Place holder for updates on the frame off restoration of my 1977 Ford Bronco

Purchased in 1995.  Looked OK on the outside but underneath…UGLY

Started taking it apart in 1996 and it sat apart for many years.  

Retired in 2020 and got back on the project end of 2020.  Being completed by a Bronco expert….he is fantastic

How it looked when I got it home in 1995



Engine bay in 1995



Here is what was below the patched in floor boards after I started taking it apart....as noted, ugly underneath



Engine bay now.  Stock ford 302, bored .030" over (306 cubic inch now), Edelbrock manifold, Holley 4bbl, single feed carburator, Competition mild cam, 260 duration, Ford ignition, Toms Bronco ceramic headers, Meling high volume oil pump (55 psig at idle)



From the factory Ford red, new paint Ford Race Red



Body going on frame.  Spray in bedliner on the inside, underneath, inside all fenders....removed the Bronco external vents to protect from rusting and will be installing Vintage A/C in the fall.   Also installing Amp Research power steps, uner the body transmission cooler and premium seats from Toms Bronco.



Frame taken down to the last bolt.....bead blasted, Dupont chassis paint, James Duff 3.5" lift, dual shocks at all corners

Inside



Dash mods for Autometer gauges.  All new Ford switches and controls.  

My god it’s beautiful.

Looks great

Big fan of the Bronco. Looks good OP.

I have a 95 that I need to repaint one day.

Its Beautiful

I miss my '75, 302, 3 speed, lifted with 35 super swampers. custom half cab

I need to get my 77 running. Look forward to your process.

Beautiful ride.  

Attached File

Damn good work there OP, looking awesome!

Dang sorry to tell you, but you missed a spot. I'll take it off your hands and dispose of it in the correct way. Wouldn't want that uh spot to get out of hand.


Nice progress coming out awesome

Tag.

Beautiful truck.

Whatcha gonna do with it when you're done? It's not designed for gettin' groceries, ya know.

Tag

Actually there are a few spots  here and there that JD, who is doing the work,  pointed out, but I can’t see them….

25 years ago I envisioned a paint job and basically clean up and drive….but as we got into it and started rolling along it is turning out to be a very clean build and yes will not be a grocery getter…

The past two years I have been paying more attention to the 66-77 Bronco market and it is stupid right now….I have seen Broncos that were not even close to what I think the final version of mine will be go for 45 to 60K

So I do have to think about it….I want something to drive but this thing may be too good to get dirty.  I can tell you that I never envisioned it would be where it is now….

I did get the Marti report on the VIN and it was purchased on 7/7/77 from the same dealer where I purchased my first Bronco in 1982….Richard's Ford, Baton Rouge, LA

The only chrome on the Bronco will be the bumpers, door handles, side mirrors and head light trim rings….going with all LEDs for the exterior lights…the top will be painted the same color and not white like from the factory.

Here is the front clip, all one color, grill came from the factory white….not cutting the front fender for an antenna and even considering not installing the side “Bronco” emblems on the fenders.  Just FORD across the front grill.  



Here is the Bronco during the panel and body fit up and alignment.   All parts were punch marked and alignment holes were drilled to reference for final fit up after painting….truck was painted in components and not one piece to ensure complete coverage at all seams.  The body is on is the mock up chassis...not mine



I had a guy install floor pans about 25 years ago and it was a chop job….so all of that work was ripped out and we started over….Ford spec pans were bought and spot welded in place.  Done the RIGHT way.  I have seen a lot of Broncos over the years and I can assure you, looking at the final floor pan installation, you cannot tell they were replaced....the best I have ever seen



Another shot of the sprayed in liner.   The underneath of the Bronco looks just like this…Broncos have a rusting issue and installing a carpet is the worst thing to do….we addressed all areas that can rust and protected with spray on liner.



The biggest decision was to leave the Bronco rear fenders original….there are a lot of Broncos that have been cut and not a lot of originals out there….so it stayed original….I did some research and the uncut Broncos actually get more in price....my dad wanted me to cut the rear fenders, but friends said they will disown me if I did....There is nothing like the classic Bronco with uncut fenders

Looks like nice work! Interested to see how you chose your power steps. I'm building a 77 FJ40 and my wife would love to be able to get in without a ladder.

