Ok guys, been lurking here for a long time watching and learning. Got the itch to get another build after my 1983 Jeep Scrambler and happened onto this sitting in a tobacco barn. I think it's a true 2 owner and it hadn't moved under its own power in 20 years. I have a working relationship with the seller and he is a true Bronco guy, heck a Ford Man if I do say. I did some research as to their bad spots/what's typical and said why not.
My intentions are to do the following;
-Front disc brake conversion
-Replace all soft and hard brake lines
-Replace manual master cylinder for now
-Replace both fuel tanks
-Replace all soft and hard fuel line
-Replace all fluids
-Replace all needed sheetmetal
Once all this is done I plan to drive it and see what I really want to do with it. I'd like to remove the body from the frame and dive down that rabbit hole this winter. My experience with paint and body guys is that they are S-L-O-W...With my Scrambler I went to the body guys shop, pulled it home, replaced the necessary sheetmetal and got it back to him to paint.
The metal work doesn't intimidate me at all. Hell, I weld for a living.
Here it is as I brought it home.
And loaded up on the trailer with its proud new owner
The look on my sons face sums it all up!
Did a little welding repair where I blew through with the air chisel last night. Here's the machine and settings with 0.035 wire blowing 75/25 gas.
A couple of warm up peanuts
Before welding, after hammering flush/flat/closed
First pass
Ground down
Second filler pass
It finished out really nice. I'm not quite at the point that I'm going to lay a straight edge on things but this one is small enough that I'm confident it's good. What I'm taking away from all of you guys is that it takes TIME and PATIENCE TO GET THINGS STRAIGHT. I need this in my world as everything is "blow and go" all day everyday. Think of it as my therapy or behavior modification.
More to come...
My intentions are to do the following;
-Front disc brake conversion
-Replace all soft and hard brake lines
-Replace manual master cylinder for now
-Replace both fuel tanks
-Replace all soft and hard fuel line
-Replace all fluids
-Replace all needed sheetmetal
Once all this is done I plan to drive it and see what I really want to do with it. I'd like to remove the body from the frame and dive down that rabbit hole this winter. My experience with paint and body guys is that they are S-L-O-W...With my Scrambler I went to the body guys shop, pulled it home, replaced the necessary sheetmetal and got it back to him to paint.
The metal work doesn't intimidate me at all. Hell, I weld for a living.
Here it is as I brought it home.
And loaded up on the trailer with its proud new owner
The look on my sons face sums it all up!
Did a little welding repair where I blew through with the air chisel last night. Here's the machine and settings with 0.035 wire blowing 75/25 gas.
A couple of warm up peanuts
Before welding, after hammering flush/flat/closed
First pass
Ground down
Second filler pass
It finished out really nice. I'm not quite at the point that I'm going to lay a straight edge on things but this one is small enough that I'm confident it's good. What I'm taking away from all of you guys is that it takes TIME and PATIENCE TO GET THINGS STRAIGHT. I need this in my world as everything is "blow and go" all day everyday. Think of it as my therapy or behavior modification.
More to come...