New Member and New Bronco -- Help Needed

[DugansPosse]

Greetings Bronco Family – new member and first time poster here. Apologies if this is not forum decorum (or too much info at once!), but wanted to get this group’s expert opinion on my situation BEFORE beginning any shopping:

Situation...

I am looking for an early Bronco project that I can build and customize with my dad. Ideally, we’d be looking for something 50-60% complete, hopefully with the most challenging work already in place. We’ll be shopping from, and working on, the Bronco in western North Carolina.

I have read a lot of great content from this forum, and the three things I have taken away are: (1) have a really detailed plan of what you want to end up with on the restoration, (2) be patient and very careful with the buying process, and (3) choose an appropriate starting Bronco (based on our end-state specs) to make sure we don’t “pay twice” for upgrades. As to #1…below is the spec that we’d like to eventually have in our EB.

Where we’d like the Bronco to end up (specs)...

• Bronco use – weekend driver, beach cruiser, haul kids and golden retriever around
• Coyote (or alternative high HP engine)
• Overdrive automatic transmission
• Ride quality that can handle highway speeds - appropriate shocks, suspension, axles?
• Power steering
• Fuel injection
• Modern safety features (e.g., head rests, shoulder belts, family roll cage)
• Power disc brakes
• 2 1/2" to 3 1/2" suspension lift and maybe a 1" body lift
• 18” wheels and 33” tires
• Performance exhaust
• Full zip soft top
• Modern-ish interiors (not as fancy as the true custom builds)

Our Questions:

> Given what we want to end up with…what kind of “project” Bronco should we be looking for as a starting point? Are there certain elements of the build that we should try and prioritize in what we buy (vs. what we plan to build afterward), upgrades to avoid because we’d end up replacing them based on our spec etc.?

> Based on the above, and If it’s theoretically 50% of the way to our spec…what is a reasonable price range expectation for the purchase? And for the remaining work?

> Anything I need to be asking at this stage that I am not?

Thank you all for your guidance and let me know if there is missing detail that would help substantive discussion!

 

[Rustytruck]

clean title and registration. vin numbers much match the frame glove box plates and door jam stickers can be reproduced. match the frame.

 

[ared77]

Welcome, you came to the right place!

 

[DugansPosse]

clean title and registration. vin numbers much match the frame glove box plates and door jam stickers can be reproduced. match the frame.

Thanks Rusty -- will certainly check to ensure VIN matching on the frame. Appreciate the help!

 

[LUBr LuvR]

Welcome to CB and best of luck in your hunt! What part of western NC are you in?

Definitely want to ensure the VIN on the frame matches the title. After you go to the tag office to register and get your tag, if the Bronco you find is titled any other state than NC, you will need to take the truck to your local License and Theft office for an inspection for VIN verification. Title will not be issued until this step is completed.

Hope you’re a patient person, I’ve had it range from two weeks to six months to get a title.....

 

[Okie69]

Welcome! In order to help you out I’m sure some of the Gurus on here would need to know what kind of work are you comfortable with doing? Body work? Mechanical work? Rust repair? Just a thought.

I’m sure you’ve seen that the coyote and modern AOD swap is pretty involved.

 

[okie4570]

How much of a project and price range are you wanting to start with? Body, axles, no engine or trans and just a roller? Or something that's drivable now that's not been restored that needs to be and built like you want it?

 

[DugansPosse]

Welcome to CB And vest of luck in your hunt! What part of western NC are you in?

Definitely want to ensure the VIN on the frame matches the title. After you go to the tag office to register and get your tag, if the Bronco you find is titled any other state than NC, you will need to take the truck to your local License and Theft office for an inspection for VIN verification. Title will not be issued until this step is completed.

Hope you’re a patient person, I’ve had it range from two weeks to six months to get a title.....

Thanks - I didn't realize that about out of state titles. We are in Waynesville - what part of North Carolina do you hail from?

 

[DugansPosse]

Welcome! In order to help you out I’m sure some of the Gurus on here would need to know what kind of work are you comfortable with doing? Body work? Mechanical work? Rust repair? Just a thought.

I’m sure you’ve seen that the coyote and modern AOD swap is pretty involved.

Our work competency probably skews mostly toward mechanical. We'd likely try and get something in good shape on body/ rust, and/or contract that work out. But we're both new to the EB world, so I might be entirely underestimating the work (as you noted on the Coyote swap). Hopefully that's helpful context as we try to calibrate what part to buy vs. build

 

[DugansPosse]

How much of a project and price range are you wanting to start with? Body, axles, no engine or trans and just a roller? Or something that's drivable now that's not been restored that needs to be and built like you want it?

