semostickbow
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- Jun 7, 2004
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Hello all, first post here and I'm looking for advice. Last summer I re-purchased the 1982 Bronco that my parents bought for me when I was 19. I was driving down a rural highway about 1 hour from my house when I saw it sitting under a carport behind a house. After looking it over and driving it I brought it home. I owned this Bronco all through college, needless to say I had a lot of fun in it, so there it quite a bit of sentimental value. Plus it's just bad looking! I put a 2" body lift on it when I had it w/33" under it, currently it has 35" on it. I think I might remove the 2" body and replace all the suspension w/4" lift. Mechanically the bronc is pretty sound, 60xxx miles on a re-built motor, re-built tranny, etc... However, the body is pretty shot w/the standard rust out that bronco's have. The suspension is also shot, squirley on the highway, so I need to replace that as well.
My goal is to restrore the bronco, however, I don't neccesarily want it "showroom" perfect. I also don't want to invest a small fortune in it and I'd like to drive it this fall. In other words, I want to drive it and use it as a hunting vehicle without worrying about messing it up. I thought about contacting the local Vo-Tech school and seeing if they want to work on it as a project vehicle. I basically have minimal mechnical/body work experience, however, my father-in-law does and he's agreed to help me on the project. He's got a pretty nice shop that I have it stored in for now.
I stripped out the old vinyl flooring/insulation this weekend, removed the seats, etc... The front passenger floor is rusted and the wheel wells are rusted through where the rear floor plan seam is. The rear floor pan has surface rust, but I don't think it's un-salvageable. The frame appears to be in fine shape, minus normal surface rust. How do you know when you have too much rust, other than being able to see daylight through your floor?
I guess the advice I'm looking for is, where should I start first? Should I strip it down to the frame and have it dipped/painted? Should I not worry about the frame, put new 4" suspension lift on it and replace the body a little at a time? I also want to put a flowmaster system on it to help w/performance, etc... I've got a 302 in it, so I think I might put 33"s back on it eventually as well.
What do you all think? Thanks for your help in advance.
Geoff
My goal is to restrore the bronco, however, I don't neccesarily want it "showroom" perfect. I also don't want to invest a small fortune in it and I'd like to drive it this fall. In other words, I want to drive it and use it as a hunting vehicle without worrying about messing it up. I thought about contacting the local Vo-Tech school and seeing if they want to work on it as a project vehicle. I basically have minimal mechnical/body work experience, however, my father-in-law does and he's agreed to help me on the project. He's got a pretty nice shop that I have it stored in for now.
I stripped out the old vinyl flooring/insulation this weekend, removed the seats, etc... The front passenger floor is rusted and the wheel wells are rusted through where the rear floor plan seam is. The rear floor pan has surface rust, but I don't think it's un-salvageable. The frame appears to be in fine shape, minus normal surface rust. How do you know when you have too much rust, other than being able to see daylight through your floor?
I guess the advice I'm looking for is, where should I start first? Should I strip it down to the frame and have it dipped/painted? Should I not worry about the frame, put new 4" suspension lift on it and replace the body a little at a time? I also want to put a flowmaster system on it to help w/performance, etc... I've got a 302 in it, so I think I might put 33"s back on it eventually as well.
What do you all think? Thanks for your help in advance.
Geoff