Picking up the project again
Ok, so for the last two years I've been working on 1)getting married 2)selling my old house and moving into my wife's existing house 3) had a child last month. So unfortunately the Bronco has been sitting since I started this post in 2011.
So now I want to get this thing started again and make some progress. Based on what I'm seeing with the rust issues, I'm not really planning on completely restoring it now because I would have to replace a lot of metal, I just want to try and preserve the metal (albeit fairly rusty) I have left and get it running/driveable. I would like to daily drive it at some point this fall/winter. Down the road I might get a complete new body if the cost warrants. So this is my plan:
Frame/Body
--Scrape off any heavy rust scale and put a product such as POR-15 (or better product you guys recommend) on it to keep it from rusting anymore and seal it off from moisture/accumulating more rust. Bedliner or otherwise protect the interior
--Replace tailgate or just the bottom section that's rusted if possible, needs new taillight area/fill/prime the body, then put paint on it the cheapest way I can (thinking single stage). I've done bodywork and paint on an old CJ I had in high school so I can probably do most this myself-except for the painting part (don't have a good place to spray because I live in the city)
Drivetrain/Electrical
For it to run, I'll need a new wiring harness at the minimum. Maybe a clutch because it chattered when I drove it up my inclined driveway,but that might be more of a driveline angle issue. Engine seemed a little weak but might just be the clutch not sure about that yet.
Suspension
Sort out the suspension-previous owners somewhere along the line put on a homemade lift of sorts that equates to about 7"-which is too high for what I want. Trying to get that down to a more street drivable level. Needs new wheels and tires.
Interior/Exterior
--I have a full family style cage that needs to be fitted and welded w/frame tie-ins and seat/seatbelt mounts from front and rear. New seats for the front, will worry about rear later.
--Soft top - haven't picked this out yet but will need to buy this before fitting/welding cage.
--Fender flares/windshield/emblems/minimal "finishing" touches.
So basically get the rig to go,stop and look a lot better than how it sits now haha. Won't win any shows, but at least it will be a Bronco on the road and not rusting away in a field somewhere I guess.
Ok, so for the last two years I've been working on 1)getting married 2)selling my old house and moving into my wife's existing house 3) had a child last month. So unfortunately the Bronco has been sitting since I started this post in 2011.
So now I want to get this thing started again and make some progress. Based on what I'm seeing with the rust issues, I'm not really planning on completely restoring it now because I would have to replace a lot of metal, I just want to try and preserve the metal (albeit fairly rusty) I have left and get it running/driveable. I would like to daily drive it at some point this fall/winter. Down the road I might get a complete new body if the cost warrants. So this is my plan:
Frame/Body
--Scrape off any heavy rust scale and put a product such as POR-15 (or better product you guys recommend) on it to keep it from rusting anymore and seal it off from moisture/accumulating more rust. Bedliner or otherwise protect the interior
--Replace tailgate or just the bottom section that's rusted if possible, needs new taillight area/fill/prime the body, then put paint on it the cheapest way I can (thinking single stage). I've done bodywork and paint on an old CJ I had in high school so I can probably do most this myself-except for the painting part (don't have a good place to spray because I live in the city)
Drivetrain/Electrical
For it to run, I'll need a new wiring harness at the minimum. Maybe a clutch because it chattered when I drove it up my inclined driveway,but that might be more of a driveline angle issue. Engine seemed a little weak but might just be the clutch not sure about that yet.
Suspension
Sort out the suspension-previous owners somewhere along the line put on a homemade lift of sorts that equates to about 7"-which is too high for what I want. Trying to get that down to a more street drivable level. Needs new wheels and tires.
Interior/Exterior
--I have a full family style cage that needs to be fitted and welded w/frame tie-ins and seat/seatbelt mounts from front and rear. New seats for the front, will worry about rear later.
--Soft top - haven't picked this out yet but will need to buy this before fitting/welding cage.
--Fender flares/windshield/emblems/minimal "finishing" touches.
So basically get the rig to go,stop and look a lot better than how it sits now haha. Won't win any shows, but at least it will be a Bronco on the road and not rusting away in a field somewhere I guess.
