New to Broncos

[renrag]

I am about to restore my first Bronco. A 1977 Ranger wagon, 302, 3spd. I have been into Jeeps and Early Mustangs for a very long time, I finally found my first Bronco. As a Ford fan, it is about time. While the rebuild will not be 100% as left the factory, I am planning on making it look that way to the casual observer. Additions of power steering and AC are the two major items, I may add a small lift.
Now, for the questions I can't seem to find the answers to by searching the forum, or looking at restored Broncos.
1) Was the underside of the body painted body color, black, or that funny red/rouge color used on Mustangs? (My truck is keeping this one a secret)
2)What color were the transmissions and transfer cases? (mine have both been repainted engine blue at some point)
3)Is the engine compartment body color? (my rig makes me think this one is a yes)

Thanks in advance for your help. Please be kind when you supply that link to these answers in the forum that I have overlooked in my searches.

mikE(not great with forums, so I have surely missed something)

 

[69broncofun]

Awesome. Glad to hear about you new bronco. Got any pics. You will have all you need here for support and help. I gotta get off my a$$ and work on mine now that cooler weather has set in.

 

[tasker]

FIRST OFF, welcome!
with that being said, I am no expert by any stretch but I believe the trans/ tcase are a gray and the underhood is painted body color. there are many more smart guys on here that will tell you for sure...Pics will be your friends!

 

[renrag]

Awesome. Glad to hear about you new bronco. Got any pics. You will have all you need here for support and help. I gotta get off my a$$ and work on mine now that cooler weather has set in.

I do, but I don't have them online anywhere, so no link to supply. I have a bit to learn on forum useage. Just picture a rusty, orange Ranger with a hardtop. Now, save the top, and the hood. Replace the rest. See, wasn't that easy? My resto looks great don't you think?

 

[Broncitis]

Early years were red oxide primer, later were body color underneath.

Transmission and transfer case we're both raw.

I paint the cast iron with cast iron paint to prevent rusting. The aluminum bell housing I either use bare or satin clear coat if it cleans up great, if not, aluminum paint color.

I like to use 2 or 3 different brands of cast iron gray for a slight shade difference, just like real castings have. I use one for the T-case and another for the trans and intermediate housing.

All satin black on the drive also looks clean. I am not at all a fan of Ford blue on all of that. Looks way to gaudy IMO. Not bad if you just want to do the trans pan (originally bare) to match the oil pan.


Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[renrag]

Early years were red oxide primer, later were body color underneath.

Transmission and transfer case we're both raw.

I paint the cast iron with cast iron paint to prevent rusting. The aluminum bell housing I either use bare or satin clear coat if it cleans up great, if not, aluminum paint color.

I like to use 2 or 3 different brands of cast iron gray for a slight shade difference, just like real castings have. I use one for the T-case and another for the trans and intermediate housing.

All satin black on the drive also looks clean. I am not at all a fan of Ford blue on all of that. Looks way to gaudy IMO. Not bad if you just want to do the trans pan (originally bare) to match the oil pan.


Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Thank you. I guess I don't have to worry about if my '77 is early or late. Body color it is. I agree on the whole drivetrain being too much blue. I have had good success with the aluminum paint on stuff before. I like the look more than clear. Personal preference. The idea of different brands of cast paint is a good one. I like it. Satin is the only way to go on frames, or early Mustang engine bays.

mikE

 

[DirtDonk]

Hey renrag, welcome!

Additions of power steering and AC are the two major items, I may add a small lift.

Small lift looks great on an uncut Bronco. Good call as far as I'm concerned, if you go that way.
Power steering was a stock option on your year however, so that's not going to set off any alarms with anyone. Does yours have manual steering now?
What about brakes? Should have come stock with vacuum power assisted with discs up front.
There were a few with manual brakes, and they would have had an aluminum(?) spacer between the firewall and the master cylinder.
But again, no foul if you add a vacuum booster if it's not there already.

A/C was a dealer installed item of course, but not many out there. The new A/C systems are likely better, but they seem to require a lot more work than the old ones did.
There are some members here that even have through-the-dash vents, which looks and works slick. Most of us that have A/C are still under the dash, but the new stuff looks much sleeker than the old ARA stuff in my opinion.
Lots of work, but ultimately worth it I would say.

2)What color were the transmissions and transfer cases? (mine have both been repainted engine blue at some point)

As they said, bare casting. But the bell housing and manual trans don't look too bad in engine-blue I don't think. However when you add the transfer case to that blue mix too, that's going too far. I've got a combination of blue and then a black t-case on mine and thought it looked good. But I still prefer that cast-iron color paint over the other colors too. Or some variation of that theme of gray.

3)Is the engine compartment body color? (my rig makes me think this one is a yes)

Yep. All years were body color.

The aluminum bell housing I either use bare or satin clear coat if it cleans up great, if not, aluminum paint color.

Spoken like a true '66 kind of guy!
Actually I don't know what all models or years got aluminum (I think my friend's '67 289 has one?) but most Broncos, at least with the V8 engines got a cast-iron bell housing too.
There were the two (or three if you count '66 again) styles of clutch fork and pivot of course, but most of them were iron.

I wonder if the aluminum ones were also the smaller car size? Or if they were all the typical truck size for the larger flywheel.
Might be another interesting tidbit to track down.

Paul

 

[sprdv1]

Welcome to the Site and Best of Luck.. Biggest thing is just tackle a little bit at a time.

