Restoring A Butchered Bronco

[Popoagie6]

Thanks alot. Mostly I tinker on my bronco,s and try to keep the grass cut .When I feel like it. Been busted up in a few accidents too. Was in 10 car wrecks and one motor cycle wreck first year back. Took me awhile to get adjusted back hear.Started slowing down in 81. Now I just tinker on stuff and enjoy doing it.

Glad you survived. Your mother must have been a wreck too, right? I can't imagine. Was she giving you heck or praying like crazy?

 

[Bill_Morgan]

My truck is a Bronco Custom - manual windows, manual seats, and vinyl floormats...no carpet. I'm perfectly happy with that, no window or seat motors to go bad, and no carpet to become stained.

I'm at a momentary standstill on the truck. The spare engine block I sent to the machinist ended up needing a .060 overbore to clean up the corrosion in the cylinder into which coolant had seeped, and I wouldn't bore a 302 more than .040 unless it was going to be used exclusively as a drag race engine.

I have the original engine and transmission almost ready to pull, nothing left to disconnect but fuel lines, transmission cooler lines, motor mounts, and transmission mount, but the final step is beyond my physical abilities (I'm a high-mileage 71) and the room available in my home shop. I have a buddy who operates a Jeep repair and upgrade shop with overhead lifts, gantry cranes, and electric hoists, and that's where the removal will happen when a space opens up.

I've uncovered multiple evidence of some sorry mechanic work. The exhaust manifolds are incorrect, so the exhaust wouldn't line up at the driver side header, and the passenger header has an unnecessary oxygen sensor in it. Only two of the torque converter studs had nuts on them (one not even snugged up), and only five bolts secure the transmission to the engine. One of the transmission cooler lines has been severely crimped, while the other is trapped between the right motor mount and frame. The transmission shifter arm was some kind of cut-down bracket strap. The radio is incorrect, lacking the four holes through which to release the retainer clips, and when I finally got it out I found a couple of feet of black electrical tape covering splices where the original plugs had been diked off when the original radio disappeared.

...and so on it goes. I keep reminding myself that the end product will be worth the effort and expense.

 

[Popoagie6]

My truck is a Bronco Custom - manual windows, manual seats, and vinyl floormats...no carpet. I'm perfectly happy with that, no window or seat motors to go bad, and no carpet to become stained.

I'm at a momentary standstill on the truck. The spare engine block I sent to the machinist ended up needing a .060 overbore to clean up the corrosion in the cylinder into which coolant had seeped, and I wouldn't bore a 302 more than .040 unless it was going to be used exclusively as a drag race engine.

I have the original engine and transmission almost ready to pull, nothing left to disconnect but fuel lines, transmission cooler lines, motor mounts, and transmission mount, but the final step is beyond my physical abilities (I'm a high-mileage 71) and the room available in my home shop. I have a buddy who operates a Jeep repair and upgrade shop with overhead lifts, gantry cranes, and electric hoists, and that's where the removal will happen when a space opens up.

I've uncovered multiple evidence of some sorry mechanic work. The exhaust manifolds are incorrect, so the exhaust wouldn't line up at the driver side header, and the passenger header has an unnecessary oxygen sensor in it. Only two of the torque converter studs had nuts on them (one not even snugged up), and only five bolts secure the transmission to the engine. One of the transmission cooler lines has been severely crimped, while the other is trapped between the right motor mount and frame. The transmission shifter arm was some kind of cut-down bracket strap. The radio is incorrect, lacking the four holes through which to release the retainer clips, and when I finally got it out I found a couple of feet of black electrical tape covering splices where the original plugs had been diked off when the original radio disappeared.

...and so on it goes. I keep reminding myself that the end product will be worth the effort and expense.

That sounds like a mess, but you sound like you're a worthy adversary to the mayhem under the hood and behind the plastic and vinyl.

By the way, my '95 Bronco also has vinyl instead of carpet, manual windows, and seats, etc. I have always preferred that, and I hate carpet in a car. It's such a hassle to clean and then it's hard to get thoroughly clean. As an outdoorsy woman who raised a child in the outdoors much of the time, even unschooling him in the woods and at the beach and out and about, I didn't need to deal with fabric seats and carpet to clean sand and crumbs and dog hair out of. I also fully supported us, so that was one less thing. I could hose out the bottom of my Bronco on a triple-digit hot day in summer at the car wash, and it would be bone dry before I drove a mile home. You can't do that with carpet.

 

[miesk5]

Yo Pop,
We purchased our 96 XL 5.0 Bronco new because it had and still has a vinyl floor. We did a lot of surf fishing and had permits for over- sand driving to the surf.
It always cleaned up well.

O

 

[Laurits]

Shoot, I'm 71...I take my time doing anything!

I'll be 75 next month and I know exactly how that works. My'88 is still an electrical mess, but I'm working on it.

 

[johnnyreb]

Glad you survived. Your mother must have been a wreck too, right? I can't imagine. Was she giving you heck or praying like crazy?

