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73 Bronco stretch proj

30K views 92 replies 32 participants last post by  Josh40601 
#1 · (Edited)
Well I've been hanging out over on classic bronco.com for awhile, made a good bit of progress on my toy so I figured I'd see what you guys thought.

Bought a stock 73 bronco, floors had been badly replaced, looks like it was rolled on it's drivers side at one point because the drivers side door, top, 1/4, was filled with bondo up to 1/2 thick in some places. Rockers were rusted out and just filled with bondo. So all in all $3500 for a bronco that "mostly" had a fiberglass tub was a prety good buy :mad3:.



Had stock "good running" 302 in it when I drug it home, had a bad dist in it, swapped that and it fired. after 30 sec or so it started ticking badly. Ya no oil pressure. So pulled the 302 and it was flat wore out anyway.

Just about got rid of the truck at this point. The seller saw me coming from 10 miles away, I paid way to much and bought junk. So what do we do? Put a ton more money into it!!

After cutting it in half of course.


Decided to make into a half cab but I don't like how disproportionate they look when done that way so I decided to stretch it 15 3/4".

Made some 1/4" angle inserts and added a piece I got from another frame.



Got it all welded and stuck some diamonds on the inside of the frame.


Found a 65 ford truck in the upull it and took a saws all to it. The bed has the same body lines as the bronco, who knew?

 
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#3 ·
Oh yes, the flares and tires, I put those on after I bought it. Originally when I brought it home it was uncut and had 235's on her.

Then I cut the half cab down.

Made a bulkhead



Got rid of the rusty rockers, they were filled with about 40lbs of clay, each.

Stuck some 2X4 back in, only prob is, like a dumbass I used 1/8 wall stuff, because "this isn't gonna be a crawler"


About this time I swapped out the rear leaves and hangers for some 56" 2000 E250 rear springs/hangers. Mine were shot like everything else on this junker.

Braced these with 4" 1/4 angle


Trying to get it all one color.


Converted the D44 over to discs. Also stuck in a 4x4x2 steering box.
 
#4 ·
Replaced the floors properly.



About this time I swapped to full width d44/9"

Got the front all set up.


Built the Rear shock hoops. At this point I was thinking prerunner/rock crawler mix.





Got the fronts done.



Went to hydro boost.
 
#5 ·
I also started buying stuff from ballistic.


I built some 2" .250 wall sq tubing radius arms with a ruffstuff 1.25" heim in the end. Flexed like shit but got it back on the road. Enter 3 link planning stage.

Getting the rear ready to go.


Got it rolling/driving/stopping on full widths and 35's.



Got a bumper built.




FINALLY got it all one color. Rattle can kakhi, for the win!


 
#6 ·
Leg room

My little rig started out as a 66 Bronco pickup. Im 6'2" and I remember not liking having my knees up against the dash. This thing looks good with the stretch and I'm sure it is way more comfortable.
 
#12 · (Edited)
My little rig started out as a 66 Bronco pickup. Im 6'2" and I remember not liking having my knees up against the dash. This thing looks good with the stretch and I'm sure it is way more comfortable.

Ya I'm 6'4" and I have plenty of room. I'm not happy with how the half cab came out, I also built a fuel tank that sits right behind the bulk head and I'm not to happy about that either. Will be doing some design work while I'm away and hopefully finish it up around xmas time.

Also, think I forgot some info, current engine is a tired 351w, will be replaced with a 4bt someday. Links are 37" long eye to eye, center of adjustment, upper and lowers are the same length, lowers are slightly longer from centerline with the axle mounts. Vert sep at the axle is 7", frame is 4.5".

Here's the final calc I built from, hope it works!!

 
#7 ·
Once I got it on the road, drove it for a few months, never really did much wheeling. Then I found out I was going to alaska after a tour in korea. Did some reading about wheeling up there and figured I needed to go to 40" plus tires. Figured now would be a good time to go to tons.

Sold the c4/d20 combo and the d44/9", and the 35's.

Bought a 93 BJ HP60 and a sterling, also picked up a 435/205 combo and a bunch of .250 wall dom. Called up dan at ruffstuff for some more 1.25 heims.




Took the sterling and cut the bottom off it...



Also did some cutting on the 60.

 
#8 ·
60




Sterling




Used stainless welding rod, pre/post heat, no heat and short runs letting it cool in between, nothing worked. Every weld would crack right down the center. So with no pre post heat I just started welding with the good old
E7018 rod. No cracks.

Some more of the 60, notched the spring pad and welded the tubes and the notch to the housing.

 
#11 ·
60 ready to go



I got the links painted, the 60 and sterling installed, the hubs on the rear and some rollers on her. Put the hubs on the front so I can get it rolling. Working on my coil buckets now, welded on a piece of pipe that will act as a coil locator and guide, also hold the bump stop.

I'm trying to get it down on to the tires so I can install the 435 as soon as my bell housing shows up. Once installed I'll do a 2" engine lift to match the bodylift and get starter clearance from the upper link. Once that's done I'll be building 1X3 .250 wall crossmembers and a 1/4" skidplate.

Still need to order gears (5.38's), have driveshafts built, get the brakes finished, exhaust (fenderwell headers), remake front shock hoops and mount shocks (due to the fenderwell headers). I'm trying to get this thing as far along as possible beacause I'm out the door in 45 days for a yr tour in korea.
 
#14 ·
that is super f'n sexy, I had the same idea for a bronco II.Actully have 3 b2 all waiting to be transformed into one. Man I love your ol bronco that stretch is wicked, im also a big fan of khaki paint.
have one question, Are u gonna truss the bottom right of that pumpkin, isnt that where they are known to fail after a clean shave?
 
#16 ·
Not sure, on the truss, that would kinda defeat the purpose of the shave. I've done it to a 14 bolt and it had no probs so we'll see I guess. The 60 is
3/8's thick and the sterling is 1/2" welded inside and out.

Anyone else heard of them failing? I can punch some holes in some 1/4 with the iron worker and surface weld it to the shave and the housing, tieing it all together. May not be a bad idea and I'd only give up 1/4". I'd hate to drop onto a rock and fracture the diff, that would be a bad day.
 
#19 · (Edited)
No bash'n felt, thx for getting me thinking. I did some searching on here and theres alot of shaves running about and I can't find one that failed yet. Anyone else?

I may say the hell with it and pull the axles out and do it just for piece of mind.

I'm building this this as stout and as bullet proof as possible so I can go into the ak back country and not have to be the dumbass that comes out on a strap. Hence why I'm waiting on my full mechanical bellhousing and linkage to show up instead of using a hydro one with an autozone slave cyl.

Man thanks alot fscherry, making me pull these heavy f'king axles again. :flipoff2:
 
#18 ·
That thing is Saweet!! id kill for an eb and if i do get one, i think im gonna strech it. Keep up the good work!!
 
#28 ·
Well got the skid plates done, got the axles back under the truck and she's finally sitting on the tires again. My bellhousing showed up and I realized when I tried to put it all together that I have the wrong damn clutch. Another delay while same up some $$$ for this mess.






Front diff cover

Rear diff cover

 
#33 ·
PM sent



As far as th interior, it's pretty basic. Haven't really started on it yet. Did get my XJ seats in it for starters.





Going to pick up the clutch tonight so I can get the tranny installed and the engine lift done. Soon after will be xmembers and skid plate.
 
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