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Posted: 1/9/2020 8:41:52 PM EDT
[Last Edit: kfs35]
Last fall (2018) I started restoring my 1966 Bronco U14.
I’ve had it for over 20 years, it was given to me when I was in high school or right after, don’t recall exactly when. The story goes that it originally was used on the Henry Ford estate, and then the second owner, who had worked at the estate, purchased it. He then took it to his cottage in Northern Michigan, and it stayed there until it was given to me. No provenance, but it’s a good story. When I got it, it hadn’t run in several years. I had to pull the head to free up some stuck valves and clean the carb to get it running. I drove it in the summer, and my dad plowed snow with it in the winter. I hauled it down to metro Detroit and used it as my daily driver one summer. It continued plowing snow in the winter until my dad bought a newer plow truck a few years ago. I brought it down to my place a couple of years ago and started on it last fall. It’s pretty much stock, original 170 engine. The body is pretty well gone. I put floorboards in it a few years ago as a temporary repair, but the rest of it continued rusting away. Here she is as I started. The CJ5 in the last picture is my most recent project.  Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 1/9/2020 8:47:59 PM EDT
[#1]
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Posted: 1/9/2020 8:51:40 PM EDT
[#2]
I knew the body was bad, but didn’t realize just how bad it really was until I got it off the frame and started really looking it over.
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Posted: 1/9/2020 8:59:18 PM EDT
[#3]
More pics of the teardown. Definitely got my money’s worth out of the clutch disk.
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:02:53 PM EDT
[#4]
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:07:27 PM EDT
[#5]
Awesome, thanks for sharing
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:07:54 PM EDT
[Last Edit: kfs35]
[#6]
The frame itself was in pretty good shape, mostly light rust. It was a little heavier back under the bed, but cleaned up ok. There was one area that had rusted through by the left rear spring hanger. There was a mouse nest inside the frame, and it had rusted through underneath it. I ended up cutting out about an eight inch section, also had to put a small patch on the inside rail.
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:09:40 PM EDT
[Last Edit: kfs35]
[#7]
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:13:53 PM EDT
[Last Edit: kfs35]
[#8]
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:16:24 PM EDT
[#9]
wonderful
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:21:44 PM EDT
[#10]
Tore the transfer case down, and put all new seals and gaskets in it. I didn’t tear the transmission down, just cleaned it up good and replaced the seals and gaskets.
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:27:54 PM EDT
[#11]
Rebuilt the engine, it had some taper in the bores, so it got re-bored, and the crank got turned. At least engine parts are cheap for this, Ford built millions of these 170s.
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:31:22 PM EDT
[Last Edit: kfs35]
[#12]
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:34:25 PM EDT
[#13]
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:37:38 PM EDT
[#14]
More reassembly. I needed to change oil in my pickup yesterday, so the Bronco got pushed outside. It looked good sitting there! I thought so anyway.
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:39:41 PM EDT
[#15]
And this brings us to today. Last week I drove over to Jeff’s Bronco Graveyard to pick up my body tub kit. It comes some assembly required.
Lots of pieces.   Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:40:52 PM EDT
[#16]
Progress is going to seem a lot slower from here on out, since this thread is going to be following my progress in real time.
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:43:45 PM EDT
[Last Edit: kfs35]
[#17]
Yesterday and today were spent laying out all of the pieces.
Once I figured out what piece goes where, more or less, I started fitting them together. I’m just clamping everything together to check the fit to start with. I need a lot more clecos and clamps. They won’t be here until next week.  Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 1/9/2020 9:46:35 PM EDT
[#18]
Bonus pics of my parts donor, another 66. I hauled it down from my parents place this summer. I’m glad I did, grabbed a few bits and pieces off it already.
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Posted: 1/9/2020 10:03:42 PM EDT
[#19]
nice work!
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Posted: 1/9/2020 10:05:41 PM EDT
[#20]
Nice work OP! This will be interesting to follow.
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USA
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Posted: 1/9/2020 10:06:07 PM EDT
[#21]
Cool build man. What paint are you using on the chassis?
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Posted: 1/9/2020 10:06:29 PM EDT
[#22]
Beautiful, I look forward to seeing the finished product. Makes me miss my old 73 EB.
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Posted: 1/9/2020 10:25:59 PM EDT
[#23]
Inski.
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Posted: 1/9/2020 10:40:42 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Beater9C1:
Cool build man. What paint are you using on the chassis? |
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Posted: 1/9/2020 10:41:14 PM EDT
[#25]
Subscribed.
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Posted: 1/9/2020 10:42:07 PM EDT
[Last Edit: kfs35]
[#26]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AndBen:
Beautiful, I look forward to seeing the finished product. Makes me miss my old 73 EB.
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Posted: 1/10/2020 12:00:54 AM EDT
[#27]
Thanks for sharing!
Looking forward to the progress. |
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Posted: 1/10/2020 12:21:43 AM EDT
[#28]
Makes me wish my dad had not sold the 1970 Bronco pickup that he gave me for my 16th b'day...
