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Left for Dead!

97K views 420 replies 113 participants last post by  RAMPNT1 
#1 ·
I'll give you guys a brief history on this Bronco. My folks have had a summer beachhouse on Carova Beach NC now for about 20 years. The past few on our way into the canals of the area I have noticed a 78/79 Bronco sittting in a yard. Never saw it on the roads or moved from its spot in the yard. One day I drove over to the house to asked the owner if he was interested in selling it. He wasn't there so I left a note including an offer to buy it for 200 bucks. From what I could tell it was in rough shape. Floors, hood,doors tailgate all rotted from a beach life I could trace back to 2001. Based on the last valid inspection sticker still on windshield. He called me back about two months later and we worked out a deal. It was now mine, now how do I get it home? It did not run, tires bald, no brakes and gas had a sweet smell. So I barrowed my inlaws bobcat trailer and on our third attempt with our fourth vehicle pulling it we got it home.



I haven't decided exactly how intense I am going to hit this thing rebuild wise. First thing I want to do is get it running and driveable. I have done some things to it thus far. Will provide details another time. Hope you guys enjoy and please feel free to comment. Whether its good, bad or indifferent.

Rick
 
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#38 ·
I took some pics of the inside battered steed. Gotta remember is was on the beach for 8 years. I vaccumed it once already yet there is still sand everywhere. It has some serious holes in the floor pans front and rear. But amazingly the windshield don't leak go figure. Still gotta get the tires and wheels on it and brakes bleed and I am gonna tear into the interior and start working my way out.
 

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#39 ·
Some more pics, as you can see well maybe not. There are a lot of bottle caps in this thing. I think I could use all it has in it to patch the holes. PO was nice enuff to leave this Bud Light for me. It has a experation date on it of June of 08. What you guys think, skunked or what?
 

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#41 ·
Nice find and great price. I love my 79. I agree that rattle can is the way to go. It's relatively cheep and easy to touch up as you need.

I'm having to patch some floor holes, but got lucky that the exterior and frame are rust-free (AZ weather <G>).

Keep up the good work and keep posting. It's great to see these things come back to life.

woolf
 
#44 ·
Nice find and great price. I love my 79. I agree that rattle can is the way to go. It's relatively cheep and easy to touch up as you need.
I'm having to patch some floor holes, but got lucky that the exterior and frame are rust-free (AZ weather <G>).
Like the rattle can paint. Easy to apply, cheap to buy and an endless supply. Carpet still in it, but the view from below says worse than swiss cheese.
Keep up the good work and keep posting. It's great to see these things come back to life.

woolf
Like the rattle can paint. Easy to apply, cheap to buy and an endless supply. Carpet still in it, but the view from below says worse than swiss cheese.

That Bud Light was skunked the day it left Anheuser Busch...

Lots of rust holes on it, but nothing that can't be repaired with time, patience, and some tools.

You drink the beer yet?
You are correct as I have come to learn "Jereme". I think I am going to hold on to the beer let it age like a fine wine and drink it when the truck is done. What ya think of that?
Rick, this project is looking like the definition of a restoration!
I'll definetly be following this one. (GOOD LUCK!)
Thanks for the motivation will work on it again soon.
 
#45 ·
Great build, and nice save. The spray bomb paint looks good. I like the colors. That said, I have always thought the burn marks around the fuel filler had some real character. I'd love to hear the story behind that!!!!

Keep up the good work and enjoy.
 
#47 ·
Thanks, paint is a rustoleum outdoor paint 2x coverage. Went on easy and pretty thick first time. Had to watch the speed of my hands ran if to slow. Not burn marks around tank, I beleive it was mildew.

Being from the Detroit area I never would have guessed a beach truck to be in that bad of shape.Good luck and great save.
What you got to remember is that it lived on the beach in the salty air running in the salty water. I would say that is accelerates the rusting process by about 3x maybe more. Thanks I thought it was a great save also.
 
#50 ·
I have not done much to it of late. Wife was diagnosed with b-cell lymphoma at begining of May. So my free time and focus has been moved to her and other things around the house. After her treatments are complete the outlook is great for a healthy life normal life. I'll post when I get something done, hopefully soon. Need a little stress relief.
 
#54 ·
Mildew makes sense. Not as exciting as a fire though. :)

Sorry to hear about your wife. It's good to hear the positive outlook.

Thank you Rick for sending that "R". It worked perfect for me since the plastic tabs were still on my Bronco. I was excited when it got here and was telling my wife how cool it was of you to do this while I was tearing open the package.
Tyler
 
#61 · (Edited)
I got a little bit of work done.

I did a little bit of work last month. Tranny coolant lines had a hole in them, probably rusted through. PO has patched them with rubber hose, duct tape and hose clamps. Needless to say not a very sound approach.
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Taking the old ones off was rather easy. Putting the new ones on not so.The return line would not thread from underneath the truck. So I pulled the carpet, both layers to get to the access panel. I lined it up and bam done in five minutes and that was taking panel off threading it and putting panel back on. I guess they put there for a reason. Anyways here are whats left of the floorboards. You can call me Fred, Flintstone that is wow!
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#65 ·
Wow - your floors look worse than mine! Like I said in my build, I'm trying to save as much of the original metal as I can. Looks like you'll need to do full replacements on both sides. Luckily my sub-floor supports are in pretty good shape and I just need some minor repair to the driver's side body mount bracket. (Although I have not seen under the rear seat footwell yet to see how the sub stucture is.) My plan is to stitch weld (solid) around the floor pan except along the door opening where I will spot weld. Also spot weld to all the sub structure to make it as close to how Ford did it originally. Trickiest part for me is along the bottom of the kick panel where the floor ties in - nothing left for the new floor pan to weld to. I've made an angle bracket to weld to the kick panel and I'm hoping this works OK.
 
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