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Ben's 73 Build Thread

broncoitis

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 23, 2010
Messages
4,449
Ben, great build you have going there so far and the kids on the bikes is awesome. Keep the updates coming! ;D
 

sprdv1

Contributor
REBEL
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
81,734
Ok, not reporting bronco progress tonight however had to share (proud dad moment). It's my boys' 4th birthday today and they each got 'Big Boy' bikes. 5 minutes in to it they asked to scrap the training wheels, so I said okay. To my surprise they took off like they've been doing it for years! 10 minutes later they were taking them off a jump! Only heaven knows what I have in store for the future with these two!

lol, nice.. lots of bronco time for you right, Especially when he gets hooked too
 

Ohio Bronco 21

Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
4,194
Loc.
Cleveland
and let the work begin. Love fresh sheet metal, love the look of it once its in. Its the welding and grinding and cutting that I could do less of.
 
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Bferrari

Bferrari

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
856
Got to break away for a couple hours today and go treasure hunting, I am pretty pleased with my finds! Went to the local salvage yard looking for ideas on front and rear seats. For the fronts I picked up a pair from a Toyota Celica. They sit real comfortable and the bonus is that they are about 2 inches lower than my stock seats (very important as I am 6'3") and the mounts will be a cinch to modify for installation. The other neat thing is that the passenger seat rail slides all the way forward when you put the seat-back forward. This will be very handy for letting the little ones get into the back. The other find I came across is a 3rd row seat out of a dodge caravan. I plan on having all the seats re-upholstered so I plan on sectioning 8" out of the middle caravan seat and building my own mount to allow it to tumble. The seat is pretty cool, it folds all the way forward and also reclines all the way back. What do you guys think?
 

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broncoitis

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 23, 2010
Messages
4,449
They kinda match considering one is toyota and the other chrysler. Nice job. Have you considered installing a quick release on the rear seat so that you could just take it out if you didnt' want it back there and needed more space? Some ford passenger vans had rear seats that were super easy to take out and put back in. I would think that the mechanisms could easily be used/converted to the bronco! ;D
 
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Bferrari

Bferrari

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
856
I am not worrying about them matching since I will be recovering all the seats, thinking about doing them black, in leather. I am however on the fence regarding the tumble forward versus quick release. The seat, as is has the quick release and I don't think it would be very difficult to make it function in the Bronco. I am just not sure that I want have to physically remove the seat from the Bronco to get the cargo area versus simply folding it down and tumbling it forward. Definitely something to think about!
 

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englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
Hey Ben, nice score! How is the minivan seat height in comparison to a stock rear seat with those brackets? It gives me the idea that perhaps you could re-use those if you cut the mating tracks out of the minivan and grafted them into your floor. Might be something worth looking in to but it all depends on finished height.
 
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Bferrari

Bferrari

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
856
Just checked, using the stock releases leaves the seat about 4-1/2" taller than my stock Bronco seat. I'll have to throw the top back on and take measurements to see if that would make it too high.
 

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
4.5 is a bit high, would be great for rear passenger leg room but not so sure on head room or how it would look aesthetically. I wonder if those brackets could lose some height somehow since you will have to be in the cutting and reworking mood already. After looking at them more, would have to see how deep the mating pocket channels are, looks like you would lose about 2 inches if you made it so the rollers were flush with the floor and the clamps were recessed down...
 
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Bferrari

Bferrari

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
856
I've been wrapped up with work lately and haven't gotten to spend 'quality time' with the Bronco. I am currently wrapping up the cowl pieces. The re-pop cowl I got was a lot different from the original on the passenger side. I ended up adding a piece of sheet metal to fix the piece how I feel it should be. While I was at it, I sectioned and raised the passenger side upper cowl to make room for a vintage air kit. I am in hopes to get this welded in shortly, followed by the inner fenders. I want to get the front end back together to give a bit more support to the firewall prior to replacing the floor pans.
 

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Bferrari

Bferrari

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Mar 6, 2013
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856
Got the call today ..... after two and a half months the media blaster is finally ready for me at the end of the week. I'm going to try to get the front end all buttoned up prior to taking it to him. Tonight I welded in the raised fire wall piece. I also made some extended supports (on the engine compartment side of the raised firewall piece) and welded those in as well. Hoping to do the 'dress rehearsal' with the inner fenders tomorrow. Once they are in place with clecos I will hang the front end and put the doors back on to check all gaps. If that checks out I will burn everything in prior to media blasting. Going to wait to do the floor pans until after the media blasting.
 

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sprdv1

Contributor
REBEL
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
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Nice Ben, keep up the good work. Just one thing at a time right
 

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
Looking great... and you pretended like you were worried how it would come out. Keep going Ben!
 
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Bferrari

Bferrari

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
856
Thanks guys! Well, media blaster called and wants it now! So ... rather than test fitting and welding it in I made sure I am all braced up an ready for transport. The blaster wants it on his own rotisserie so I yanked it off of mine and it's ready for him to pick up. Time to say adios to the crappy brown paint!
 

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Bferrari

Bferrari

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Mar 6, 2013
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Well folks, it's official, I am Bronco-less for the next few days. The media blaster has tight access getting into his facility and wanted it on his rotisserie so he offered to pick it up from my shop so we could use the lift. The truck he picked it up with is pretty cool, has a 4.6 modular motor, Lincoln Mark XIII rear end, all the goodies. The exterior looks like it was just pulled out of the back 40. All in all, the shop looks pretty empty without her!
 

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