JD who is doing the work has them on his 74, the Bronco suppliers are using Amp Research 1999-2007 Ford F-250 (don’t quote me) and they are cutting the ends off and making them shorter….he and I are trying to find them now, but Amp Research is very low on supply.   Amp Research are the ones to use and this may be one of the last things we do.   These are going for $1500 right now…I do know one thing, you need steps and after seeing his, I made my decision real quick

Solid work, subscribed for updates…

Subscribed

Little more on the engine

Original 302 engine, rebuilt by an engine/race shop in Chalmette, LA in 1997 and I never started it….I turned it over by hand every year and kept it oiled up….JD bore scoped it and inspected it and we fired it up about four weeks ago, started on first crank….sounds good.  Competition Cam with mild duration, 260, and has a nice mild chop to the sound.   I had an Edelbrock carburetor on it and had some issues with leaks and we are putting a Holley 4 barrel on it this week….engine was bored .030 over as a precaution, really did not need it…Bronco had about 50K miles on it when I bought it

The headers are from Toms Off-road and are specific to the Bronco, designed to work in the tight engine bay….if you are doing a Bronco, you need the specific headers….I went with ceramic to minimize turning colors as they get older.   Going with Flowmasters....JD is fabricating the exhaust system himself, will exit behind the rear wheels to the side, not out the very back

Ford Racing valve covers and accessories to finish it off.   Factory horsepower for the 302 was around 120-130, I estimate the power now to be about 50 more with the upgrades.

Going with a three core aluminum radiator and under the body transmission fin cooler to keep the heat load off of the radiator

Looks great
If you're putting on a 4 barrel, I would look into a off road kit for the carb if available if you haven already to prevent off camber fuel sloshing issues.
That drove me nuts when I built my Jeep CJ. You can do it with JB Weld too.
Looks like it will be a serious head turner.

Looks great! Please keep this thread updated.

Very impressive

Nice.

@Stitches1974

I plan to, I was going to start this thread last year but kept putting it off...so i decided to sit down and do this yesterday....I have many hundreds of pictures and so does my wife, we are going to organize them to put a good digital summary together....

I am going with a rear flip fold/tumble seat, so it can be folded and have some room in the back....

Here is what I worked on last night and this morning….not supposed to work on Good Friday, but did anyway….

Finalizing the dash switches, all Ford replica made by Dennis Carpenter and purchased from Wild Horses 4X4…





Wiring harness on the back side….this is the fun part







Using a Dewalt trickle charger emulating a battery and I am actually able to start the harness and check all the lights using a Fluke….so far all the circuits are working.   The fuse panel is working good….



Installing a Alpine Blue Tooth CD player instead of a retro head unit….four Infinity Kappa 5” x 7” speakers in the rear

Absolutely beautiful! I had a 76 Bronco when I was a kid and I still kick myself in the ass today for getting rid of it.

Subscribed for updates.

Windshield installed.  You can see in this picture, the passenger side vent on the upper cowl that has been blanked off...this is an intake vent that brings in fresh air for the simple blower system....this is also an area for letting water in....since I will be installing a Vintage Air system, this will no longer be needed.   The Vintage air system we are installing has a heater...



Seats ordered, Premium Seats from Tom's Offroad in Medford, OR.  The rear is a tumble fold design

Sorry if I missed it, but how much did you pay for it when you got it back in 1995?

@M41A

I paid $3000 for it in 1995....

Interesting story about the Bronco, and I will tell it here, as I am documenting the build up....

We were in the middle of a turnaround at my refinery and I walked into the control room one day and was telling one of the operators I was looking for an old Bronco to restore and one of the contractors overheard me and said he knew someone that had one for sale, did not know the year or nothing else...gave me his number...the seller was about 120 miles from me and just so happened to be in my moms home town, Simmesport, LA...

The seller had bought it from his friend (who was the original owner) for his 16 son....he had some local guy patch it up and bascially bondo and sheet metal over rust....which I did not find until later....any way his son was 16 years old and he and his friends went out one night to the deer camp and he drank himself to death....he did not want to see the Bronco anymore...wanted it gone

Told him I would take care of it and do it right....gave him the cash, he signed over the title and I dorve off, made it home no issues....

