KCSPONY
Jr. Member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2021
- Messages
- 136
Hello all, not really new to the forum, but I am not sure I registered on any of my previous visits.
Anyway I have been involved in classic Broncos my entire life...some of you may find the following story boring, but I thought some of the old timers may enjoy it.
1968 my Father purchased a used 1967 Ford Bronco, harbor blue with wimbledon white grill and full hardtop. 170ci in line six, 3 speed manual, manual drum brakes, manual steering, Dana 30 & small(er) 9" rear end.
The Bronco becomes my Mother's daily driver, she became pregnant with me in 1969...so I was already riding around in a Bronco before I was born.
1970 I was born in Riverton Heights Hospital (south Seattle), just a few blocks from where Arthur Warn invented the Warn hub. My parents drove me home in that Bronco and I spent my childhood in that back seat.
Sometime in the early 70's my parents joined a Bronco Club. The Western Washington Bronco Busters (I still have some of these fender stickers)
We would go to off-roading events and my Father would often race his Bronco. During the 70s he began the many upgrades, first was a roll bar salvaged from an old race car. Then he cut the rear fenders and folded and welded the seam.
Then came the 289 V-8 swap, he used the 6 cylinder transfer case adapter (which is shorter than the v-8 adapter) so he had to make clearance in the firewall and use an extra long fan block.
When he decided to run a 4-bbl carb he needed room for the air cleaner, he was in a hurry and ran down to the local speed shop, all they had on the wall was one that mimicked the 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A "six pack" scoop.
Then came the running gear, he made a trade to get a Dana 44 and the 3300lb 9-inch axle.
One of the guys in the club started a 4WD parts business called RVA (Recreational Vehicle Accessories). He was one of the first people to use Bosch Marine electric wipers in place of the vacuum units. He also would build his own tires, he designed a tread pattern and would have a local tire shop retread old Armstrong and Desert Dog Tires, he called them "Hell Cats". He also designed and engineered a floor shifter, using Mickey Thompson shifters designed for a Ford Mustang 3 speed, he would replace the Mustang brackets with ones he made to fit the Bronco, he called the shifter the “Shift Cat”, he would also use the shifters from Eelco and SERCO (Speed Equipment Research Co.) that Mickey Thompson made and brand labeled for them.
He also sold cage kits, which were styled after the Smittybilt ones.
Another one of the members figured out that you could fit a mid-60's Lincoln power steering box on the inside of the frame. My Father did this conversion and installed a foam covered factory steering wheel from a Stroppe Baja Bronco
He also used his stock front bumper to build a winch bumper which he installed a Warn Bellevue Winch…..which was stolen one night in the driveway. Insurance paid for a new Warn 8274 model. Dad also ran Warn hubs, we were partial to Warn as their factory and company headquarters were in Kent, WA, just a few miles from where we lived.
Later he built his own double shock mounts and bought the first set of “Mud-Lug” brand tires. This was back when your choices were Gates Commandos, Desert Dogs or maybe Armstrong Tru-Trac tires. He also installed a Detroit Locker in the Ford 9” rear end (which is now in my Bronco).
In 1977 the club built a race Bronco and entered it into the Mint 400 Desert Race. The team did finish the race (7th or 8th place in their class) which I guess was a big deal.
Around 1982 or 1983 one of the club member's sons was killed while driving his Father's Bronco, the top was off and the kid was not wearing his seat belt. This sort of ended the club. My Father was the only one still working on improving his Bronco and so he was given all of the clubs equipment, tools and what not. I still have the Club's standard (large sign used during rallies or races).
In 1985 I was 15 and started earning money towards my 1st car, which of course was going to be a Bronco.
So my Father gave a spare frame that we had in the back yard. I began cleaning it with a wire wheel on a drill and blowing the rat's nests from the frame tubes. I was able to buy the running gear (D44 & 3300# 9") from a wrecked Bronco (former club member)
The first Bronco we parted out was another former club member who had lived up the hill, I believe it was a '67 or '68 (you can see the front corner of my Dad's Bronco)
I was lucky enough to find a rust free '67 body from NW Auto Wrecking in Seattle, the price was $300. I split the cost with a friend of my Dad's who was also building a '67 Bronco, he wanted the winch bumper...I got everything else
More pics of the build
I got the motor for free, it needed rebuilding, a 1974 vintage 302. We had the machine work done by Pamco Crankshaft, they were a few blocks from my house. They were nationally famous for building motors for the drag race crowd.