We'd probably spend $40-50K on the starting Bronco. Hopefully that buys something drivable, with a bit of a head start toward our spec? I know the market has gone wild recently, so still trying to calibrate what $50K buys you...

 

[Timmy390]

Coyote (or alternative high HP engine)

Coyote will cost you 20K or more and many modifications to make it fit. I would suggest the "alternative" A SBF built right will fit without modifications and will get you down the road more than good and much much cheaper. Proper gearing and trans combo for the tires you plan to run are key.

I prefer low end torque over HP numbers.

Tim

 

[NickMcAFP]

Welcome to CB And vest of luck in your hunt! What part of western NC are you in?

Definitely want to ensure the VIN on the frame matches the title. After you go to the tag office to register and get your tag, if the Bronco you find is titled any other state than NC, you will need to take the truck to your local License and Theft office for an inspection for VIN verification. Title will not be issued until this step is completed.

Hope you’re a patient person, I’ve had it range from two weeks to six months to get a title.....

I don't mean to hijack the thread but is this a big deal across the board? I'm rebuilding mine and the original frame is a write-off. I have a replacement frame that isn't going to match the title.. honestly I don't HAVE a title. It was last registered to my father. I figured it would be pretty straight forward but I'm worried about the frame now.

I'm in Massachusetts btw.

Thanks!

 

[LUBr LuvR]

Thanks - I didn't realize that about out of state titles. We are in Waynesville - what part of North Carolina do you hail from?

About an 1-1/2 hours due east of you in Rutherford county.

 

[LUBr LuvR]

I don't mean to hijack the thread but is this a big deal across the board? I'm rebuilding mine and the original frame is a write-off. I have a replacement frame that isn't going to match the title.. honestly I don't HAVE a title. It was last registered to my father. I figured it would be pretty straight forward but I'm worried about the frame now.

I'm in Massachusetts btw

I can’t speak for how it works in MA (and varies widely by location) but surely someone on here in your state will chime in with an answer.

As to it being a big deal, it all depends on where you live, and possibly down the road if you were to sell - where the prospective buyer might reside.

Do you have a title for the replacement frame and is it an original frame from another rig or aftermarket? Which VIN to you plan on using to title to your Bronco?

Your situation seems like it would be relatively easier to sort out - since you’re related to the previous owner. Depending on your plans, you may need to look into how to get the title for the current VIN transferred into your name. If you have both titles and frames, there’s custom builders out there who would probably buy one of them from you.

It’s just something anyone, like DugansPosse looking to buy needs to be aware of - there’s plenty of threads on here about those who found out the hard way.....

 

[BradGP]

Welcome! Lots of helpful folks around

 

[DugansPosse]

Coyote will cost you 20K or more and many modifications to make it fit. I would suggest the "alternative" A SBF built right will fit without modifications and will get you down the road more than good and much much cheaper. Proper gearing and trans combo for the tires you plan to run are key.

I prefer low end torque over HP numbers.

Tim

Thanks Tim -- have been reading the build threads to get a sense for the modifications required on the Coyote, and sounds like its nearly everything forward of the transfer case. Does that differ by EB year (whether the Bronco originally had the v6 or v8)? Or pretty much the same amount of work independent of what you start with?

 

[Timmy390]

Thanks Tim -- have been reading the build threads to get a sense for the modifications required on the Coyote, and sounds like its nearly everything forward of the transfer case. Does that differ by EB year (whether the Bronco originally had the v6 or v8)? Or pretty much the same amount of work independent of what you start with?

Not done one but from the reading I took it to mean no mater V8 or V6 everything has to be modified. I'm not trying to shy you away form doing what you want with YOUR Bronco and I'm not going to tell you what I run is the best combo out there (It is but that's besides the point ). The Coyote has the WOW factor.....I just can't personally justify spending 20K plus just in the engine and then you have to factor in the transmission as well. IF the swap was cheaper I would be all in. I like the challenge of modifications but the cost is where I draw the line.

There are 8 versions of the Coyote engine. All of them make peak HP above 5500rpm and torque above 4250 (one is at 3900rpm). HP ranges from 360 to 460 depending on year and application.

Tim

 

[Timmy390]

Here you go
https://littlerock.craigslist.org/pts/d/paragould-2013-ford-coyote-engine-and/7460420499.html

Tim