1970 Bronco... "Meet Betty"

[904Bronco]

My Boys are home from College, so only maybe getting a few hrs a day in the shop. That and it is Cold out there!
Random pictures of various things I am working on... Rear pumpking needed a new yoke, welding up some holes on the bed floor and various other places. Thankfully, most are very small and the number of them is low. Still taking things apart and cleaning as I go...
Summit keeps pushing the date out for my Russell EFI fuel line fittings, same at Jegs... So stay the course, 1st week of March now. Joy, Not...

[904Bronco]

Maybe it's me, but this Site has been dumping me as I look through the various threads. I have signed back on twice this morning

Well it looked to me that I was all done welding up holes in the bed and floor, so I started back in on the final disassembly of the dash and related components. And then Betty showed me her Dark side... Mainly surface rust on the floors, and no significant rust anywhere else, she drops the bomb! Already talked to Cage Dave about a repair plan, going in from the top seems like the best way to go, just not ready to start that yet.
Rear pumpkim could be back today?
Parts from Summit, Rusell EFI fittings pushed out until March now.
So I will work on the getting the frame cleaned up for Powder coating in Jan and then reassemble the chassis.
There is an endless amount of small pieces that need cleaned up and painted to keep me busy...

[crawlin68]

That actually doesn't look that bad Doug. It shouldn't too hard to cut that out and weld in some solid sheet metal. Let the fun begin! LOL.

[904Bronco]

Well I switched to working on my Oldest's Camry while he is home from college... Struts, Tires, Alignment, oil change, and nagging him to take better care of his car.

Got Bronco parts soaking in Evap-o-rust, revised the factory clutch brake pedal to an Auto pedal, and getting ready to pull the dash with all the assorted work needed to tilt the windshield forward...

[crawlin68]

Nice work on the pedal there Doug. Looks factory!

[Lars]

Hoo boy. That channel under the cowl. After getting mine all prettified, painted and running many years ago, I discovered that the channel under the cowl was essentially iron oxide. What a nightmare. I found some rectangular steel tube and some sheet metal, and rebuilt the whole thing with dash, wiring, windshield frame, everything, intact. Ugh.

I took some pix when I was doing the job: https://www.abarinnowhere.com/Bronco...gjvx/i-wXVQnSN

[Lars]

Hopefully that link works. The first couple of pix aren't mine; they were something I found surfing the interwebs that showed me how that part of the body was constructed. A pneumatic die grinder with a cutoff wheel was my friend during the job. A bit (ok, a lot) underpowered but easier to control than my usual Makita electric with a cutoff wheel.

[crawlin68]

Here is where I did my cowl. Mine was completely rusted out. Scroll down a bit on this page to see my pictures.

[904Bronco]

Thank you Both for the motivational pictures.
Pat, I appreciate the flashback, I hadn't read through your post in years, but I remember it well.
I have covered this ground before with my 77 Bronco. (Hard to believe I only paid $4K for that Bronco and that was still a lot in 2008)
I hope to separate the chassis from the body this week, get it to the powder coaters and then rebuild that before starting on the cowl.

Many other things to get done, you know stuff you put off cause it is the Holidays, your Boys are home from College, weather sucked, etc.
A little something gets done each day and before you know it it is finished...

[crawlin68]

I didn't remember you having to take the 77 down that far. So you've been there done that. LOL.

[904Bronco]

I didn't remember you having to take the 77 down that far. So you've been there done that. LOL.

Every Bronco I extend my knowledge base...

Now if I could Paint, other than from a rattle can....

[904Bronco]

A lot has happened...

Frame is separated from the Body, Pressue washed it yesterday. Some wire wheeling today, to get some of the welding slag off it.

Got a few parts powder coated, replacement dash striped (PITA) and radio hole patched. Dropped the related dash parts at the Painter, probably they will be gone a few weeks.

Pressure switch on my 36 y/o air compressor died, nothing found local, Grainer's had a replacement, showed up the next day! But had to call Bronken over to decode the 240v wiring diagram. Up and running now...

Found a place to get a rebuild kit ($8) for my Brake H-block which was locked to one side, hope to rebuild that shortly.

Paint from Eastwood arrived via FedEx... chassis paint and primer, so now I can paint assorted smalls... washers, bolts, exhaust hangers, brk pedal, etc.

Isn't this supposed to be the dormant time of the year for the yard? Started servicing the powered yard tools, things are already growing and need cut back. Weather might hit 70* today???

[M_luther]

Looking great as always Doug. Happy New Year and hopefully we can meet up again sometime this year at an event. It has been too long.

[Broncrick]

Any progress is nice, looking good bud’

[904Bronco]

Thank you for your comments Gents, yes it has been far too long since we used to have get togethers

I started on the frame yesterday... I have Vin Numbers stamped in two places on the right frame rail, both the same. Will be spending more time the Frame today...