And do NOT keep a tally on what it costs LOL

 

[rspd505]

I do, but I don't have them online anywhere, so no link to supply. I have a bit to learn on forum useage. Just picture a rusty, orange Ranger with a hardtop. Now, save the top, and the hood. Replace the rest. See, wasn't that easy? My resto looks great don't you think?

Best $12 you'll ever spend would be the subscription cost for this forum. That will allow you to upload pics from your phone or computer. I don't drink, but like Toby Keith said "I love this bar" ;D

 

[renrag]

Power steering was a stock option on your year however, so that's not going to set off any alarms with anyone. Does yours have manual steering now?

Yes. Manual steering. I refuse to go away from it in my autocross Mustang, but will drop it quickly here. The reason is, I plan to use it off road some.

What about brakes? Should have come stock with vacuum power assisted with discs up front.

Yes. power disc/drum combo. I intend to rebuild as original as I imagine that the stopping power is adequate for a rig this size. Even with a slightly larger tire. (if I go there)

A/C was a dealer installed item of course, but not many out there. The new A/C systems are likely better, but they seem to require a lot more work than the old ones did.

I am looking at the vintage air setup as it replaces everything under the dash. Not much good under there on mine to replace.

Spoken like a true '66 kind of guy!
Actually I don't know what all models or years got aluminum (I think my friend's '67 289 has one?) but most Broncos, at least with the V8 engines got a cast-iron bell housing too.
There were the two (or three if you count '66 again) styles of clutch fork and pivot of course, but most of them were iron.

Huh, a magnet just stuck to my "aluminum" bellhousing. One less can of paint to buy.

Overall, I trend towards the older look. This '77, with the Ranger stripe and hounds tooth seats(rear is marginal, fronts are beyond salvage) are not really my first choices. I plan to paint it the factory orange, but switch to a white interior, and grille(argent for the grille seems to unnecessarily add another color) Leave off the Ranger stripes, and pretend to be older than it is. Stripes can be added easily, and seats and grill are not that hard. If history is any guide, my kids will figure out how it is "worth more" when I'm dead. Like I mentioned before, look stock to the casual observer.

mikE

 

[renrag]

Welcome to the Site and Best of Luck.. Biggest thing is just tackle a little bit at a time.

And do NOT keep a tally on what it costs LOL

Ha. A little at a time isn't my style. My plan is to do it in one winter. This one.

Best $12 you'll ever spend would be the subscription cost for this forum. That will allow you to upload pics from your phone or computer. I don't drink, but like Toby Keith said "I love this bar" ;D

...and.... Let's see if it worked. Don't be fooled by the paint. Water on it.

 

[Scoop]

Welcome! Great color for a Ranger.

 

[sanndmann3]

And do NOT keep a tally on what it costs LOL

Welcome aboard! Best website on the internet is right here...

And couldn't agree more with the above statement!

 

[Wyflyer]

The Orange 77 Ranger is my favorite of them all. I wish I had found one for a project before I started my current project.
If you don't put the stripes back on it, baby Jesus will cry

 

[Mustangs2]

Ha. A little at a time isn't my style. My plan is to do it in one winter. This one.



...and.... Let's see if it worked. Don't be fooled by the paint. Water on it.

Do I see IOWA plates on this one? Are you in Iowa?

 

[patterdale]

I am about to restore my first Bronco. A 1977 Ranger wagon, 302, 3spd. I have been into Jeeps and Early Mustangs for a very long time, I finally found my first Bronco. As a Ford fan, it is about time. While the rebuild will not be 100% as left the factory, I am planning on making it look that way to the casual observer. Additions of power steering and AC are the two major items, I may add a small lift.
Now, for the questions I can't seem to find the answers to by searching the forum, or looking at restored Broncos.
1) Was the underside of the body painted body color, black, or that funny red/rouge color used on Mustangs? (My truck is keeping this one a secret)
2)What color were the transmissions and transfer cases? (mine have both been repainted engine blue at some point)
3)Is the engine compartment body color? (my rig makes me think this one is a yes)

Thanks in advance for your help. Please be kind when you supply that link to these answers in the forum that I have overlooked in my searches.

mikE(not great with forums, so I have surely missed something)

Your first step is to say, "hi, my name is renrag and I have a bronco problem". Then the rest of us can help enable your addiction properly and make sure you avoid becoming a recovering broncoholic.

 

[sprdv1]

Ha. A little at a time isn't my style. My plan is to do it in one winter. This one.



...and.... Let's see if it worked. Don't be fooled by the paint. Water on it.

Worked that time. Oh yeah.

 

[renrag]

If you don't put the stripes back on it, baby Jesus will cry

Sorry, the song says, "no crying he makes"

Do I see IOWA plates on this one? Are you in Iowa?

I am. Eastern.

Your first step is to say, "hi, my name is renrag and I have a bronco problem". Then the rest of us can help enable your addiction properly and make sure you avoid becoming a recovering broncoholic.

It could be argued that this is not my first Bronco. This orange one seems more legit.

I am feeling like this thread is in the wrong section. Does it need to me moved to Bronco chat?

 

[patterdale]

Sorry, the song says, "no crying he makes"



I am. Eastern.



It could be argued that this is not my first Bronco. This orange one seems more legit.

I am feeling like this thread is in the wrong section. Does it need to me moved to Bronco chat?

Who's worried about which sectio? You're addicted with full enabling. Welcom.