1976 Bronco - Frome Off Project

broncodan

For Your Viewing Pleasure
Location
Draper, UT
1977 Bronco - Frame Off Project

Hello Everybody, for those of you who I have not chatted with yet, I am currently in the middle of a frame off restoration on a 1976 Ford Bronco. I am pretty new to this site, but I really like it so far. Everyone has been so cool in answering my questions, and giving me there thoughts. I hope that someday I will be in a position where I can return the favor.

For those of you who are interested, I will show pics of my progress, and maybe tell you guys about some of my frustrations (I am sure there will be many). I want to hear your feedback, so PLEASE POST!

Okay, now to the good stuff - I bought a rolling chassis for a '76 Ford Bronco and got it about two weeks ago. It has a carb'd 351w, C4, dana 20 t-case, ford 9 inch, and a dana 44. I gotta get all the stuff off the frame, and get it in for sandblasting so that I can get working on repairing the body mounts, and grinding off old brackets and suspension components. WISH ME LUCK!
 

Attachments

  • Bronco 1.JPG
    Bronco 1.JPG
    28.1 KB · Views: 43
Last edited:

broncodan

For Your Viewing Pleasure
Location
Draper, UT
I was able to get the frame stripped of everything, expect this damn rear bumper. The PO welded it on here all sorts of crazy, and I am going to have to torch and grind it off. At least I feel like I am making progress. On Thursday I will pull the suspension out from under it, and then get the frame and axle housings in for sandblasting. I am trying to find a good place that is reasonable cost to do the sandblasting, so if anyone can recommend somebody I would really appreciate it!
 

Attachments

  • Bronco 2.JPG
    Bronco 2.JPG
    25.3 KB · Views: 42

MattL

Well-Known Member
Location
Erda
Wishing ya luck....

simple part is done .. that is the removing. Have fun and take your time.
 

SnwMnkys

Registered User
Location
Orem, Utah
I attempted a frame off once on a 70 EB. Got it all done down to the frame coated in POR, but never could find a body that was in good enough shape to throw on it so i ended up selling the frame. Its alot of work, hopefully you have a decently rough free body.
 

broncodan

For Your Viewing Pleasure
Location
Draper, UT
I actually bought the extreme fiberglass tub and front clip from wildhorses. It is amazing how strong and straight it is. They did a really good job with it.
 

OCNORB

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
Alpine
Looks like it's gonna be a heckuva nice Bronco when your done!

I hope someone answers your question about the sandblasting. I need some wheels done. A call to a powdercoating shop would probably get you some leads.
 

broncodan

For Your Viewing Pleasure
Location
Draper, UT
I have contacted Ameripride, and I have actually been referred to them by someone else as well. I think that is who I will use, I was just hoping to find someone on the south end of the valley to save some time. Thanks for the reccomendation.
 

yellowbronco

Cuts Through Grease !!!
Location
Moab
Keep us posted on your progress, I am a EB fanatic. Glad to see you are doing something I don't have the patience to do. Good luck!
 

broncodan

For Your Viewing Pleasure
Location
Draper, UT
Well...the frame is at Ameripride for sandblasting. Now I get the joys of ripping apart the axles, get the housings blasted, and rebuilding those. I am running a detroit in the rear, but for the front I want a locker that I can "turn on and off". I am thinking ARB, but I know there are some electric versions out there. If anyone has anything to recommend I would be more than happy to hear your opinion.
 

Milner

formerly "rckcrlr"
broncodan said:
Well...the frame is at Ameripride for sandblasting. Now I get the joys of ripping apart the axles, get the housings blasted, and rebuilding those. I am running a detroit in the rear, but for the front I want a locker that I can "turn on and off". I am thinking ARB, but I know there are some electric versions out there. If anyone has anything to recommend I would be more than happy to hear your opinion.

I am not an ARB fan, but I would take and ARB over and Eaton based on what I have seen in other rigs. I will not name names ;) , but I know a few people that have had problems with their Eatons. Watching them it appears that a tire must make a 3/4 of a turn rotation to lock, every time power is applied, even though the locker has remained on the entire time....I have observed this a few times. I am not sure how they work, I would like to know more, but for now, i am not impressed.
 

broncodan

For Your Viewing Pleasure
Location
Draper, UT
That is good to know. I am not really an ARB fan either, but I have been out of the loop a little while. The last rig I built, I had to sell about 5 years ago and since then I have not had a wheeler. I have just had cars, so it has been a while since I have been around everything, and experimented with different parts. I just want to take my time and make sure that I will not be disappointed with whatever I choose. The thing I hate about ARB's is all the BS involved. Other than ARB and Eaton is there anything else out there? :confused:
 

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
broncodan said:
That is good to know. I am not really an ARB fan either, but I have been out of the loop a little while. The last rig I built, I had to sell about 5 years ago and since then I have not had a wheeler. I have just had cars, so it has been a while since I have been around everything, and experimented with different parts. I just want to take my time and make sure that I will not be disappointed with whatever I choose. The thing I hate about ARB's is all the BS involved. Other than ARB and Eaton is there anything else out there? :confused:


For a selectable, I think I'd stick to those two. I had an ARB in both axles in my XJ and would definitely buy them again. I was prepared for all the 'failures', but didn't really have any (that weren't related to my D30 looking like a banana, but I don't think that's any failure of the ARB) other than I blew a fuse to my compressor that I'd installed about 18 months before and couldn't remember where I'd put it. I got to wheel open diffed for a day and a half until I figured out where my fuse was (which was actually kinda fun, but I'm glad I did a milder trail (Metal Masher)).

****{I did not use the ARB harness where it requires you to lock the rear and then the front. I made it independant where I could lock either whenever.}****

I've heard similar to rckcrlr about the Eaton E-locker (probably from the same sources :D) but think they'd be pretty sweet on a trail rig. You don't need a compressor and you've already got a battery. From what I understand (and have quickly looked at in the diagrams available on the interweb), they are basicly an ARB type design, activated by a magnet.

The only other two selectables I know of are Ox and TracTech's Electrac. Both are activated by a lever sticking out of the diff cover that I don't care for and I've seen issues with the Ox's on the trail a couple of times on two different rigs. I have no experience with the Electrac, but they definitely promote that it's a limited slip when not locked. Not important to me, but I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
 

Jay5.9L

...I just filled the cup.
Location
Riverton
Dan, looks like a fun project. I'm in draper too if you ever need a hand. I also have a sand blaster cabinet at work, great for all those little things like my jeep seat brackets that needed some TLC.)

Jason
 

yellowjacket

Much more comfortable
Location
Eagle Mountain
Jay5.9L said:
Dan, looks like a fun project. I'm in draper too if you ever need a hand. I also have a sand blaster cabinet at work, great for all those little things like my jeep seat brackets that needed some TLC.)

Jason
There you go Dan! There's your new best friend! :(
 

broncodan

For Your Viewing Pleasure
Location
Draper, UT
yellowjacket said:
I would recommend running a Toyota E-locker....Oh wait...You're building a Ford! Sorry man, guess not. :freak: :rofl:
Isn't this 'yellowjacket' just hilarious? I wonder if he will be laughing this hard when i'm pulling his toyota, as well as his buddies toyota out again, AT THE SAME TIME! :rofl:

Hey Jason - would that cabinet blast my power steering box? I just may have to take you up on that!
 
Top