408 and AC

[Lars]

Been awhile. Despite months of foot-dragging, still haven't managed to get the AC charged. Reasons are slightly complex, having to do with gingerly expanding the range of my revised beast, due to hating breakdowns and long tows. That, and having to drive 50 miles to Rio Vista to get the AC charged, due to my being a cheapskate and my business partner having the apparatus and refrigerant at his hangar there.

That said. The Blueprint 408 is a beast. Garry Vance has been tuning it and it still needs some tweaking but it makes great power. In a 5300 pound truck even a 450 HP 408 is going to seem a bit muted, but only a bit. Great fun to watch the gas gauge move (left) in real time.

Find the hidden 408:




This is a lie.

[pippinmader]

[CityHick]

Looks nice, and I am sure that it goes like stink.
I hear you about not liking long tows and such... been there a few times!

I think Pippin is right with is suggestion, update your badging

[crawlin68]

Looks fantastic Lars! I bet it is a ton of fun to drive. How's the heat in the motor while driving around in this hot weather?

[Lars]

More news. It. Just. Runs. Still need some tuning, though Garry's efforts get it better with every new tune.

The big news is that I got the AC charged yesterday, using a fancy-schmantzy Snap-On rig at my friend/business partner's shop at the Rio Vista Airport. Drove home to Davis afterward with it blasting. Amazing!

Vintage Air is not perfect, by a long shot. The lack of an outside air option is stupid. It would not be that difficult to design into the Bronco installation. But it blows seriously way cold. The other, much simpler to resolve issue is that if the fan is running the AC compressor is engaged. Someone on Classic Broncos mentioned installing a dash switch in the compressor clutch circuit so it can be shut off. That's an easy mod and will happen this weekend for me.

Meanwhile I've tried the heater and all the settings. Everything works as advertised. Despite above-described shortcomings I'm very pleased.

[Lars]

Another update, a report on AC. Those of you who have installed it and experienced its pleasures will probably roll your eyes. But for those that haven't..

Today I drove through the so-called "atmospheric river" that is the storm hitting NorCal right now. Windows rolled up, my little passenger side vent in the old heater inlet open for a little fresh air, the heater turned to max, defrost selected, AC on (forgot to mention I wired in a toggle switch on the dash so I can kill the compressor and still run fan and heat if I want) and away I went.

In 25 years of driving the damn thing, the current conditions would've meant heater on, fan on max, defrost selected, and I'd have 2 oval holes burned through the fog on the inside of the windshield with all other windows fogged up completely, frequently wiping everything I could reach so I could see out. Not this time. Everything was clear. A reminder that AC isn't just for summer driving.

Very pleased.

[pippinmader]

That sounds great!

[crawlin68]

Nice work on that exhaust Lars. I like building my own exhaust systems too. I really want to buy a tig welder and build a stainless exhaust system on my current build.

[904Bronco]

Nice work on that exhaust Lars. I like building my own exhaust systems too. I really want to buy a tig welder and build a stainless exhaust system on my current build.

We need a build Thread Sir!

[Lars]

We need a build Thread Sir!

Uhh, yeah...

[crawlin68]

We need a build Thread Sir!

Not much action on it yet. Gathering parts and waiting for Garry to get my harness and computer back to me. First thing that I'll do is build a rotisserie so I can get it mounted on that for easy access to start all of the body/rust repair. Then I'll start a build a thread once there is something to see.

[Lars]

Well. I haven't updated for a long time. Life, aka self-employment, got in the way last Fall. Had another airplane makeover to finish, which happened in March. I got some miles in, but didn't do much during that time, other than some tuning. Which didn't go well. I went with another tuning consultant who was very helpful.

Last weekend I headed out for an easy 4wd outing with my daughter in her new Toyota 4Runner and some other friends in their vehicles on a newbie trip based out of Big Pine in the Owens Valley. Fine time had by all. AC in a Bronco is such a luxury. I've realized a couple of things that can improve the experience but I'll save those comments for later post.

On the way home cruising down Highway 88 I thought I was hearing a knocking sound. Ugh. By the time I got home to Davis I was certain of it. Last Tuesday morning, knowing that if it was a rod knock it would be way louder, I started it up. Could've heard the hammer of Thor all the way down the street. I gambled and drove it to my hangar (AKA shop) 14 miles away, and got away with it. Sure enough, as it warmed up the knocking diminished. Classic failed rod bearing sound.

Called Blueprint Engines. The warranty tech asked me to cut open the oil filter, easy for me since I have a cutter since one always (assuming one cares) does that with aircraft oil filters. Full of nonferrous metal. Sent a couple of photos and a few hours later I was given instruction on how to send it back, no questions asked, shipping both ways on their nickel. The whole thing sux but so far their service has reminded me of why it's nice to have an engine backed by a warranty.

As for that Blueprint 408, I can't say enough good about the performance. Bottom end is fine. But so was my 5.0, at least off road. On the road, the 408 hauls my heavy (6000 pounds full of gas and humans and camping gear) Bronco down the road at any elevation without breaking a sweat. And on level ground, getting better gas mileage than the 5.0! OK, only slightly, 16-17 instead of 15-16, but still...

I'll reserve final comments about Blueprint until I have my repaired engine back, but so far so good.

[crawlin68]

Well that sure sucks. Sorry to hear about that Lars. It's great that they going to cover it, but you still have to do all of the work pulling it out and then re-installing. Ugh. Did they indicated what may have caused the bearing failure? Or probably no way to tell I suppose. Just one of those things.

[904Bronco]

Agree with Patrick, That Sucks.
Hopefully, Blueprint will come through with a replacement in short order. There still are, a very few, companies that stand behind their products. Hope the OOS (Out of service) timeframe is short Lars.

[CityHick]

That's a bummer especially considering how much you probably spent on that engine. But, good on Blueprint for standing behind their product!
Nothing even remotely on the same scale; I have a few issues to deal with which I'm annoyed by given how long I had my rig apart last year. Issues that would have been 100x easier to deal with, had they existed when the drivetrain was out. I may be yanking some stuff out of my rig also, but I'm putting that off for as long as I can. Because I know me and I know the landslide will likely break loose again if I start down that slope. I am somewhat questioning the sanity of owning/operating a 52 year old rig again, but all I have to do is drive it a while and the rational side of my mind is quieted down.