San Diego Bronco Body Swap Help

[davisjstone]

Help.....

I’m hoping to find someone in the San Diego area who can help me with a body swap on my ’74 Bronco. Does anyone have a two-post lift and experience taking a body on/off and getting it realigned on the frame? I just don’t have enough space in my 2-car garage to do it safely.

I’ll do all the prep work myself: strip the body, pull the wiring, and disconnect everything necessary before the swap.

I’m happy to pay for the labor/help.

Does anybody know a shop, fabricator, or backyard Bronco builder in San Diego who can help? Thanks! Trying to do this the right way and avoid turning my Bronco into a long-term garage ornament.

 

[1969miller]

Someone will chime in I'm sure with shop info, but I've swapped a few tubs with 4-5 good friends, pay them in beer and knock it out in a couple hours!

 

[hunter1]

I actually set my body on by myself with an engine hoist through the door opening with bags of oil dry strategically placed throughout the tub to help balance it. Done the same thing with a jeep tub before. The Bronco body without doors and front end was a lot easier.

 

[davisjstone]

Someone will chime in I'm sure with shop info, but I've swapped a few tubs with 4-5 good friends, pay them in beer and knock it out in a couple hours!

A person on every corner and lift? I’m leaving the engine in, which makes the lift pretty high I would think to clear?

 

[Master Chief]

Mark at Beach City Broncos is on here. Maybe he’ll chime in.

 

[serial car restorer]

...and avoid turning my Bronco into a long-term garage ornament.

Wait, it doesn't have to be a long term ornament? I work faster than some (many?), and mine has been taking up garage speace for almost 2 years so far.

 

[davisjstone]

Wait, it doesn't have to be a long term ornament? I work faster than some (many?), and mine has been taking up garage speace for almost 2 years so far.

I mistyped. I should have said long(er). 4 years and counting . Having young kids makes it hard to get much done.

 

[1969miller]

A person on every corner and lift? I’m leaving the engine in, which makes the lift pretty high I would think to clear?

Clearing the motor and trans it helps to have 6 people total, one set each corner and a person on each rocker. Very doable. Make sure all tripping hazards are out of the way!

 

[DirtDonk]

In case you haven’t already figured out, or have read in your research, make sure to either brace the door openings, or leave the doors intact.
The doors at a huge amount of weight, but you absolutely have to reinforce the door openings or your body can taco at the rockers.

A simple bar bolted to the hinge post and latch post can do the trick.

 

[davisjstone]

In case you haven’t already figured out, or have read in your research, make sure to either brace the door openings, or leave the doors intact.
The doors at a huge amount of weight, but you absolutely have to reinforce the door openings or your body can taco at the rockers.

A simple bar bolted to the hinge post and latch post can do the trick.

Thanks @DirtDonk! I may have found a shop to help. Beach City and another local Bronco place both said they could help. If using a 2 post lift and keeping the doors on, do I still need to rig up some braces. I also have a Bailey built cage, which I planned to leave in to help with the rigidity. I could take the doors off and brace if thats better than leaving on.

What do you think?

 

[DirtDonk]

No, I would think that the doors are sufficient if fully latched.
Then again, the BB cage alone should be able to take care of all the rigidity that you need.

Keeping both installed should take care of any worries about the rockers tweaking.

 

[DirtDonk]

Since you will be using a Bronco expert’s expertise anyway, their advice/guidance will be the critical factor.

 

[Allfab]

We are a very experienced shop a few hours north of you located in Yucca Valley, we'd be glad to help you out. I actually just uploaded a video on our social media putting a body back on it's chassis. Check us out www.thoroughbredBroncos.com, we're on Facebook and Instagram too, Thoroughbred Broncos. Let us know if we can be any help.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1774699627018417