79 Bronco Build

[nobodyspecial]

I bought this Bronco with the intent of turning it into a dirt cheap budget wheeler. I am not straying too far from that goal, but it needs some improvements. This will never be a nice shiny truck, but since I don't have a trailer that means it will get road driven. Knowing that it will see road use means it has to be in top notch mechanical condition for me.

My planned list of upgrades at this time are:

Replace the worn out 400/auto with a rebuilt 300/NP435
Twin stick the NP205
Disc brake/rebuild/4.56 regear/detroit the 9"
Rebuild/4.56 regear/lincoln lock the D44
All new brake lines with line locks front and rear
Convert AC compressor to an onboard air setup
Rebuild my Warn 8200
Paint and rust repair, I have good replacement doors, rest of cab is good
Trailworthy Fab beadlocks and 37" Good Years

Then:

Now:

Warn 8200:

Planned paint scheme:

 

[Skandocious]

What the hell happened to the paint?!

Nice project though. Keep us posted on progress.

 

[nobodyspecial]

some genius thought he would make it camouflaged... The body trashed, I am gonna take off anything not completely wrecked and junk it.

 

[LEB Ben]

From the paint coming through...looks like it was a FreeWheeler. Also looks like an 80's tailgate...but with the cab swap none of that matters. Should be an awesome project.



BTW...400 FTW

 

[nobodyspecial]

yeah, you need to school me on the 400. It leaks like a sieve, but it runs good and strong, still breaks the tires loose on dry pavement.

and when I say it leaks, I mean I parked at the gas station (after driving it 30 miles) and in 5 minutes, I had a puddle about the size of CD.

 

[LEB Ben]

yeah, you need to school me on the 400. It leaks like a sieve, but it runs good and strong, still breaks the tires loose on dry pavement.

Where's the leak at? Could be VC's, intake (need a valley pan) or rear main which you don't need to separate the tranny for.

 

[m78]

What did it cost you to persuade it to follow you home ?

 

[nobodyspecial]

Where's the leak at?

It would be easier, to tell you where it wasnt leaking from... It needs a lot of work.

I paid 700 for it. When you think about it, its not much, since I got a good D44, 9", transmission, transfercase, and an OK engine. Couldnt buy all that separately for 700, and i can sell the body for scrap.

 

[m78]

Looks like the breaks need to be checked. Stopped a few feet past the stop sign

 

[LEB Ben]

Well as long as it's not blowing blue...it's easily fixable. And $700 ain't too shabby.

 

[TexasNomad]

Looks like some thing that crawled right out of the Capital Wasteland, I love it.. just need some rusty iron plats over the windows and some gun slots to shoot the zombies once the invasion starts.

 

[nobodyspecial]

the body is too weak, zombies will climb right through it.

 

[Blue Goose]

yeah, you need to school me on the 400.

See if a cruise line needs an anchor...

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Nice ride, Josh. What are the plans? Weekend vehicle? Mud-only? Daily Driver?

Ryan

 

[TexasNomad]

I vote fire breathing monster...

 

[nobodyspecial]

See if a cruise line needs an anchor...

i was surprised with how well this thing got up and went. What, with an unknown condition of the engine, and leaving a trail of oil behind me...

It had sat for a while, so i think all the seals just dried out. It was 12 above though, and it fired right up.

This is gonna be my play truck, I am gonna truggy it and just have fun with it. I am not a big fan of mud, though...

 

[LEB Ben]

See if a cruise line needs an anchor...

 

[BigRed1]

I swapped out the old 351 from my 78 Bronco and bought a "Fred Jones" 400motor from Ford. Everything went well until I drove it, and then when I opened the hood the whole engine compartment was covered in oil. I wrestled with the thing for years and then I sold it to a friend. He looked at it and realized that the dipstick for the old 351 was at the top front of the engine, but the 400 dipstick went to the pan.

He filled the upper dipstick hole with JB Weld and it hasn't leaked since. Then I bought it back from my friend and I will never sell it again.

I'm no mechanic and I may have the dipstick locations reversed, but I thought I would share the problem and solution. I hope it will help!

-rpoe-

 

[flareside_thunder]

Hell yea! Go Truggy!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nobodyspecial]

Rust repair: