Well, this project has been a long time in the making...lots of planning....and thinking.... and workin for money....and more planning...a little dreaming...

you get the picture.

My project rig for the last two years has been my 84 Bronco II. It currently has an EB d44 up front with wristed radius arms, open diff 3.55 gears. Out back is an explorer 8.8 with a lock-rite. It has a durasparked 2.8 V6, 4 speed toyokoygo manual, and dual 1350-1354 t-cases.

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/1027/p10006642sr4.jpg

Last year i bought a 66 Bronco frame and title for $450. The plan was to swap everything over to the new frame so i could register it as a 66 and ditch the smog crap and make it ready to someday swap in a 302.

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/4069/imgp1681gj2.jpg

Well, over that past year, that original plan kinda changed. Now it is new extended radius arms up front. 3 link (upper wishbone) out back. tubed front and back sections of frame. 100" wheelbase and a 90* departure angle.

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/8149/p10201902lv8.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/3094/p10203392ak2.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/2594/p10203412xl7.jpg

putting these up, i realize the shots of that i am missing. I'll get more tomorrow. Updates should be coming at a pretty regular pace now.

It's a race to see who can finish their rig before graduation!

I say you drop some phat cash at home depot and you can arc weld the whole thing together!:flipoff2:

It's a race to see who can finish their rig before graduation!

I say you drop some phat cash at home depot and you can arc weld the whole thing together!:flipoff2:

Hey man, my stick welds are looking sexy. But it is gonna be GMAW from here on out on this rig.

Your front coil buckets need to be pushed way forward :p

Are you still thinking about using the Miata body on it?

nice, always liked your BII before

what are your tranny/tcase plans for the 302

looking good, you going to do anymore work on the ranger?

Your front coil buckets need to be pushed way forward :p

Well, that is the nice thing about making my own body mounts.... It should be about 3" further forward from where the wheel sits in relation to the body right now. and 3-4" further out back.


nice, always liked your BII before

what are your tranny/tcase plans for the 302

Well, that is another thing that has changed in the plan. RIght now the 302 is on the back burner. THe goals of this rig are small and light. so the 2.8 and all aluminum tranny/t-case stays for now. I really don't mind the power and it has always ran great. I am thinking down the line i'll build a 10:1 2.8 for 'pane jsut cause i have grown to love the little motor.

And no.... no miata body. and no more Ranger mods, it is just the daily driver.

your cage looks super safe,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

your cage looks super safe,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

that thing was extra insurance back when i had a roof. It never got wheeled like it is pictured there. That is all gone now though, and the EB2 will have a new cage once i get it running on the new frame.

Today i got some time to work on it and finished up the lower link/radius arm mounts. Friday i should be able to start on the rear axle truss/ upper wishbone mount.

Well, that is another thing that has changed in the plan. RIght now the 302 is on the back burner. THe goals of this rig are small and light. so the 2.8 and all aluminum tranny/t-case stays for now. I really don't mind the power and it has always ran great. I am thinking down the line i'll build a 10:1 2.8 for 'pane jsut cause i have grown to love the little motor.



right on, the little V6's are good motors. you could always do a C4/5 and swap bellhousings later if you want a 302. if you are into automatics

Up-dates!!
Well, i finally took the plunge and started disassembling my b2 to start the new rig. This was one days work by myself. i got the front suspension out and the new radius arms on and bolted up. i also got the rear axle out. Next up is going to be the rear 3-link or the front steering box/trac-bar mount. not sure which one.

WHERE'D THE AXLES GO?????
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/3830/p10203532zr5.jpg
there they are!
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/8623/p10203552yb8.jpg

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/5594/p10203592hw8.jpg

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/866/p10203602hh9.jpg

So, other than the posibility of titling it as a 66... is there any other real advantage to the EB frame over the BII frame?

Damn son you been busy! Lookin good!

So, other than the posibility of titling it as a 66... is there any other real advantage to the EB frame over the BII frame?

it's boxed

any closer pics of the rear suspension?

any closer pics of the rear suspension?

Yes, lol. i do. Finally.

Well. after a break for thanksgiving stuff, i am back at it. I got lots of the little parts ready to go for the rear suspension, and the rear axle stripped of spring-over perches, remnants of spring-under perches and all shock and sway-bar mounts.

Basic idea of what the truss will be. the 2x2x.250 is just the beginning, hopefully there will be lots of extra plating added.
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/2783/p10203942sz3.jpg

the upper link, and one lower. The johnny joint on the wishbone will be completely threaded in when completed.
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/695/p10203932rg5.jpg


Tomorrow it should be sitting on the rear suspension. I only need to pick up some flat stock to make axle side link mounts out of.

So, other than the posibility of titling it as a 66... is there any other real advantage to the EB frame over the BII frame?

EB frames are boxed, much stronger than a C-channel frame. It also has nice flat steel to weld to which makes fabbin' a lot nicer.

id do the swap for no more smog....:smokin:

Crap. working alone sucks. I felt like i got so much done today, but then i get on here to post pics, and it doesn't look much different than yesterday. O well. Here they are anyways.

Start of truss jsut tacked on. Gonna burn it on with a buddies big welder for the connections to the axle tubes. the upper link mount will get boxed in all around it.
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/9828/p10203962zi4.jpg
Another view, you can kinda see the lower links in this pic.
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/3320/p10203972wr4.jpg
Last thing i did. 4 tabs for the lower link mounts, axle side. Welded washers to each side of the tab, 3/16" tabs. Should be good enough, and look pretty darned cool too.
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/9984/p10203982vv4.jpg

Well, i rolled it out of the garage for the first time today. :D


Suspension travel:
Droop
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3418/p10204002jo0.jpg

Ride Height
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2980/p10204012yk1.jpg

Bump
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/971/p10204022zu1.jpg
20" vertical. Upper wishbone hits frame on bump and johnny joint maxes out at droop.

Flexage!
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2788/p10204042xa6.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/6754/p10204052wh9.jpg
Everthing seems to flex very well.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/7151/p10204082kv8.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/1127/p10204102ba0.jpg

lookin good.

Sweet ride man! :smokin:

Can I get some more pics of the cruiser in the background?

I got the rear suspension all tacked together today. Then took it apart to start finish welding everything.

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/9020/p10204162pw2.jpg

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/3382/p10204172xi8.jpg

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/3316/p10204182lt3.jpg

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/4518/p10204222lj4.jpg

Its getting there.....

Sweet ride man!

Can I get some more pics of the cruiser in the background?

Ok Here's a good one

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c132/th45cruzr/Rubicon%20july%202007/DSCN0094.jpg

Sorry for the hi-jack, I do think the Bronco chassis deserves EB sheetmetal, even if it's just a hood and fenders.......

YEah, it would be sweet to have an EB body, but i feel too bad destroying one of those. Ranger stuff is way too common. If i can find an EB grill i'll throw that on, as it matches up with the B2 body pretty well.

Sweet build! I've always liked your bronco.

Lookin good man:smokin:

looks good but that rear truss is hidious

Looks good man... I'll be by this weekend to say hey and to mock your welds

Well, i got to weld for a few hours today. made quite a bit of progress on the truss. Hopefully it works well.

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5663/p10204252mm0.jpg

looks like u should gusset the truss more front to back. and maybye tie it in to the top of the pumpkin

You could add a 3rd leg to it that bolts to the factory pad for the vibration dampener.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/10/web/958000-958999/958490_196_full.jpg

well, crap. I thought i posted "done" pics of the rear axle. Oops. I did add a third leg down to the dampener location. i think it turned out well, and should hold up.