Buckin' Fronco

[gnisroh]

Due to the request of a fellow member (1fox2go), I am posting a build of my 1971 Ford Bronco.

***Background leading up to the purchase***
Around about the end of 2005 I decided my current wheelin' rig (and DD) was not cuttin' it.

I had purchased a TJ in 2004 with little homework aside from the fact that the "X" had a factory 4.0L. At the time I knew nothing about gearing, and all I wanted was a lift and "big tires".

Well, for Xmas of 2004 I got some 33" BFG A/Ts and a lightbar to boot. Soon after, woes because of the over-sized tires and high gearing (3.07) hit me. Not to mention open diffs. I came to hate mud and anything more than a forest development road.

TJ I sold:


At the time, an 8.8/gear swap was out of the question due to financial constraints and lack of time. So I sold it. I started looking at Ford Broncos to replace it around Xmas of 2005.

***Bronco Purchase***
I sold my TJ on eBay, and used the funds to purchase a recently "restored" Bronco. The auto shop said they were restoring it, and had some more work to do before they were ready to sell, but I offered a lower price and told them I'd finish restoring it.

Bronco I bought:


The Bronco is a 1971 Model. I learned from my mistakes with the TJ, so from the start, I was looking for a 9"/44 Combo. Luckily, the 9" can be found in every year Bronco. I got lucky because Ford switched over half way through production from the D30 to the D44.

It was originally a V8 Bronco, and has a newer 302 swapped in and a factory locked 9".

When I went to pick it up, I had 1fox2go with me. After an uneventful ride home I had it sitting in my driveway ready for restoration.

***Restoration/Build-Up***
As you can see by the pics, it had a fresh coat of Chevy Orange paint. All I needed to do was install the headlamp, turn signals, and other misc. stuff.

Early August, I was usually found, with 1fox2go, at his pop's house installing a 5.5" lift and 35x12.50x15 Maxxis Big Horns.

After that, I took it to my cousin's body shop and sprayed the bumpers with Textcoat from a rattle can. $50 to do both bumpers and the cooler rack/spare tire carrier.

As it sat with bumpers:


Needless to say, the tires would rub on the fenders with any kind of driving off pavement, so fender flares were next.

So around November of 2006, I installed some fender flares.

Flares:


(Don't get upset at me, I didn't destroy an uncut classic...well, I did, but at the same time, I found out it was a shitty restoration, and the truck is pretty much held together by bondo.)

In April of 2006, I found a lead on an NP435 and the guy was in DC. So I pack up some Bronco parts I didn't use, and make the 3 hr. trip up. After 15 min. of shootin' the shit, I was on the beltway with a used, rebuilt NP435 in the truck bed.

NP435:


About this time, I decided to see what it could do, so I took it to a friend's house and drove it through a mud hole. Bad idea. This 5 minute romp in a mud hole sparked a chain of events that ended up costing me about $200. My starter went, and so did my battery. Right after this, the u-joints in my axles went out.

Three weeks, and three different sets of u-joints later, I'm finally able to put the hubs back together.

As it sat for 3 weeks:


From May 5, 2007 to June 14, 2007 I was in Spain and Morocco, so not much was done to the old horse. However I was setting up a deal with a guy from NY to purchase my doors so I could fund a soft top.

Last Fall, I purchased a roll-bar/cage (2"x.120" wall tubing), a soft top, soft doors, and twin sticks for the D20. I also lengthened my original drive shafts at this time. Now everything is nice and quiet, no bad u-joints or binding drive shafts!

***Soon to come***
NP435 install/twin sticks (with write-up)
Cage install

How it sits now:


I'm hoping to have this beast ready for Big Dogs this coming April, so look for some more progress on this thread in the next couple weeks.

[ILikeMud]

Sweet!!

I love EBs!

[bshows73]

Nice to see another EB/ZJ owner I have a 73 and my dad has a 75. We ar doing a ground up rebuild on his and mine is getting ready to get 4 linked and even beat up more so then it already is.

[jfowlzj95]

Nice EB, I have a buddy who wheels his '74. I think they're badass.

