Update: $200 parts bronco( should have known)

[montanabronc]

I have a co-worker who needs to get a 78 or 79 bronco out of his yard quick and asked if I wanted it for 200 bucks, it has no engine. I have 71 w/o discs so I was wondering how difficult it is to swap the axles? Also can you swap the power steering out of it? I am broke but could find a way if it's worth it which I am pretty sure it is. I still need to go look at it to make sure it's a 78 or 79 but if it is do I go for it?

Edit: So I call the guy today all ready to go pick it up and he tells me he needs to call his buddy for the keys since the doors are locked. Well he calls me back and says his buddy already sold it to someone else!! Sh*t. I guess I knew unless it was in my yard I shouldn't get my hopes up. Lately it seems like quite a few people on this board have had sales problems. Guess it'll be a long time before I get some discs and power steering.

 

[RKM]

I don't know about that...$200 may be good if you can use the nuckles out for a disk swap. You coud sell that setup to someone and recoupe some of the money. I have head of people using the tilt column. If all you want is the axles. You may be able to part some of the truck and make up the money, and end up with the axles for free.

I have one 5 miles from my house that I can pick up for free. I just don't have time to do the disk swap at the moment.

 

[agent_orange_71]

Yeah the discs are your best bet. Check out the disc swap article in the tech section for more info. like RKM said some people also use the tilt column, dont know what else would be of use unless you think its time for a transmission/transfer case upgrade. You could part the rest and make your money back too. One more note of interest, since you have a 71, be ABSOLUTELY SURE that you have a dana 44 before you buy it for the disc parts because the ford conversion wont work with the d30.

http://classicbroncos.com/disc-f150.shtml

 

[Dr. Awsome]

I'd say go for it. If any thing your friend gets rid of his bronco and in the worst case you should be abl to get at least your $200 back on eBay. But that's just what I would do.

 

[montanabronc]

So can you swap both axles into the EB with a little mods instead of just knuckles out? Are they wider because I know I've seen people go full width with some mods? Anyone know bout the steeing box? I figured I could sell the tranny to a buddy with a '78 and let him pick it over as well. Just need to make a decision and don't want yet another pile of parts I can't get rid of since our yard is littered with several of my roomates ongoing( or so he says) J**P projects.

 

[Skuzzlebutt]

i THINK THAT'LL HAVE THE STEERING (oops) box that works once you swap the guts with an F-100 box, ala BC Broncos.

 

[ManTruck]

You should do the deal. The disk swap is worth the $200. The two diffs are needed by others at times and you could sell those when you get a buyer. The owner of the donor for my disk swap told me that the steering wheel from his 79 Bronco brought $100 on eBay. It was some sort of special wheel. Brushed aluminum I believe.

The front Dana should be the HP44 and this is coveted by many wheelers. I was thinking about using mine for the wristed kit from chuck. It would be everything you would ever want I believe.

Do the deal if you can. The disk swap was the best upgrade so far for me.

 

[broncnaz]

I'd go for it even if you dont or cant use the disc brakes the steering box will work in fact its said to be the best box out there all you need to do is swap the piston and worm out with a 2wheel drive box. As for the disc brakes as long as you have a D44 in your 71 it will work knuckles out you will either need to buy bushings to use the stock tie rods or have the big bronco tie rod/drag link shortened to fit the 71. Save the front housing you could do a WAH conversion or sell it. Save the rear centersection could come in handy if you want to upgrade to 31spline axles. Tranny and t-case could be worth keeping unless its an automatic tranny(C-6) it wont fit a 302 the Tcase could be a NP205 (easy to sell everyone wants them) or NP203 (not as easy to sell but still sellable) if the rest of the truck is relatively rust free you may be able to sell it also especailly doors and fenders.

 

[Skuzzlebutt]

A C-6 may or may not fit a 302. They were used with both big and small block engines. They are not, however, interchangable between small and big block motors. It will have the bell housing pattern for either, but not both. So it will depend on what the original engine in this Bronco was. Unfortunately the M series was more common.

 

[Bronco73]

78/79 broncos have always come with the 351M/400 motors and the big bell pattern. There have been people that claim to have seen a 78/79 with a 300 6cly but no one has shown proof yet, on another site I visit. So it more than likely will have the big bell trans.

Now 78/79 4X4 pick ups could be had with the 300 6cly. and I have seen several of those myself.

There are some of the full size bronco guys looking for big bell C6 4X4 trans. Even as a core it could be worth a couple of bucks and the transfer case I am sure is worth something. You can even sell the radius arms, shock towers and some other front end pieces. These peieces are used by the 80 and up full size bronco guys in a straight axle conversion. There not high dollar parts but I believe you could just about get your money back from the truck and have your disk brakes for free, with a little effort.

Check the rear axle for a trac loc. It's about a 50/50 chance it has one and more than likely will be a 3.50 geared axles.

The 78/79 axles are wider than the EB axles and I do not believe they bolt right in. I believe everyone is suggesting to swap from the knuckles oout for the disk brakes.

 

[montanabronc]

Well I was pretty sure the axles didn't bolt right up, but I knew people were swapping to fullsize with some work. I just didn't know exactly what it entailed as far as relocating axle wedges etc. I think I am going to check it out tonight hopefully. He has to get rid of it quick though and I don't have a way of towing it to my place or have the money, but it seems just too good to pass up. Oh yeah, it did have the 351m in it and the C6. I figured anything I don't want I could sell or give to my buddy with the '78. I think I even heard my bronco screaming at me from the garage " BUY IT, BUY IT". I swear they need to make a patch for this kind of addiction!

 

[eds66bronco]

I swear they need to make a patch for this kind of addiction!

they do, it's called mastercard

 

[montanabronc]

Woo Hoo!!

Just like smokers who try and quit using the patch and end up using the patches too much I have fed my addiction with my mastercard and now it is not an option. However I went and looked at the bronco today and it is indeed a '78. And here's the good part: it has the HP44 and the power steering box is still there minus the pump(since the engine is gone). Also the body is in pretty decent shape. Minor rust and the interior lookes ok also. Now here's the great part, My co-worker is trying to get rid of for a friend and really needs it out of his lawn soooo he told me if I could get it out of there within a couple of days he would give his buddy the money and float me for a little while. Yes I know I suck. BUT I don't have it yet so I can't get too excited until it rest in my yard. BTW if anyone needs a C6 or decent body and frame let me know.

 

[montanabronc]

Hopefully I'll have it by sunday. If anyone knows of the process involved in swapping the power steering box I'd like to know so post or PM me. I heard something about swapping F-100 box parts and if that's the case let me know because he also has a 76 or 75 F-100 that is smashed so if I could take the box off of it I could get it for free. and if there is any axle swap info I would like to see that also.
TIA

 

[Skuzzlebutt]

The steering swap info is at http://www.bcbroncos.com/
Click Tech Tips and scroll 2/3 the way down. They use an 81 F-150 4x2 box as the guts donor, not an F-100 4x2 box. This doesn't neccessarily mean the F-100 parts won't work, but it's not the same box.
The F-100 box can be used for a power steering swap, there are kits from most of the vendors for doing so, but converting a 4x4 box is definitely the prefered method.

 

[montanabronc]

thanks for the link for the steering. I hope the axles have some decent gearing since my axles now have 4.11s. I was thinking I could just swap out my gears, but then I remembered the high pinion. Oh well it will probably take a while for me to get them set up and under the bronco. Lined up a diesel and a flatbed so hopefully I'll get it later today.