[mwalsh9152]

Unfortunately my Bronco has turned into a rot box rather quickly, given what it needs I decided that it was going to be more cost effective to find a new donor and swap the cab onto my chassis.

I found this relitively solid 94' Bronco in NH. It has a bad tranny, and I was able to score it for $1200. It has just a few bubbles starting to show on the lips of the quarters, and the typical rear cross member issues just starting. I gutted the interior today and only found two small problem areas that need to be patched.

I'll keep updating this as I go.

Here's where it's starting

I swear I'm not trying to be even more like Dave Lott with this new color combination LOL

 

[Bradbilt]

You gonna put new quarters on?

 

[mwalsh9152]

I might just glue some arches on it unless I can find some quarters for a reasonable price. Another option is I was talking to a friend today about cleaning my carpets, and he was telling me that hes been doing a lot of wraps on cars, and that with the body lines I wouldnt have any visible seams. I'm gonna get a quote from him, and if I go that route I may just hit them inside and out with a sand blaster and seal it with POR 15

If I do anything it probably wont be until sometime next year

 

[Bradbilt]

I might just glue some arches on it unless I can find some quarters for a reasonable price. Another option is I was talking to a friend today about cleaning my carpets, and he was telling me that hes been doing a lot of wraps on cars, and that with the body lines I wouldnt have any visible seams. I'm gonna get a quote from him, and if I go that route I may just hit them inside and out with a sand blaster and seal it with POR 15

If I do anything it probably wont be until sometime next year

Yes. Most defiantly remove the inner arches. Sandblst and POR them. Then DO NOT put the arches back in. Just make some thin straps that can be bolted in so that way you can actually get up in there and clean

 

[mwalsh9152]

Great idea on the straps Brad!

Today I cleaned a few surface rust spots with a wire wheel and will POR-15 them tomorrow after we patch this hole. Its right next to the seam at the rear seat hinge....gonna have to try and extract that broken bolt too, couldnt heat it because the carpet was in there, and couldnt get the carpet out because the bolt was frozen :haha:

Heres where it stands right now

and the typical rot in the rear corners which will be repaired after the swap is finished.

 

[Bradbilt]

If it was me. I would do all the body work BEFORE you swap it. This way there is no driveline or anything to be in the way.

Send it out to be sandblasted, then weld in your patches and POR everything

 

[mwalsh9152]

if I had the room and time I would. Unfortunately I just dont have that luxury. I'm doing all the prep work in my friends tow yard behind the building where you met me and I promised him it would only be a month or so. From there I'll likely be doing the swap on my friends lift which will probably only be available to me from Fri night-Sun.

The underside is in very good shape with the exception of the rear cross member. Theres only a little scale here and there, I should be able to get it all prepped and sealed before dropping it on. When we do the cross member in the spring there shouldnt be too much trouble with the axle being in the way, and if there is I'll just drop it out.

 

[Bradbilt]

Are you swaping tubs or swaping drive trains?

 

[mwalsh9152]

just the tub, it would be way too much unnecessary work to do the drive train too. I've been around every inch of the current frame and its in surprisingly good shape. The old body will probably be taken off, frame powerwashed, then put in the tent and por15d. Old body will go in the scrap pile.

 

[mwalsh9152]

well, its been a while since I've updated this thread, so here are some updates.

First, since the original picture was moved, here was where it started.

Unfortunately, what looked to be a pretty decent truck for up here was actually about a year or two from becoming what is your typical rotted Bronco in New England.

I made the decision to tear right into it now instead of putting everything off.

We cut out the rear section of the floor just above the rear crossmember because it was starting to lift at the edge, and to also get a better look at what we had underneath.

Unfortunately, this is what we found once we got in there with a hammer.

I knew it was there, but didnt realize it was that bad, so we decided to pull the quarters off and do it right, this was what had to be repaired on both sides

Once I got the quarters off I found a few other problems, typical thinning of the wheel wells on both sides, with some small holes on the passenger side, and a small area of rot on the passenger side cab corner as well.

I also found a small hole on the top of the rear xmember, but didnt get a picture of that.

 

[mwalsh9152]

The inner sheet metal on the quarters were covered in rust, so I ground that all down to prep for repair.

This weekend we started the patching

on the drivers side wheel well had no holes, so it was prepped and then a patch was welded over the existing panel, several holes were cut for plug welds, and then it was welded to the factory panel all around the cutouts for the seat belt bolts for support.

then we patched the xmember and cab corner

after that we cut out the rear mess and repaired it. After cutting off the outer skin we then patched the missing pieces on the inside and then installed full patches on the outside.

everything was seam sealed and then prepped for POR-15, end result was this

 

[Denver]

I know it's a little late now but what about buying a rust free south west vehicle for cheap and then just shipping it? The cost of the vehicle plus the shipping seems like it would be cheaper and easier than chasing and fixing all the rust.

 

[mwalsh9152]

I also pulled and sold the engine this weekend too. Its not advisable to pull the entire driveline as one unit, it was pretty ugly coming out.

 

[mwalsh9152]

I know it's a little late now but what about buying a rust free south west vehicle for cheap and then just shipping it? The cost of the vehicle plus the shipping seems ike it would be cheaper and easier than casing and fixing all the rust.

I looked into that, but for what Im into this for total expense right now is what shipping alone would have cost me. Nevermind that I would have no idea as to what I was actually buying.

 

[Bradbilt]

Sorry to hear the bronco was not as clean as planned. But glad you are fixing it the right way

 

[mwalsh9152]

thanks Brad, its not too terrible, aside from this past two weeks of hell pulling the quarters, and grinding in my spare time. There was some surface rust on the bottom of the quarters front and rear, that will be prepped and coated this week, one fender had some on the bracing, so it was tossed in the scrap pile along with the hood which showed small traces where the braces and skin touch. Now I just need to make up my mind about what color I'm going to paint it. Im thinking black with a silver two tone in the middle.

Did you get sent up here for this nightmare due to the snow? I saw a ton of line trucks from PA up here

 

[Bradbilt]

Did you get sent up here for this nightmare due to the snow? I saw a ton of line trucks from PA up here

Believe it or not. NO. I have been laid off since 9/11

 

[mwalsh9152]

well that sucks, you would think they would call in every possible person available, it was followed by pretty good cold snap and people were without power for up to a week. Several deaths from either stupidity infused carbon monoxide poisoning, and one case from hypothermia

 

[powersmoker73]

Not having power was lousy....