Just finished installing the stereo, the dash is about finished, JD will be ready to install it (the dash) next week...

A few updated pictures on the Bronco

Engine bay with ignition components. Optima battery and 3 core aluminum radiator.   Went with a Corvette style master cylinder.  Fits in the tight hood space better than the Ford OEM.

Looking good!

Amp Research Power Steps came in today from Northeast Classic Ford Parts.   Also purchased their own designed rocker panel reinforced mounting plates for additional strength.  JD will install door jamb switches to deploy the power steps when the doors are opened.  

These are Amp Research steps modified by NE Classic Ford Parts to fit the 66-77 Broncos.  



Reinforced backing plates that will mount to the rocker panels for additional strength

That looks great!

Hopefully you leveled that speedo before final install.

Sharp looking ride.

tag for updates

looking awesome!

@SecretSquirell

Not leveled yet....out of level is my pet peeve and will drive me crazy, all gauges have to come out again for final wiring and harness connection and then final leveled....

Thanks for the comments

Nice. So nice.

Dad drove a yellow gen1 when I was a kid. Great memories.

Outstanding post!!!! Keep up the great work sir

Update.  

Dash is installed and new dash pad installed.   Wiring harness thru the firewall and into the engine bay





Engine bay almost done.  Installing wiring harness.   Radiator installed and the brake lines are run.  

Once final wiring is routed will be loomed and the anchored with SS wire mounts.   The objective is to keep it clean and neat and JD is the best at doing that.  

Tailgate is on and getting alignment....went with all stainless steel internals in the tailgate and stainless steel tailgate handle.

There is not a decent trailer hitch available for the early Bronco, I designed the one that is on the frame now and a friend welded it up for me.  

FORD on the front grill, went with black outlined instead of chrome



LED headlights and clear lenses on parking lamp, parking lamps on the original were orange/yellow


Ordered American Racing Outlaw II rims today....bought Cooper Discovery 31 x 10.5 - 15 on/off road tires

My God some of you guys are talented.    Amazing work, OP.

That’s going to be too nice to four wheel.

Always preferred the "Dentsides" 78-79 myself but awesome work! Great attention to "Doing it right".

Thanks guys....the pace will be picking up real soon...front clip, doors and hood and going on in a few days....wheels are coming in tomorrow, tires are already bought and waiting for the wheels

American Racing Outlaw II



Cooper Discovery RTX tires



@vmax84

Want to clarify, I have someone doing the work, JD at Deep South Fabrication is doing the work....I started this project many years ago, gave everything to JD to finish....I can take credit for the dash and wiring....he has some real talent and like me, he is OCD about everything he does....

JD was farming out the painting to some guys he knew, but they became unreliable, so he set up a paint booth at his shop (at my pushing and recommendation) and painted the Bronco....is it going to be a 99% show truck, no, it has some flaws, but I will say for me, JD did a 10/10 job as far as I am concerned....

@FightingHellfish

This thing will not see anything more than a smooth dirt road... I would like to have one to four wheel, and was starting out in this direction with this one, but as it progressed, we realized we had something special happening here....

@hockeysew

The ONLY Bronco I would trade this one for is a similiar condition 78/79....these years are my favorite...they had a very "dont mess with me" look to them

79's are my favorite trucks for sure. My lottery rig would be a super cab 350. I always thought how cool it would be if the 78-79 Bronco was the same size as the originals but got the updated look.

When you start driving it, you need to see how many people you can convince that it's a 2023.

"Yeah man. I just picked it up from the dealership last weekend. The engineers really knocked it out of the park with this modern yet retro styling"

Beautiful build!  Great choice with the Race Red and rhino lined black engine bay/interior.  She's going to be gorgeous.

Very nice OP.

I just restored/lifted/updated a 87 f250 well now f350 w the one tons.

All it needs is a few dings pulled, a seat and headliner to be finished…. It’s always something “next” even after it’s “ finished”.

My build Took 9 months total.

They sure are fun!

Enjoy that baby

That's a nice wheel and tire combo!   I had a buddy in high school with a late 80's Bronco II that had those wheels on it.