Pilgrim's Progress

[Howard2x4x4]

Dog-gone computor or phone or something in the cyberverse isn't allowing picture downloads..... Hmm, got a few, but not all. Here goes a few.

Back to the build - A few days back, I almost set the body back on the chassis. Just before that, a new American Autowire harness was the task. Now I have to combine the two tasks by completing the rear portion of the wire harness. To make that just a bit easier, I set the body down with 1 1/2" spacer blocks to allow a bit of finigal room. Haven't quite begun yet, need to concoct a harness disconnect at the firewall, like Ken mentioned. This is the temporary body lift.

When the rear harness is complete and secured, the blocks come out and the body shimming can be done.

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Bolted in a few more pieces and parts. Didn't know where everything should go, so opted for a where everything could go strategy. Also installed a HHH under the battery tray. For the curious, that stands for 'hidden horse horn'. The coil is not in the usual location(s), due concerns with heater hose routing and general crowded real estate on the intake manifold. Poobahs, gurus and wizards, please advise if you think that is a faux pas.

 

[.94 OR]

Curious why you bought a new battery with the positive terminal under the fender.

 

[BronCowie]

Curious why you bought a new battery with the positive terminal under the fender.

Good eye .94 OR. It's best to have the negative terminal on that side to prevent an accidental short to the body.

Howard. Here is where I put my coil as an option for you. It is mounted to the front of the block.

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Curious why you bought a new battery with the positive terminal under the fender.

That's an interesting (and observant) question .94 OR. Got a few answers. 1. John Gras, owner of John's Battery, is a kindred spirit friend of mine, and I wanted his sticker to show up without readers/viewers having to stand on thier heads to read it. 2. Swinging the battery around 180 degrees would put both posts further away from where they need to be, and 3. put the positive post would be as close to the core support as it is to the fender now. I don't know if the battery will stay there or be re-located somewhere, somehow. Thanks for chipping in!

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Good eye .94 OR. It's best to have the negative terminal on that side to prevent an accidental short to the body.

Howard. Here is where I put my coil as an option for you. It is mounted to the front of the block.

View attachment 900495

Thanks Mark, I will take another look at that. Not at the barn now, but, as I recall, the front dress may have been a factor. Thanks for the suggestion, 'Hi' to Lucy.

 

[.94 OR]

That's an interesting (and observant) question .94 OR. Got a few answers. 1. John Gras, owner of John's Battery, is a kindred spirit friend of mine, and I wanted his sticker to show up without readers/viewers having to stand on thier heads to read it. 2. Swinging the battery around 180 degrees would put both posts further away from where they need to be, and 3. put the positive post would be as close to the core support as it is to the fender now. I don't know if the battery will stay there or be re-located somewhere, somehow. Thanks for chipping in!

I don't remember the nomenclature, but you should have been able to get the same size battery with the terminals in opposite positions so the positive post would be the furthest from the fender and the core support as the negative post is now, and hopefully keeping your label/sticker exposed.

 

[BronCowie]

I don't remember the nomenclature, but you should have been able to get the same size battery with the terminals in opposite positions so the positive post would be the furthest from the fender and the core support as the negative post is now, and hopefully keeping your label/sticker exposed.

Yes, you should be able to. This is the one I pulled right off the shelf a few years back.

 

[El Kabong]

I don't remember the nomenclature, but you should have been able to get the same size battery with the terminals in opposite positions so the positive post would be the furthest from the fender and the core support as the negative post is now, and hopefully keeping your label/sticker exposed.

I think it's an "R" after the group number that indicates reversed posts. For example, if you need a group 24, but want the posts reversed, a group 24R does that. And if you have a 24R that is wrong, then a 24 should have the opposite post layout needed.

 

[Howard2x4x4]

I am sure you are all correct. I bought the battery along time ago, very long time ago. I thought it was for the Bronco, but it may have for the boat. That's one of the problems with a multiple decade build. I'll either get it switched around, or not. Thanks for the updates, I would not have thought of it otherwise.

 

[bronkenn]

Hey Howard, the progress is looking good. I didn't see the drivers side of the front dress and I know you will figure it out. I just wanted to show another option for mounting the coil. It kinda gets it out of the way and helps to clean up the harness. The original coil mounting bracket will bolt right on the front of the head with one of the 3 holes .

 

[bronkenn]

Also, concerning the wiring harness, I did what the factory did and made the taillight harness separate from the rear harness so you can just plug it in when you set the body. If you still have the old taillight harness, you can lay it out on a piece of plywood and put nails where the wire breakouts are. Then duplicate those nails below it so you will know where the original breakouts are. I used the sealed connectors and installed the taillight harness to the body before it was set. I don't mean to add any confusion to this as it is obvious that you can figure all this out, just throwing out some idears.

