Project Springtime or Busted!!!

[NY-Bronco]

Hardcharger,

I forgot about the guaranteed for life! Hopefully I can dig up the receipt.
Would really like to put the horns to the guy that applied it in the first place somehow! However, he is in Tx and im in Nj now so it is what it is, I just don't wanna have a rust bucket one day because I have a very solid truck with no rust.

Anyway, heading to work on the passenger cowl and raising it up for Vintage Air install. I will post pics later! ;D

When you do all this raising and moving make sure that the hoses reach from the bulkhead to the unit. Its quite a precise fit!! Also make sure that the glovebox will still fit with the unit sitting right behind it. With the vintage air unit that far up the ducts for the defrost will get squeezed. Lots of little things to think about, not to mention the wires and stuff coming out of the fusebox from the glovebox.

 

[74NJBronco]

Thanks 74! Unfortunately the truck is not really clean right now and the tires look like crap. However, cleaned up it really looks good. At least I think so!

Yeah, I am happy to get working on the Bronco Again. Just wish the truck was in Mahwah and not Clifton.

We will have to get together sometime!

Rob

Yours is a work in progress, it won't be clean for awhile. Mine is always dusty cause I use my garage for construction equipment and the dust gets everywhere.
What the hell is your truck doing in Clifton? I'm always at Athena Mason Supply. Once I finish this big construction project this week will get together, since your so close.

 

[broncoitis]

Thanks Johnny! Just gotta get it on the road.

Herman, sounds like a plan with the EFI install! Still gotta clean up the stuff that I have gathered up so far. For the Vintage Air install, I agree about the defrost hoses and other things you mentioned.

74, yeah sounds like a plan to me. Maybe this week if time permits but definitely the coming weekend sounds good.

Pat, I agree about the faces with names. That would be nice!

 

[mavereq]

done yet?

 

[broncoitis]

Alright, this is the can of worms that I opened up today. Started raising the cowl on the passenger side. Still questioning the decision somewhat.

However the whole reason is to allow more room for the Vintage Air Blower behind the dash. Don't like how they are positioned so close to the floor on the Passenger Side. Gained at least 3.5" inches of additional height to tuck the Blower under the Dash! ;D

I know it doesn't look like much got done but nothing seems to line up over on the passenger side. I guess that is a shocker, LOL! So trying to get the fit a bit better to hopefully seam seal it better than it was previously. Biggest concern is that the Cowl looks good. Gotta take off the hood next time finish tacking it in place and the lighting in the Garage basically Stinks. %) There is still going to be a slight angle so water should drain off the cowl and not sit up there.

Think it is going OK so far! Should be able to get everything sealed back up next chance I get to work on it.

 

[broncoitis]

done yet?

Workin on it LOL! Trying to figure out the Signature last night sucked the life outta me last night. ;D However, thanks to you that shouldn't be a problem in the future.

 

[Waylon72]

Did you just bring the tub to linex to get the job done, or was it mounted on the frame? If you are concerned about sealing it against rust than you really really need to get paint on it before you rubber coat it. Primer and rubber coats are both porus materials so there are holes in the material that will allow water to soak through. IMHO best bet is to bring the tub down and get it painted (BOTTOM) and then have it undercoated, and it should be thicker than 1/16th per linex specs.

 

[broncoitis]

Did you just bring the tub to linex to get the job done, or was it mounted on the frame? If you are concerned about sealing it against rust than you really really need to get paint on it before you rubber coat it. Primer and rubber coats are both porus materials so there are holes in the material that will allow water to soak through. IMHO best bet is to bring the tub down and get it painted (BOTTOM) and then have it undercoated, and it should be thicker than 1/16th per linex specs.

Waylon72,

I brought the Sandblasted tub to a body shop that also sprayed LineX! They should have known what needed to be done! Point is that they were LAZY. Heck, they wanted to just spray the LineX onto the just the sandblasted tub with no Primer or anything underneath. It looks as if they just shot one coat on the underside because none of it is even close to 1/16" thick! I should have just taken my business elsewhere but it was already too late at that point. I even told them that I did not want to have to worry about rust and that was the reason for coating the bottom of the truck! Man, if I have to peel all that stuff off that is gonna suck!

Curious what you would do Waylon? Thanks for the input as well

 

[broncoitis]

Ok, got a bit more done today on the Passenger Cowl! Started closing things back up but couldn't finish it all because today it was COLD. In fact, alot colder than yesterday. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and should be able to get it about 95% finished.

Overall Happy with how it is gonna look!

 

[stupidboy]

I see you got some of those little clamps, how do you like them?