I put a Smittybilt 6 point cage in it
a friend of my Dad's agreed to paint it for me, trade for labor my Dad had done some work for him. The color is '86 Toyota MR-2 Blue with Wimbledon white and pewter gray
The Bronco was finished in time for my 18th birthday, my Mom got me personalized plates as a gift
We bought parts from RVA, and James Duff (who moved to Washington state in the mid-80's) and local shops like T/C's Cars and Edgewood National Auto Parts among others.
It took three years and nearly $7,000 of my own money to finish it. A lot of money for an 18 year old kid in 1988…..
My Brother also built a Bronco, although he started with a complete '72 Sport Bronco (SeaPine Green Metallic). It came with a Stroppe Baja roll cage. He painted it orange and white after one of the K-Bar-S Broncos.
Then my Dad began building a ½ Cab with all the spare parts. At one time we had 4 Broncos in the family.
Dad sold his a few years back, his '67 to a guy in California and the ½ Cab to my nephew. My Brother sold his little while later.
I continued to tinker with my Bronco over the years. I swapped out the Lincoln steering box for a '76 F-150 4x4 box with the reverse pinion (so it steers correctly for a classic Bronco) and building my own tie rods using Chevy tie rod ends and 1.25” DOM tubing and mounted them to the top of the knuckles. I also swapped out the RAN 3 speed for a C4. I also upgraded the brakes by using parts from a '78 F-150 and a James Duff power booster bracket and new booster. The two-barrel Autolite carb was replaced by a Carter AFB and Edelbrock Performer manifold. I was able to find a good deal on a Warn 8274 winch and built a bumper to mount it into.
Fast forward to 2021. My Wife and I are making plans to retire and decided to move to Arizona…the Bronco of course was coming with me.
I am now in the process of buying new parts and improving/rebuilding my Bronco.
Projects include:
A new 5 ½” suspension including TBP long radius arms and WH coils and 11 pack leaf springs.
New front bumper with winch mount
New rear bumper with spare tire carrier
Extending the roll cage and building a Con-Ferr style roof rack.
I also plan on removing the hardtop and doors, then install some WH one-piece door inserts and WH front seats.
I also have a Chevy van (1970s vintage, non-locking) auto & tilt steering column that I plan on installing. Along with a bunch of other assorted improvements
So that is what brought me back here. Hope you enjoyed the story, I have lots of old vintage Bronco pictures. I will see what I can find and have my parents send down a bunch of them.
Anyway I have been involved in classic Broncos my entire life...some of you may find the following story boring, but I thought some of the old timers may enjoy it.
1968 my Father purchased a used 1967 Ford Bronco, harbor blue with wimbledon white grill and full hardtop. 170ci in line six, 3 speed manual, manual drum brakes, manual steering, Dana 30 & small(er) 9" rear end.
The Bronco becomes my Mother's daily driver, she became pregnant with me in 1969...so I was already riding around in a Bronco before I was born.
1970 I was born in Riverton Heights Hospital (south Seattle), just a few blocks from where Arthur Warn invented the Warn hub. My parents drove me home in that Bronco and I spent my childhood in that back seat.
Sometime in the early 70's my parents joined a Bronco Club. The Western Washington Bronco Busters (I still have some of these fender stickers)
We would go to off-roading events and my Father would often race his Bronco. During the 70s he began the many upgrades, first was a roll bar salvaged from an old race car. Then he cut the rear fenders and folded and welded the seam.
Then came the 289 V-8 swap, he used the 6 cylinder transfer case adapter (which is shorter than the v-8 adapter) so he had to make clearance in the firewall and use an extra long fan block.
When he decided to run a 4-bbl carb he needed room for the air cleaner, he was in a hurry and ran down to the local speed shop, all they had on the wall was one that mimicked the 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A "six pack" scoop.
Then came the running gear, he made a trade to get a Dana 44 and the 3300lb 9-inch axle.
One of the guys in the club started a 4WD parts business called RVA (Recreational Vehicle Accessories). He was one of the first people to use Bosch Marine electric wipers in place of the vacuum units. He also would build his own tires, he designed a tread pattern and would have a local tire shop retread old Armstrong and Desert Dog Tires, he called them "Hell Cats". He also designed and engineered a floor shifter, using Mickey Thompson shifters designed for a Ford Mustang 3 speed, he would replace the Mustang brackets with ones he made to fit the Bronco, he called the shifter the “Shift Cat”, he would also use the shifters from Eelco and SERCO (Speed Equipment Research Co.) that Mickey Thompson made and brand labeled for them.
He also sold cage kits, which were styled after the Smittybilt ones.