It was a sweet truck. Jelly of your skills, shop and tools..... Red |
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Posted: 1/10/2020 12:36:45 AM EDT
[#29]
Subscribed. Love these threads.
Thanks. |
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Posted: 1/10/2020 11:41:57 AM EDT
[#30]
Awesome thread! Look forward to the progress as I have a Blazer that I need to do this with. It always amazed me that Ford put the VIN on the glovebox door, essentially letting you do a whole body swap.
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Posted: 1/10/2020 12:03:27 PM EDT
[#31]
I had a '68 289 w/ 3 on tree, in high school / college. I wish I still had it.
Nice work OP! |
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Posted: 1/10/2020 12:59:27 PM EDT
[Last Edit: wildearp]
[#32]
Damn, that was a lot of rust. I have that same rear end from a EB with trac lock under my 47 Chevy pickup.
A friend made an extended frame crawler out of an EB and stacked it up, endo about 5 times, very close to killing him. His Currie front axle housing separated at a weld and the lawsuit is still not settled. A full cage saved his life. There are many rust free EBs in AZ, and I make sure I don't look too hard, or I will be building one.
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KY, USA
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Posted: 1/10/2020 1:53:28 PM EDT
[#33]
Surprised the Bronco still exists, those Michigan winters beat the hell outta metal.
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Posted: 1/10/2020 3:07:59 PM EDT
[#34]
I almost shed a tear looking at your pics. Great job. I love me some old skool 4 cylinders. And Broncos are real nice too. Would love to be able to afford the new one coming if it's any good.
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Posted: 1/10/2020 7:55:23 PM EDT
[#35]
tag and thread set so it won't archive.
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Posted: 1/10/2020 8:06:26 PM EDT
[Last Edit: kfs35]
[#36]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Striker:
tag and thread set so it won't archive. Although are you trying to say it’s going to take so long to finish that you had to set it to non-archive status? 
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Posted: 1/10/2020 8:15:13 PM EDT
[#37]
Not much visible progress today, other than the engine and bellhousing being back out of the chassis.
I was thinking about it over coffee this morning, and decided it would be a lot easier to work on the firewall and tunnel without them in. Only 4 bolts holding the bellhousing to the transmission, removed the motor mounts and it was back out. Took longer to lift the Bronco up, and lower it twice to roll my engine crane from behind the Bronco and back again than it did to pull the engine. And it is a ton easier to access the firewall tunnel are, so the 20 minutes spent yanking the engine will save a lot of swearing. Still waiting for the clecos I ordered to show up, and we’re also going on vacation, so not much is going to be happening for the next 10 days, or so. |
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Posted: 1/11/2020 8:47:57 AM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By kfs35: Whoa, thank you! Although are you trying to say it's going to take so long to finish that you had to set it to non-archive status?
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Posted: 1/11/2020 9:07:04 AM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kornbread:
Awesome thread! Look forward to the progress as I have a Blazer that I need to do this with. It always amazed me that Ford put the VIN on the glovebox door, essentially letting you do a whole body swap. |
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Posted: 1/11/2020 9:27:01 AM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By mcculver5:
Subscribed. Love these threads. Thanks. |
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Posted: 1/11/2020 10:20:04 AM EDT
[#41]
OP
Does my former Bronco owners heart good to see this thread, thanks for posting. 
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Posted: 1/11/2020 11:28:13 AM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kornbread:
Awesome thread! Look forward to the progress as I have a Blazer that I need to do this with. It always amazed me that Ford put the VIN on the glovebox door, essentially letting you do a whole body swap. On the 66, the VIN is only on the frame rail, and the warranty plate on the left sidewall by the e-brake. |
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Posted: 1/11/2020 12:25:13 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By JJREA:
I almost shed a tear looking at your pics. Great job. I love me some old skool 4 cylinders. And Broncos are real nice too. Would love to be able to afford the new one coming if it's any good. 
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Posted: 1/11/2020 12:29:47 PM EDT
[#44]
Tag. Love the original style Broncos.
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Posted: 1/11/2020 1:04:00 PM EDT
[#45]
Hank Kimbles car !
Great work . Those things go for BIG MONEY ! |
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Posted: 1/11/2020 1:05:16 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Rocklock]
[#46]
Dumb thumbed it .
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SC, USA
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Posted: 1/11/2020 5:35:00 PM EDT
[#47]
That’s very impressive work, I enjoy seeing a classic like this given a new life.
Please continue to share your updates. |
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CZE
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Posted: 1/11/2020 9:37:19 PM EDT
[#48]
How's the sheet metal fitting together?
Nice shop, BTW. |
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Posted: 1/11/2020 10:00:32 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By johnh57:
I had a '68 289 w/ 3 on tree, in high school / college. I wish I still had it. Nice work OP! Awesome job OP, subscribed. |
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Posted: 1/11/2020 10:23:40 PM EDT
[#50]
My 77 is jealous. I am jealous of a actual shop space with a lift
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