[gnisroh]

Friday, after my classes, I'm going to head home and tear into the drivetrain. My plan is to get it ready for the NP435, and inspect the clutch. I might even paint it. I'm also going to use EMTimZJ's write up on the twin stick install for the D20 so I can shift the front and rear independently. Twin Stick Write-Up

Because of school away from home, work on it has been kind of slow. Spring Break starts on the 29th for me, so I'll be spending it in the garage.

[wheelnzj]

OK, I would have to agree, It's nice to have a EB/ZJ/SuperDuty. I love my 76 Box Bronco! I drive it when ever I can. Bone stock, 86,000 org. miles, org. paint, top has never been off, all light and gauges work, 3 on the tree. I plan to leave it stock, sorry to see you trimed the rear fenders
Ron

[gnisroh]

OK, I would have to agree, It's nice to have a EB/ZJ/SuperDuty. I love my 76 Box Bronco! I drive it when ever I can. Bone stock, 86,000 org. miles, org. paint, top has never been off, all light and gauges work, 3 on the tree. I plan to leave it stock, sorry to see you trimed the rear fenders
Ron

I know, I love the look of an uncut!

These fenders weren't that great anyway. This thing was a farm truck for years. The body is shot, and the previous restoration "fixed" the rust with sheet metal and Bondo as an adhesive.

Passenger Rocker Panel:


So for now, I'm just going to cut the rockers off and wheel it. I'll probably buy one in better condition or restore this one after I'm out of college.

[wheelnzj]

Sweet! yes, loose the rockers. My hope is to find another one and turn that one into a second wheeling rig.

[bshows73]

I did a rocker cut out on mine I had the same problem was a farm truck then it belonged to some red necks. When I got it I swear I had to cut off a roll of fucking bailing wire. They had the 4 core dodge radiator held in with bailing wire.

[ZJ Pappy]

Very sweet EB. I'd love to have one someday.

[1fox2go]

Replace the rockers with some box tube. I think maxx did that to his zj. I'll even let you use my welder so you can learn to weld. That way if they break off you can say damn I need to practice welding more

[gnisroh]

Replace the rockers with some box tube. I think maxx did that to his zj. I'll even let you use my welder so you can learn to weld. That way if they break off you can say damn I need to practice welding more

Thank you for those kind words of encouragment!

Yea, that's what I'm going to do. I'm planning on cutting the rockers off flush with the door sill, and welding some 2x6x3/16 wall tubing.

Passenger Rocker:


I'm also going back and editing the original post to include some info on the Bronco.

[faststang1]

Here's a pic of my dad's 74 bronco....It has a EFI 331 stroker..425Hp...ARB's... dana44/9in...35's...hard and soft top fully restored....it like a new truck!!!!!!
I love this thing!!!

[LILL ZJ]

Yeah i really really like that black two tone! The wheels would take getting used to i think. Nice rig!

[ZJ Pappy]

Yeah i really really like that black two tone! The wheels would take getting used to i think. Nice rig!

x2. The wheels aren't something I would have picked, but the rest looks great.

[gnisroh]

Nice, faststang. You wouldn't by chance have a Mustang? Haha...I've got a '65 with a 289 and C4 (for now...)I see that Bronco has the side trim, and a STC Fasttrac top. Keep that trim, it's worth a shitload of money.I went with a Bestop, mainly because I didn't want a windshield wiper drop bracket. Plus I like the look of the Super Top better than the Fasttrac.I'm currently in the middle of an NP435 swap. I've already cracked the tcase (D20) open and resealed it to operate the shift rails independently. All I need to do is bolt the transmission to the bellhousing, bolt the tcase up, and reinstall the driveshafts and I'm done.

[faststang1]

Thanks....the wheels look way better in person.We had a 67fastback....it had a 289 fixed up 450Hp, six speed and trac bars slicks.....Its a mid 10 sec car...It was the baby...lol.....He had to sell to get the bronco because they gave me the ZJ!!!

[Jeeperoni91]

that mustang is SICK

[nate]

My brother has a EB as well. It's only a frame with a bunch of parts right now though.

http://www.maine4x4.org/community/index.php?topic=8.0

[faststang1]

that mustang is SICK

Thanks!!!!!!!!!