Restoration project of my 1990 Bronco

Hey everyone, just some background (not another introduction, I swear!). About a week ago I bought my 1990 5.0 Bronco for $1200 with restoring it in mind. Well with one week of ownership I have already:

- replaced the IAC valve and fixed the idling problem

- detailed the interior, so it looks and smells much cleaner

- restored the headlight lenses

- and rain x'd the windows so the water beads nicely on it.

So I never managed to get 100% before pictures, but you'll get the idea of what I started with in the end. Within the next week or two I'm hoping to replace the valve cover gasket, alternator and do a full tune up.

Eventually I'm going to tear out the carpet and replace it with vinyl, add a new sound system, replace as many screws and bolts as possible, install new seats, replace body panels, get an orange paint scheme, paint rims black, replace as many engine parts as possible, and much more; essentially a full restoration.

For now though I guess it's only fair to upload the first pics. Better ones will come soon as these pictures were taken at 9:30 at night in my garage, because there's a tornado warning in my area. Note the beautiful fading paint on the front.....

-Ty

yo Ty,

Dash and most of the rest of the interior looks good from that pic.

How much rust or paint bubbles on B pillar bottom, 1/4 panel & wheel well arch?

I will, depending on more clean-up costs from 'cane Irene (I FIND ANOTHER TREE THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN DOWN EVERY COUPLA DAYS AND NOW, CRAWL SPACE MOISTURE DUE TO RISING GROUND WATER LEVELS!)install 1/4 patch panels w/adhesive.

Our Sponsor here, Jeff's Bronco Graveyard has many patch panels and complete 1/4s, etc

such as;

Rear Wheel Arch Panel Left 39in x 13in 87-96



16 gauge $35.00

GL!

It was nice out today so I snapped some more pics before work. The B pillar seems to be pretty decent. The front right 1/4 panel has some surface rust, nothing went through yet. Wheel well arches could all use replacing. Good luck on attaching yours and let me know how they look when done, I'm going to be purchasing all new panels for "The Big Bucker" from Jeff's Bronco Graveyard most likely. The tailgate has the worst rust spots as you can see and it ate through in most of the rust spots, so that'll be the first body piece to be replaced. As you can see in the picture the weather stripping is almost non existent due to carelessness of past owners . Off to work now, yippee!

-Ty

Just finished replacing the alternator today. Fixed the battery and general dying/not starting problem. Now I have to fix the exhaust manifold I believe. At least I bought a spectre air filter to put in to make me feel better /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> . Just have to check if spectre makes cold air intakes for the Bronco. I was wanting to give an update to show this project is actually getting somewhere. Ty out.

yo Ty,

You're on the track and running hot and low!

GL on the rest! The ws does add up, right?

After installing, **** w/pure silicone spray; test silicone on styrofoam cup first; if cup gets funky looking then discard or return the sil because it contains oil and that isn't good for the ws.

Well bummer, I diagnosed my exhaust leak to be coming from an exhaust doughnut gasket. When I took it to get replaced, it turned out the passenger side header had two large cracks too. Oh well, I've been wanting to go back to the stock exhaust manifolds anyway ) (the headers are too loud and obnoxious in my opinion, a bit overkill). I think I should be ******, but I'm pretty happy, because now I have a reason (and the cash) to take out those headers! Ty out.

Yesterday, I got my Bronco back from an incredible exhaust shop in my area (R & J custom exhaust). They put my new exhaust manifolds in quickly, and I passed the safety inspection and registered the Bronco. I like the more mellow exhaust note coming from the "Big Bucker". With that out of the way, I just finished putting seafoam in my Bronco (before I do the tune up this weekend) because the engine was running a little rough. I ended up putting one full can in the gas tank and one full can sucked up by the brake booster line. I've let it sit for about an hour and will crank it up and drive it soon. Can't wait to see all **** break loose when my neighbors see the smoke envelope the neighborhood .....

-Ty

Well, now that the Bronco is up and running normally and regularly, I've decided eventually it needs more power (in the form of the new 5.0 Coyote engine). This is now a full on resto-mod project. Sooooo, my question is should I post pics of all the small things I do or just the major things for you guys?

-Ty

if you do some neat little custom work or what have you we are always interested in different ways of doing things in case someone else wants to try it on their bronc. We're also a good source for upgrade ideas and will share our 2 cents if you need help deciding on project direction.

Well, I feel like it's worth throwing out some questions here. I'm hoping to hit this restoration in full swing soon. I think I was over-inspired by ICON 4x4's work. Now I HAVE to have a satin finish on my truck, and new/customized everything. So I'm wondering if anyone has 1) messed with putting the new 5.0 in a Bronco or new F150 V8 2) Powder coated their whole Bronco body 3) put custom dash guages in 4) whatever other cool ideas you have.

-Ty

P.S. here's a link to ICON 4X4's site to show the quality I hope to even approach ICON 4X4

yo TY

Here are gauges mounted in a custom center console



by jim

Auto Meter 2 5/8" Installation in A Pillar Info & pics in a 91 Source: by Marc K (miseroth) at SuperMotors.net

Another A pillar pic, but w/digital tranny temp and coolant temp gauge

see my site for the pics because this programming won't allow them to appear

by Jasonhughes2009

Here are neat Temp gauge Installation pics, VDO in a 90 5.8

Source: by jfritts at http://www.supermotors.net/registry/20677/72007

or Dakota Digital for universal gauge panels and gauges for a custom FG dash;

McNeil Racing, Inc. & Perrys Fab n Fiber - 73-96 Bronco/Ford truck fiberglass fenders, hoods, quarter panels; one piece fiberglass front end for 80-96 Bronco, 73-79 Bronco Conversion to 96 Bronco, 92-96 off road & OEM style fiberglass & carbon fiber dashes with built-in center console (same as FiberwerX dashes)

I havn't heard much about swapping for the newer lines of engines in our older style broncs and f150's, I would be interested in doing a frame off rebuild of my 93 and dropping in one of those new 6cyl ecoboost engines out of a wreck or something in place of the tired old straight 6.

This sounds like it may become an interesting thread. Everyone is interested in mods and take and post as many pictures as you can. After all we like pictures /

Good luck,