Vermont Bronco

[Bearhawk Builder]

I'm new here and have been picking the brain trust for a few months as I start my Bronco build. I bought this '74 out of a wrecking yard in Rutland VT. I had been looking for a good one to restore for a while and realized that was going to be impossible up here in northern New England without replacing everything so I found the worst one I could find knowing the body and frame were going away anyway. This one turned out to be a gold mine that I paid $1500 for. It was owned by Tufts university and used as a yard truck for what appears to be it's whole life before it was abandoned so it shows 41K miles and while I didn't believe that at first I am convinced it's correct mileage. Here's a pic to get this started, it's after I removed the frame which my neighbor took to build him a Bronco, he's more brave than I am.
Hey, how do you insert an image? All I see is insert image by URL

 

[gnpenning]

You have a couple options. The easiest is to pay the $12 and become.a contributor.


What are your plans for a replacement frame?

 

[Jakedog]

What's that blue thing in the background of pic number 1?

 

[tasker]

I'm new here and have been picking the brain trust for a few months as I start my Bronco build. I bought this '74 out of a wrecking yard in Rutland VT. I had been looking for a good one to restore for a while and realized that was going to be impossible up here in northern New England without replacing everything so I found the worst one I could find knowing the body and frame were going away anyway. This one turned out to be a gold mine that I paid $1500 for. It was owned by Tufts university and used as a yard truck for what appears to be it's whole life before it was abandoned so it shows 41K miles and while I didn't believe that at first I am convinced it's correct mileage. Here's a pic to get this started, it's after I removed the frame which my neighbor took to build him a Bronco, he's more brave than I am.
Hey, how do you insert an image? All I see is insert image by URL

I have a shed full of stuff that i want to re-home. Pm me

 

[Bearhawk Builder]

Emily and Thomas Kincer set me up with a nice frame. I blasted it, epoxy primed and painted. The guys at James Duff have been great to work with, got the 2.5" performance package from them along with the budget disc brake set up for the front.
I'm doing my best to use as many usable, rebuildable parts as practical instead of buying all aftermarket if I can avoid it. I already see a huge quality difference in many aftermarket parts I've ordered.

 

[Bearhawk Builder]

I tore the engine down for rebuild but it was in really good shape internally so a bore wasn't needed. Just honed the cylinders, rebuilt the heads and put it together with new bearings etc. New RV cam. The C4 was rebuilt by a local old school shop. I cleaned up and resealed the transfer case, no new bearings needed. The front and rear end were serviced with new outer bearings and seals etc but the centers were good. I kept the two barrel intake and got a carb from a fellow here, kept the exhaust manifolds too.

 

[Bearhawk Builder]

I though it was cool to see the factory stampings and decals on the valve covers, they were covered in oil and well preserved. Does someone make repos of these decals?

 

[1969]

https://shop.broncograveyard.com/mobile/Decals-Factory/products/223/1/0

JBG has a few reproduction decals

 

[904Bronco]

Welcome to the Site!
We all enjoy watching your build, so please share your adventure with lots of pictures. Great progress so far.

Doug.

 

[Slowleak]

I though it was cool to see the factory stampings and decals on the valve covers, they were covered in oil and well preserved. Does someone make repos of these decals?

Make sure you get the right one. Here is an old thread about them:

Where can I BUY a 1974 302 Emission sticker to put on my restored motor.

1974 FORD 302 2BBL ENGINE EMISSIONS DECAL STICKER, where can I BUY this sticker here ? The only one I can find is on eBay and that seller cannot deliver it as promised. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks for your lead.

classicbroncos.com

 

[Bearhawk Builder]

Thanks for the input guys. I went all in on the Carpenter body, uncut. It's a very nicely done piece except for the fenders which needed a lot of tweeking to get to fit. Got a new hard top with it too.

 

[Bearhawk Builder]

I put in a new Lares PS box along with the rest of the steering components. So I have an original PS box if someone needs one. Ran the fuel and brake lines. I used 5052 hard aluminum lines and AN hardware for fuel since I have all the tools and fittings from my other job. Fuel runs through an Aeromotive regulator from the in tank pump in the Krawlers Edge tank. The regulator is set for carburetor pressure and returns excess to the tank. PS pump, and lines are from Wild Horses. Also installed the twin sticks from JB. I thought long and hard about this, I don't think I really need the twin sticks but the original shifter was beyond repair and a good tight original is hard to find, so the twin sticks will work nicely. This truck will not be a hard core rock crawler, local class 4 roads and trails at most.

 

[surfer-b]

looking good, keep the pics coming

 

[stout22]

Looks like your making great progress.

 

[gnsteam]

Very nice build.

 

[Bearhawk Builder]

I tore down the steering column for rebuild. I was going to buy a tilt direct fit column from WH but I understand you can't use the early 2 spoke wheel with them and that's a deal breaker for me. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on that. It seems the '74 bronco was a transition year for some things including the column / wheel set up so that it's a one year only deal. Anyway column is torn down and parts are ordered to rebuild this column and add a collapsible lower shaft. I cut the rag joint flange off the shaft and cleaned it up to accept the new U joint for the lower shaft. The shift collar was wallowed out where the shift lever pin pivot is so another collar is on the way.
I'll have to repair this wheel since I don't see a repo available for the '74, any tips on doing this right would be appreciated.

 

[Bearhawk Builder]

Rear drum brakes rebuilt. Again the transition year of '74 makes this challenging getting the right parts. I ordered four or five sets of brake hardware to get the right shoe retaining pins. They kept coming too short even though it spec'd out as '74. Original pin on the left. So here is the part number that I finally settled on after going through the shelves at my local auto parts store. I think they were spec'd for a '79 f150.
Can someone help with this - the self adjuster cables are too long by an inch or so. They are slack in the drum which won't work, I can probably cut and shorten them with a nicopress sleeve but it would be easier to get the right ones. Any clues?

 

[.94 OR]

Are battling parts for different 10" or 11" drums and also having different widths?

 

[Bearhawk Builder]

Here's where I'm at with the body. The panels have been fit and adjusted as much as I can. The left fender to grill joint will need some filler as well as the upper door to fender on the left side but not bad at all. There is some distortion at the top of the lower quarters where they are spot welded, that might all come out with block sanding, we'll see.
I fit the seats, roll bar, seat belts and center console to drill all the holes needed before body work starts.
I tore up my shoulder snowmobiling last winter and had the surgery last month so I'm in a sling for a few more weeks, not much progress lately. Really slowing down progress here and in the hangar.

 

[Bearhawk Builder]

These just showed up from wheelsmith. They are 17x8 with 4 1/2" b.s.
Now the question I need an answer to from those that know. I'm hoping 275/70/17 will work??
2 1/2" suspension lift and a 2" body lift on the Kincer frame. I also have 1" spring blocks in case I need them. I've read every tire/wheel thread and I'm more confused now.