing it everywhere and was almost unmanageable. I got my torch out and did the melt and scrape method. Still messy, but a controllable mess. Then used paint thinner on a rag to dissolve the hard to reach places.

I decided that it was time to put the new valve covers as well, couldn't wait any longer.

I also installed the sending unit in the gas tank, looking factory fresh on the newly repainted/relined fuel tank. I am going to have to go out and refit it though, as I thought the outlet was more parallel to the bottom of the tank. Checking the pic of the old unit, it was more parallel. I couldn't get it to go parallel the filter seemed to be keeping me from straightening it out. Will revisit it tomorrow to see if there is a fix. If anybody has any pointers, I am all ears.

 

[71massbronco]

Update on the sending unit. Apparently that is the way it is supposed to go in to to tank. Different from my factory set up. Again, if anybody knows different let me know. Waiting for the wife to get home so I can go up north and check out some BFG's on late Bronco rims. They look good in the pics, hope they look that good in person.

 

[71massbronco]

Cut out some of the floor of the EB 2.0 to patch the floor of the MC. Most of the bed is gone in the 2.0 so wasn't a hard decision. Spot welded them into place. Gratuitous pic of the newly installed gas tank. Keepin' on.

 

[dave67fd]

D,
Lookin good. Missed a few of your posts along the way, busy at work and my laptop died so had to pick-up a new one and do a transfer. Trying to stay focused on the finishing the garage for the mean time and miss workin on the EB. Anyway, the undercarriage looks pretty clean without all the undercoat so i guess it did it's job. keep at it your making great progress.

 

[904Bronco]

I just found the time to go through your whole thread... Great work ;D

When we talk about dealing with rust on the West Coast, you East Coaster's have us beat by a long mile... Keep with it, you have come so far and you are almost there!

 

[orangecrush4u]

Keep up the good work!!!!!!! I need to get cracking on mine..

 

[71massbronco]

I just found the time to go through your whole thread... Great work ;D

When we talk about dealing with rust on the West Coast, you East Coaster's have us beat by a long mile... Keep with it, you have come so far and you are almost there!

Yeah, I have been at it awhile since I began. I have a nice coat of the rust under my nails and am constantly wiping it off the tools. The reason behind this build, like many of here, is sitting right in front of me in a spiderman suit giving me a five year old dissertation on how God and the devil work. Little moments like these keep it on the fast track.

I have alot of inspiration and guidance in the garage, even though I am mostly by myself. My father in law and dad check in occasionally with occasional mysterious dropped tool, or something else weird happening. (They are no longer with us.)

 

[71massbronco]

D,
Lookin good. Missed a few of your posts along the way, busy at work and my laptop died so had to pick-up a new one and do a transfer. Trying to stay focused on the finishing the garage for the mean time and miss workin on the EB. Anyway, the undercarriage looks pretty clean without all the undercoat so i guess it did it's job. keep at it your making great progress.

My other grinder finally bit it even with the swapped out gearhead. What do you expect for 14 bucks, right? Bought the extended warranty because I knew this was going to happen, but am going to get new bushings and a new bushing cap that I cracked in two, for my heavy duty grinder. This 4.5 amp grinder just couldn't hold up. Will retire the new one to light duty. Can't wait to come up someday in the EB to check out that garage and turn some wrenches!

 

[dave67fd]

Mine is still kickin but hasn't yet had the abuse your has gone through. I think mine came with another set of brushes. I didn't get the extended warranty so it'll just be disposable.

Definitely look forward to a visit. I'll have to do the same.

 

[71massbronco]

Mine is still kickin but hasn't yet had the abuse your has gone through. I think mine came with another set of brushes. I didn't get the extended warranty so it'll just be disposable.

Definitely look forward to a visit. I'll have to do the same.

Oh man, just had to update you on my grinder saga, Dave. This is me being lazy as my HF store is about 20 miles away, and don't want to make the trip just yet.

Grinder #1 just quit working.
Grinder #2 worked great until a bearing started going and giving the wheel an unbearable wobble.
Took out the motor of #1, put it in the body of #2. Worked fine until the gears started stripping out.
Took out the gear of grinder motor #2 put on the motor of grinder "hybrid" A (HUH?)

So my frankenstein grinder is like new and seems to be working fantastic. I am about to go out and give it a real work out.

Let you know how it goes. ;D

 

[dave67fd]

Oh man, just had to update you on my grinder saga, Dave. This is me being lazy as my HF store is about 20 miles away, and don't want to make the trip just yet.

Grinder #1 just quit working.
Grinder #2 worked great until a bearing started going and giving the wheel an unbearable wobble.
Took out the motor of #1, put it in the body of #2. Worked fine until the gears started stripping out.
Took out the gear of grinder motor #2 put on the motor of grinder "hybrid" A (HUH?)

So my frankenstein grinder is like new and seems to be working fantastic. I am about to go out and give it a real work out.

Let you know how it goes. ;D

OH NO!!!He's created a !!!!!MONSTER!!! AAArrrggg........

Just unplug it at night. You don't want it coming alive when your not around.

 

[71massbronco]

Was a little too late to subject my neighbors to some grinding so I opted to install the freshly painted drive shafts instead and the speedo cable. Also fiddled with the t shifter. Put a heat shrink wrap on the inner sleeve that bolts to the t case to tighten it up, so it won't rattle going down the road.

 

[71massbronco]

The frame and all the mechanics are about 98% complete. Just need to get a tailpipe bent and the muffler permanently attached. Put on the transfer case skid plate. Now it's 100% body work from now on. Ignore my wooden bumper. That's my push bar so I don't poke a hole in my bumper.

 

[71massbronco]

I missed out on a fantastic deal of four american racing rims preloaded with 85 percent tread BFG ATs for 200 bucks. Was very bummed somebody got to them before me.
Sooo...Took one of my stock rims I acquired last year, (or was it this year?%)) and took the wire wheel to it and got it down to metal. Decided to experiment with some colors. I prepainted the outer rim blue, taped off the sections I wanted to keep blue and painted the rim black. Was a little apprehensive about the chosen width being too wide, but once I got it next to a tire, I kind of liked it. Let me know what you think.

 

[dave67fd]

Nice to see the frame rolling and complete. Love the temp steering and screwdriver holder (aka push handle).
Wheels look good and different. I'll have to wait to give you the final compliment till i seem them against the final paint scheeme.

 

[71massbronco]

I put the body back on the frame before I weld up the rest of the panels. Want to make sure everything lines up correctly before committing to the final stages. It was pretty warm here so didn't want start welding today but got the front fenders and grill back on with the hood for yet more alignment fun. I have come to the conclusion that I am about 1/8 inch off somewhere and it kicks the PS fender out. I am probably going to cut some of the glass fender back so it lines up better. Drivers side is spot on. Also bent the master cylinder brake lines so they can attach to the MC.

 

[71massbronco]

Finally got some more sheet metal for the final DS floor pan. Got it measured out and bent. Have some tweeking to do, but it is on it's way.