Yes,I think alot of times the worry I put my folkls through. I,m ashamed--watned to do things I wanted to do and not think about them worrying.,but in 81 I straightened up and stayed close to home and helped them as much as I could. I hope they forgave me.

 

[johnnyreb]

Yes,I think alot of times the worry I put my folkls through. I,m ashamed--watned to do things I wanted to do and not think about them worrying.,but in 81 I straightened up and stayed close to home and helped them as much as I could. I hope they forgave me.

Probably ALOT of both and I had it coming and more .

 

[coloarch]

Greetings from Lubbock, TX!

I've been passionate about cars and truck for more than 53 years, and scores have passed through my hands, including a '66 Bronco with the pickup cab. I had that truck back in 1974 when it, being a six-cyliinder, three-speed version, went on down the road in favor of a full-sized truck.

I now, at last, find myself with a 1992 Bronco, which is not ready for prime time. It's a 302-powered Custom - crank windows, manual seats, no cruise, no tilt, rubber floor mats, but that suits me just fine...fewer things to cause problems. However, the truck has a major issue with the driveline. Someone, for reasons unknown, replaced the original E4OD and BW1356 with a 2WD F150 E4OD and driveshaft, converting the Bronco into a two-wheel drive truck. That's utterly a criminal act, but I've already started on restoration.

I have replacement driveshafts and a good manual-shift bolt ****** 1356 transfer case. The 4WD shifter and mounting bracket are on the way. A buddy who has been building transmissions for 40 years is going to change the existing E4OD to a 4WD version. It's up to me to provide the labor to get all this installed, but the end product will be worth the effort.

The truck has no dents or scratches, no rust, decent vinyl interior and new tires. The only aspect about which I'm not excited is the color - light mocha - but I'm probably going to paint the lower part dark brown or black.

I've already learned valuable information cruising this site, and I look forward to continuing to use it for guidance in the project.View attachment 28425

 

[coloarch]

Want to get rid of the E4OD? I need one for one of my projects.
R

 

[Bill_Morgan]

The E4OD is already at my buddy's shop, getting a new output shaft and some performance upgrades. I hope to be fully up and running before year's end. I have a 4R70W auto for which I have no need.

 

[chrlsful]

no, right on it.
Wrked a big box store 5 yrs due to the Great Recession tumbling in. Some were counter monkeys, some supreme parts men (& mechanics). Ppl need jobs, "Can U run a puter?" means a job. Imagine hating ur job but needing to stick w/it to eat'n pay mortgage/rent. A limited amt of patience can help w/these ppl. Then time to move on to the more competent. I may stick w/it more than others'n it's served me well. Now I have a fox waggy (1 or 2 wks) and have to start over w/an era mo'chine from just after I got out of the trades (2 injector CFI, TFI, etc). Fun'n frustration ahead. I'm a grumpy enuff ol man I best force focus on the former rather than the latter. Others in the shop throw wrenches and talk to 'nobody there' in pretty spicy language...
8^ 0

 

[jons]

Can you post an update and pictures of your progress? Some of us may want to live through your work, asking for a friend.

 

[johnnyreb]

Can you post an update and pictures of your progress? Some of us may want to live through your work, asking for a friend.

One thing about looking at one and can see it needs work---then looking at a shiney beauty--that you can,nt see the covered up shoddy work. Plus all this China junk put into these RESTORED VEHICLES. I,d rather start with junk . The start b with FAKE BEAUTY JUNK. Good luck with your bronco.

 

[johnnyreb]

Know what you mean. Money don,t mean much to me. It has ruint alot of good people. I help people that need it and I am happy. Try Oklahoma. I found a junk yard their .That only deals in Chevrolets and the newest he has is 1958. I talked to him on the phone and he seems like a really nice person. l Like I said .Tyr and post a picture up of the part you need and someone might have it . Ebay will burn you if you don,t watch.People taking advantage of people. Heck if I have the part or can find one .It won,t cost you much. Ask NOTAVEG. I believe in helping someone when I can. The junk yard I go to is about 40 miles away. They have a few bronco. Only 1 -78 and it has very few parts left on it. I,m gonna try and get more parts from it. Have you tried Green Sales Company . Out of Ohio. ?yOU SHOULD WATCH THE VIDEO TOO. tHEY HAVE ALOT OF PARTS.

Another BETTER source for parts is a regular junk yard where they buy everything. Sometime you can find complet cars . Just walking around them.You can find alot of parts and metal . You can buy real cheap. Even riding mowers that run. Try them and I think you,ll find some good deals

 

[johnnyreb]

Glad you survived. Your mother must have been a wreck too, right? I can't imagine. Was she giving you heck or praying like crazy?

haha,funny you asked. The day I got back. I thought she was gonna hug and beat me to death. Yes, we dinmt realize it then,but we put our folks through alot more worry--then we should have--all because we wanted to do something.