 

[broncoitis]

Oh yeah, are some more pics of the ongoing LineX saga. %)

Called LineX and a regional manager called me back today which caught me off guard with the quick response. So, that is a good thing and he seemed to be really cool so far.

However, he did say something to the effect that because this was not a pickup bed type of application that the LineX was not covered by a LIFETIME Warranty like it would be if it were a pickup bed! Didn't say that he was not going to work with me just that according to their nationwide warranty terms and conditions what the case was.

I was able to get this little patch coming off in under a minute with my FINGERS!

 

[broncoitis]

I see you got some of those little clamps, how do you like them?

Pat,

Considering what they cost, they work great! Just trying to take direction from a may with skillz far better than mine!

The only thing that I would change about them might be a slightly bigger wing nut to make it easier to snug up but that is it. Could also be from the different gauges of steel. Using 16 gauge patch panel compared to the 18 gauge stock body panels.

 

[broncoitis]

Ok! Haven't updated in awhile but the raising of the cowl is about 90% done! Still have some work to do but that will have to wait until the dash is removed. No room to work down there with it in the way as you all know im sure and laying on your back isn't too comfy either!

Anyway, here are some rough pics of how it looks right now. For the most part I think it came out pretty good. Not really concerned about how the passenger side kick panel looks because you will never see it! LOL! ;D As for the rest, it shouldn't take much bondo and sanding to make it look factory I hope. %) I guess that we will see. LOL.

 

[broncoitis]

Gonna start working on the Serpentine Conversion next along with the conversion to fuel injection.

Have to finish building my friends REDNECK Sandblast booth so I can get the pieces cleaned up and painted or powdercoated. I guess the powdercoating depends on how much it will cost! %)

Hopefully these projects will go pretty well. How long they take will depend on how long it takes to get everything cleaned up I guess.

Also have decided to go with the Vintage Air Gen IV system vs the Gen II in spite of additional cost.

 

[jmhend]

broncoitis- I work at exit 30 just off of 287.. shoot me a message I would love to offer a hand on meeting the deadline.

 

[broncoitis]

Alrighty, got some progress to post!

Got the new evaporator mocked up under the dash and like the overall postition of the unit alot! Really like how all of the outputs for the defrost, floor vents, and vents are all in the center of the truck. ;D

On the downside, the new evaporator has created some fittment issues with the radio and defrost ducts! However, I switched evaporators and expected this to happen and should be pretty simple to fix hopefully! %)

Would also like to mount the Heater control valve under the dash to limit the clutter under the hood. Gonna be a bit tight but I think there will be just enough room.

Here are some pics.

 

[broncoitis]

Thinking of possibly rotating the dash panel with the radio 180 degrees so that the gauges are on the right and the radio and evaporator controls are on the left!

The other option would be to move the radio under the dash with the vents and some other things! ?:?

 

[broncoitis]

Oh well, haven't posted any updates lately but the thinking cap has been on for sure and things have been getting done. ;D For those that are interested, this is what has been goin on!

Decided to move the radio under the Dash into an under dash console that I have been working on. The console will contain some 12V power outlets, AUX Switches, Vents and the radio.

After raising the cowl, I was finally able to mount the Gen IV Vintage Air evaporator that I have decided to go with. Although there aren't any kits out there that use this evaporator, I really like how it fits under the dash and particulartly where the defrost and vent outputs are located. A bit more expensive but for me, I think it's worth it. Unfortunately, I am at a standstill until I get the Explorer Serpentine conversion finished and mount the compressor so I can figure out how to run the lines for the A/C.

Speaking of the Explorer Serpentine, I was able to make some progress toward getting that started today. ;D Started breaking down the engine to get the EFI conversion done. Decided to go ahead and change the cam to the 351W in order to get the correct firing order that the computer wants. Didn't have to change it but I think that it will run that much better as a result. Definitely woulda been easier to leave in the other cam! Lets just say that the oil pan fought me the whole way. LOL! %)

Anyway, as a result of todays efforts I was able to get the cam changed out and put back in. Tomorrow I will be working on getting the roller rockers readjusted and start installing the EFI intakes, injectors and so on! ;D

Here are some pics of what is going on.

 

[HGM]

Would also like to mount the Heater control valve under the dash to limit the clutter under the hood. Gonna be a bit tight but I think there will be just enough room.

Here are some pics.

I've been following, looking great.. One thing I'd reccomend giving some thought though.. I'm not sure about the heater control valve you've got. But, I've seen factory ones leak.. Might want to see if anyone has seen the type you have leak, or maybe rethink where you put it.. If your not going with carpet, I guess it wont matter much, but I'd hate to have coolant leaking in the truck after a nice rebuild..

 

[gravy]

looking good. love the under dash console