Western PA winters bring with them snow and cold. Last year I found myself plowing more then I wanted with my 1999 F350 4 door 8 foot bed. Too long to be able to get around some of the areas I plow. I decided to do something about it.
I started looking for a early 80's Bronco, IMO these are the best looking Fords ever! After going thru the normal issues from craigslist I found someone willing to barter for his 85! I made the deal, drove it home an then to work for the next week for a good shake down.
I knew there would be rot, I mean its 30 years old! But I needed to pay a little better attention, I found about 2 gallons of Putty and at least 6 tubes of painters caulk and aluminum flashing hiding lots of the ugly stuff.
I plan to do the following to the 85,
1. SAS D60 on leaves using 1ton pieces
2. 10.25 in the rear with the proper springs
3. Fix the rust right. Daddy always said if your gonna do it do it right......
4. Pull all the interior and bed liner the inside
5. Paint the exterior in a fancy OD or FDR with BOSS stripes
6. Fabricate custom bumpers winch up front and spare tire carrier in the rear
7. Remove any unnecessary item from the ride, if I don't need it, its gone
8. Full tune up, all fluids, filters, etc.......
9. Teach my 10 year old son all about the world of wrenching.......
10. Have fun with it.
I will post up pictures as soon as I load them! Ideas and thoughts are welcome I appreciate educated conversation about these things, I like to learn from others experiences and hope to be able to return the favor to the community. Thank you for your time!
Here's a thread I had on repairing the tailgate torsion bar when it broke loose in my gate on the '90.
Peek through, read some and you'll get a real good understanding of the bar and how it's mounted. 78-96. http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=307850
Got to mock up the biggest and easiest part of the Center Consol tonight! Put it right were I wanted it! I plan to build it from sheet metal and wood. Don't know when but at least I got a good start on the mock up of it!
Good progress, are you planning on carrying the center console back as well, or building a separate center console for the back two seats? I like the idea of four separate buckets, and I think the two separate centers would be pretty neat.
No as of right now they do not pivot but I have full intentions on making the passenger seat pivot just like it did in the beginning!
Mike,
I was thinking of extending the front consol all the way into the rear but both seats would need to pivot then so no I plan to have a separate consol in the rear for those seats. I am going to use the original center latch mount bolt holes to hold it down that is why I did not cover them when I welded in the filler panel for the hole that was there!
The front consol will go all the way to the front under the ash tray, this is just the first part of it! I thought it was funny how it looks almost exactly like the drawing I sketched up, that is not always the case.
Made it to the shop late again tonight, Got the rest of the center consol mocked up, going to need some tweeking when I put it in sheet metal but overall I am happy with it's shape and position in the tub! Its going to be the main control for the hole truck! loving it!
Not sure I like this. Maybe not so bad when you paint or cover it with leather. The rest of it looks killer. If you run it right through to the back seats, it will be cool. Maybe not too high back there because you got to get over it to sit behind the driver.
Tore down the mock up and cut 7 pieces of steel! Welded some of them together and came up with this. Little while yet to clean it up and make some more pieces then I'll have a center consol!
Wow, I didn't know you were making it out of steel. Are you going to have a storage compartment? You know you never have enough. Maybe a bin that tilts out the back.
Rich, Yea the plan is to chock all kinds of goodies into the center consol. Now that its put together I am going to bring it to work where I can work on it everyday at lunch! I have all kinds of plans for it!
Holy shit dude. That looks awesome. So what do you do for a job....something to do with welding or panel work? Your fab skills look pretty good. Your not cheating by having a cool car related job are you??? :toothless
LOL, No cool job yet but I'm always looking. Up till 6 years ago I was a heavy equipment technician, then they thought I should run the shop. I work at Equipco, The worlds oldest Hyster Forklift dealer! Thanks for the cred! I am having fun with this!
Sorry guys, I will not make it into the shop all weekend so there will not be any updates till next Monday! My wife is graduating from Graduate school! I'll be back at it Monday thou.......
Rich the more I read re your comments the more concern I have for world peace :rofl:. I mean a gun stash and 20k cash? You sure that plane with the 50cal wasn't yours??
Damn Mongo... what's that thing weigh? I would have probably gone wood... but your probably more like my neighbor, who's just not as comfortable working wood as he is metal.
Either way... looks pretty damn cool and freakin' huge! :rockon
It's funny you mention wood! i never really gave it much thought it was going to always be made out of metal. I seen the other guys that built theirs from wood and thought that it was strange! I have tinkered in wood as well! Built my own house 8 years ago! The intricacies I have planned for the console lend themselves to construction from sheet metal better then wood. It actually isn't that heavy, yet.....
I guess I think like you. Furniture is made of wood. Some houses are made of wood. A truck is a machine. Machines are made of metal. Can't say I even like wood grain dash. That being said, you could have made it from aluminum. But steel is better for locking.
The console made a giant leap forward tonight, it now has 10 mount points welded to the floor and the front has been welded into place and cleaned! Also fabricated the center of the overhead shelf as well! I am going to take the console to work so I can work on it during lunch hour! I am still moving forward!
Mongo, That thing is wicked. I'm excited to see it done! I'm getting ready to do one as well, but I think I'll be doing it in some of the diamond plate that I have throughout the bronco.
I've always liked overhead consoles. Kind of gives it that "aircraft" feel. You have more confidance then me though. I would weld tabs on and bolt the consoles in place. Welding them would garentee that I need to remove them for some reason in the future. LOL
Proof positive that we do think alike, if you look at the pictures you can make out 4 mounting tabs on the overhead and 10 mounting tabs for the center consoles! I made them to be sure I could remove them! I took 1" angle and cut it into 1.5" lengths. Drilled it and the aforementioned parts, bolted the mount tabs to the piece to be mounted then held the pieces in place while I tack welded the tabs to the tub of the Bronco. Then removed the piece and welded the mount tabs in fully! They are all removable!
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