 

[Howard2x4x4]

That is a really good, practical idea, Ken! Thanks! Before I set the body on, I went back and forth a whole bunch, trying to decide what to do and when and body on v. body off. I was really leaning toward doing the rear harness with the body off, mostly because I don't roll around on the floor very well anymore, even with a creeper. I ended up body on because I was not sure how to calculate both ends of the rear harness, the connector end near the MC and the tail light end. I am not very pleased with the way it has been going, but I'm not done yet or dead yet, so there's hope. I putzed just a tiny bit this morning with the coil, distributor, solenoid and neutral safety switch. I'm taking tiny little steps 'cause I'm pretty klutzy at this. Things will be coming together really slow for the next month or so because I began rebuilding the deck for our grand-daughter's bridal shower. On a non-Bronco note, I built that deck 29 years ago and am quietly thrilled with how well it lasted. Here's a pic from a few years with my better 3/4 showing some hardware she had won and our pooches at the time, Polly and Otto. It doesn't show real well, but the end of the deck is a round semi-circle. The pond and island are in the background.

 

[sprdv1]

That is a really good, practical idea, Ken! Thanks! Before I set the body on, I went back and forth a whole bunch, trying to decide what to do and when and body on v. body off. I was really leaning toward doing the rear harness with the body off, mostly because I don't roll around on the floor very well anymore, even with a creeper. I ended up body on because I was not sure how to calculate both ends of the rear harness, the connector end near the MC and the tail light end. I am not very pleased with the way it has been going, but I'm not done yet or dead yet, so there's hope. I putzed just a tiny bit this morning with the coil, distributor, solenoid and neutral safety switch. I'm taking tiny little steps 'cause I'm pretty klutzy at this. Things will be coming together really slow for the next month or so because I began rebuilding the deck for our grand-daughter's bridal shower. On a non-Bronco note, I built that deck 29 years ago and am quietly thrilled with how well it lasted. Here's a pic from a few years with my better 3/4 showing some hardware she had won and our pooches at the time, Polly and Otto. It doesn't show real well, but the end of the deck is a round semi-circle. The pond and island are in the background.
View attachment 900585

that place looks awesome brother

 

[sprdv1]

crap.. forgot, Did you ever decide if you can adopt me? LOL I'm old, won't be around THAT much longer hee hee lmao

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Well, heck yeah, spdv1! Summer's just aroung the corner, so you could pitch a tent on the island and do a Robinson Carusoe kinda thing in your sunset days! Could work out pretty good. When the last roundup comes along, it'd be easy enuff to just roll ya into the pond to feed the snappers! Could work out to be a win-win-win kinda thing, with even the usually cranky snappers getting a benefit! On a scale of 1 to 10, how digestable would you say you are? One of the snappers is a bit delicate, diet-wise, and gets gassy when he chews on the wrong flavor person. I'd sure say that there are far worse places to spend eternity than beautiful west Michigan. Just not sure that a turtles digestive tract is the best west Michigan can offer.....

As to progress, not much to claim, although I did get the speedo-reado gizmo installed in the tail piece. Also a pick of the crowded real estate topside.

 

[Kbpony]

Howard,
the coil on my ‘77 is mounted to the power brake bracket. I see you are doing hydro boost, but maybe that would be another option for your coil? Looking good, keep up the great work!

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Hey Howard, the progress is looking good. I didn't see the drivers side of the front dress and I know you will figure it out. I just wanted to show another option for mounting the coil. It kinda gets it out of the way and helps to clean up the harness. The original coil mounting bracket will bolt right on the front of the head with one of the 3 holes .

Ken, that has to be one of the cleanest engine compartments in the world! Beautiful!

 

[bronkenn]

Thanks Howard. Coming from a fellow Do-It-Yourselfer, that means a lot.

 

[sprdv1]

Well, heck yeah, spdv1! Summer's just aroung the corner, so you could pitch a tent on the island and do a Robinson Carusoe kinda thing in your sunset days! Could work out pretty good. When the last roundup comes along, it'd be easy enuff to just roll ya into the pond to feed the snappers! Could work out to be a win-win-win kinda thing, with even the usually cranky snappers getting a benefit! On a scale of 1 to 10, how digestable would you say you are? One of the snappers is a bit delicate, diet-wise, and gets gassy when he chews on the wrong flavor person. I'd sure say that there are far worse places to spend eternity than beautiful west Michigan. Just not sure that a turtles digestive tract is the best west Michigan can offer.....

As to progress, not much to claim, although I did get the speedo-reado gizmo installed in the tail piece. Also a pick of the crowded real estate topside.


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LMAO