Another one of the members figured out that you could fit a mid-60's Lincoln power steering box on the inside of the frame. My Father did this conversion and installed a foam covered factory steering wheel from a Stroppe Baja Bronco
He also used his stock front bumper to build a winch bumper which he installed a Warn Bellevue Winch…..which was stolen one night in the driveway. Insurance paid for a new Warn 8274 model. Dad also ran Warn hubs, we were partial to Warn as their factory and company headquarters were in Kent, WA, just a few miles from where we lived.
Later he built his own double shock mounts and bought the first set of “Mud-Lug” brand tires. This was back when your choices were Gates Commandos, Desert Dogs or maybe Armstrong Tru-Trac tires. He also installed a Detroit Locker in the Ford 9” rear end (which is now in my Bronco).
In 1977 the club built a race Bronco and entered it into the Mint 400 Desert Race. The team did finish the race (7th or 8th place in their class) which I guess was a big deal.
Around 1982 or 1983 one of the club member's sons was killed while driving his Father's Bronco, the top was off and the kid was not wearing his seat belt. This sort of ended the club. My Father was the only one still working on improving his Bronco and so he was given all of the clubs equipment, tools and what not. I still have the Club's standard (large sign used during rallies or races).
In 1985 I was 15 and started earning money towards my 1st car, which of course was going to be a Bronco.
So my Father gave a spare frame that we had in the back yard. I began cleaning it with a wire wheel on a drill and blowing the rat's nests from the frame tubes. I was able to buy the running gear (D44 & 3300# 9") from a wrecked Bronco (former club member)
The first Bronco we parted out was another former club member who had lived up the hill, I believe it was a '67 or '68 (you can see the front corner of my Dad's Bronco)
I was lucky enough to find a rust free '67 body from NW Auto Wrecking in Seattle, the price was $300. I split the cost with a friend of my Dad's who was also building a '67 Bronco, he wanted the winch bumper...I got everything else
More pics of the build
I got the motor for free, it needed rebuilding, a 1974 vintage 302. We had the machine work done by Pamco Crankshaft, they were a few blocks from my house. They were nationally famous for building motors for the drag race crowd.
I put a Smittybilt 6 point cage in it
a friend of my Dad's agreed to paint it for me, trade for labor my Dad had done some work for him. The color is '86 Toyota MR-2 Blue with Wimbledon white and pewter gray
The Bronco was finished in time for my 18th birthday, my Mom got me personalized plates as a gift
We bought parts from RVA, and James Duff (who moved to Washington state in the mid-80's) and local shops like T/C's Cars and Edgewood National Auto Parts among others.
It took three years and nearly $7,000 of my own money to finish it. A lot of money for an 18 year old kid in 1988…..
My Brother also built a Bronco, although he started with a complete '72 Sport Bronco (SeaPine Green Metallic). It came with a Stroppe Baja roll cage. He painted it orange and white after one of the K-Bar-S Broncos.
Then my Dad began building a ½ Cab with all the spare parts. At one time we had 4 Broncos in the family.
Dad sold his a few years back, his '67 to a guy in California and the ½ Cab to my nephew. My Brother sold his little while later.
I continued to tinker with my Bronco over the years. I swapped out the Lincoln steering box for a '76 F-150 4x4 box with the reverse pinion (so it steers correctly for a classic Bronco) and building my own tie rods using Chevy tie rod ends and 1.25” DOM tubing and mounted them to the top of the knuckles. I also swapped out the RAN 3 speed for a C4. I also upgraded the brakes by using parts from a '78 F-150 and a James Duff power booster bracket and new booster. The two-barrel Autolite carb was replaced by a Carter AFB and Edelbrock Performer manifold. I was able to find a good deal on a Warn 8274 winch and built a bumper to mount it into.
Fast forward to 2021. My Wife and I are making plans to retire and decided to move to Arizona…the Bronco of course was coming with me.
I am now in the process of buying new parts and improving/rebuilding my Bronco.
Projects include:
A new 5 ½” suspension including TBP long radius arms and WH coils and 11 pack leaf springs.
New front bumper with winch mount
New rear bumper with spare tire carrier
Extending the roll cage and building a Con-Ferr style roof rack.
I also plan on removing the hardtop and doors, then install some WH one-piece door inserts and WH front seats.
I also have a Chevy van (1970s vintage, non-locking) auto & tilt steering column that I plan on installing. Along with a bunch of other assorted improvements
So that is what brought me back here. Hope you enjoyed the story, I have lots of old vintage Bronco pictures. I will see what I can find and have my parents send down a bunch of them.
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