I haven't seen any posts yet, so here is mine.
MDL, Modern Driveline, was interested in building a kit to convert Gen 2 Broncos and 73-79 P/U trucks to a Tremec 4050 5-spd transmission. The 3rd gear in my NP435 was toast and I was looking for a replacement. In conversation, they offered me the chance to have one installed while they developed the kit to do it. So I was the test Mule. I trailered my 79 to Caldwell, ID last year, and assisted with the disassembly. I ended up leaving the vehicle there and flying in later to drive it home with the 5-spd installed. There was some conversation about a designing a hydraulic clutch set up, but mine remains mechanical. The drive home was great and the conversion makes the rig a better driver. With a 33 gallon tank, I have a pretty good travel distance between tank fills, but being a cinder block on wheels, it will never get stellar MPG. (I did squeak near 16 mpg on a flat section of Hwy 80 in NV, with no wind) I am still running the 351M motor with a Carb and all the smog required by the State of Kalifornia.
Imagine my surprise when MDL called and asked if they could display my Bronco at SEMA. What? My Rig is a 10 footer and nowhere near what people display at SEMA. She has all her original paint and all the little dings and dents that a 45 y/o truck would have. They said that is what they wanted, kind of an every man/women build. So I agreed. They had Graphics installed here in town and I head out on the road this morning for the drive to Vegas. I will be tracking the mileage and mpg for them, so I can give an honest account. And you might see my face on some Blog or Video since they just released the conversion kit to the world on their website. Excited, but maybe not so much about the drive south for 8 hrs. I will try and post some pictures from the event as the week unfolds. The MDL booth is in the front half of the Central Hall and it looks like my parking space is outside, in front of the Central Hall. (the online maps suck) More later... Doug.
MDL, Modern Driveline, was interested in building a kit to convert Gen 2 Broncos and 73-79 P/U trucks to a Tremec 4050 5-spd transmission. The 3rd gear in my NP435 was toast and I was looking for a replacement. In conversation, they offered me the chance to have one installed while they developed the kit to do it. So I was the test Mule. I trailered my 79 to Caldwell, ID last year, and assisted with the disassembly. I ended up leaving the vehicle there and flying in later to drive it home with the 5-spd installed. There was some conversation about a designing a hydraulic clutch set up, but mine remains mechanical. The drive home was great and the conversion makes the rig a better driver. With a 33 gallon tank, I have a pretty good travel distance between tank fills, but being a cinder block on wheels, it will never get stellar MPG. (I did squeak near 16 mpg on a flat section of Hwy 80 in NV, with no wind) I am still running the 351M motor with a Carb and all the smog required by the State of Kalifornia.
Imagine my surprise when MDL called and asked if they could display my Bronco at SEMA. What? My Rig is a 10 footer and nowhere near what people display at SEMA. She has all her original paint and all the little dings and dents that a 45 y/o truck would have. They said that is what they wanted, kind of an every man/women build. So I agreed. They had Graphics installed here in town and I head out on the road this morning for the drive to Vegas. I will be tracking the mileage and mpg for them, so I can give an honest account. And you might see my face on some Blog or Video since they just released the conversion kit to the world on their website. Excited, but maybe not so much about the drive south for 8 hrs. I will try and post some pictures from the event as the week unfolds. The MDL booth is in the front half of the Central Hall and it looks like my parking space is outside, in front of the Central Hall. (the online maps suck) More later... Doug.
