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Ok: I. HAVE. HAD. IT! I'm about 2 breaths away from giving up!

BluebroncoNC

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
1,717
Loc.
Asheville, NC
Took 10+ years to get my body decent and it still needs work. If I had it to do now, new body and not waste time rehabbing the old one. New body wasn't an option back in the day. My 2c.
 

69_Sport

Full Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2014
Messages
258
Your body man is probably right. Good body work and paint doesn't come cheap. Most shops today get $100 or more an hour. Adds up fast. Even with rising prices, you can get a lot of $ in it and not be able to recoup your investment.

I put a fiberglass body on a '68 CJ a few years ago. Really not too hard to do.

If your chassis is good, I'd buy a good used tub or maybe a dynacorn. The end result will be better than the fiberglass option in fit and end value.

Either way, by replacing the tub you can be on the road in weeks or months. Get it running again. Something about going for a ride rekindles the fire to finish it......
 
OP
OP
ObscureMachine

ObscureMachine

Seatbelt Orifice Officer
Joined
Sep 28, 2006
Messages
3,998
Loc.
World Headquarters
I needed a night to sleep on it and not be pissed.

1. This body guy is the fifth one. 2 others said it would be $10k. 2 others said it would be about $3k. Having looked at every inch of the bronco with this guy, I know it's not a job that can just be "patching." He's a good guy. I've seen tons of his work. I know he's being honest.
2. $7k to buy. $5K in various tools work and parts. Now $10K for a new body or body work. I'll be $22K in with no paint, no cage, no line-x and none of the stuff I wanted to add to it to "build" it when I first bought it (new dash, bumpers, lights bars, A/C, Windshield.....)
3. I will have blown every dollar and it will still be far from finished.
4. I'm not looking for show quality, but something solid and done right that I won't have to worry about now that I'm in my 50s and something I can give to my daughter down the road.
5. I can learn how to paint. I spray furniture all the time.
6. RJROBIN - funny you should ask. We're moving back to the gulf coast after about five+ years in Oregon. Nobody knows so those of you on facebook please be quiet.
7. I'll try to post some pics, but just know that for everyone I post there are 103 that I won't post.
8. Oh, the other option is to buy a used bronco for the body. But then I'll STILL have to have body work done on it and likely have a useless chassis that I don't want unless it has a coyote in it.

Lastly - in the realm of "Apollo 13" and the question of "what do we have on the space ship that works?" - Well -2 fenders, grill, firewall is semi-solid, driver's quarter and rear tail light corners. That is about it.
 

ransil

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 6, 2003
Messages
8,122
do it yourself

30K for a garage
2K for a lift
2K tools
1K misc
3K body panels

I have seen some patched up broncos running around and some not so patched up.
 

rydog1130

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
4,020
You bought that new welder man, put it to use...youre not going to mess anything up!
 

half cab

Contributor
Guru Bronco
Joined
Dec 8, 2010
Messages
16,306
Come by the house and I'll give ya a really big monkey wrench and drive ya over to north Al. and you can unleash all that energy on ole Denny;)
 

Muddy1966Bronco

Full Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2004
Messages
342
Loc.
Central PA
I’m really sorry to hear about this. And I completely understand that frustrating wall. My husband and I hit it with a truck we had once loved. Couldn’t take it anymore. Sometimes it is best to cover losses and just stop. What net return will you have selling what you have versus fixing it? Sometimes a little more waiting will get you a great deal on the parts you need. And life will never reveal the best answer at the time. Stories like yours make me want to startup a little side business of patching up old bronco bodies to be safe drivers. Not pretty. Definitely gonna have some filler to smooth parts, but solid and cheap...enough to give a good decade or more of life.

You’ll figure it out. Detail your options and maybe the answer will show itself once you start listing the numbers out. Best of luck. A vehicle should be a passion and not a constant anger source.
 

rydog1130

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
4,020
I built mine practically from scratch and my body skills are minimal compared to a shop. It took me 3 years but you could nock it out in a year easy! Don't give up!

tub1.jpg

tub2.jpg

tub3.jpg
 

markw

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Messages
2,047
Man, if you're hating the thing you aren't going to enjoy all the hours and dollars it will take to finish it up. And if you have a big move in your future it's another thing to worry about. Seems to me the decision is spring for the tub, metal or glass and finish it up or sell it as a project before you move and start over when you get settled. No doubt you could master the skills to do the work and paint it and that alone is very satisfying. But it will take a lot of time and if you are resenting every moment and dollar you put into it you don't have a hobby, you have a burden. Only you can decide. May the force be with you! Mark
 

sprdv1

Contributor
REBEL
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
81,734
Make it happen brother. Big breath. Take a break then do it to it
 

No Hay

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 4, 2014
Messages
1,657
Man, if you're hating the thing you aren't going to enjoy all the hours and dollars it will take to finish it up. And if you have a big move in your future it's another thing to worry about. Seems to me the decision is spring for the tub, metal or glass and finish it up or sell it as a project before you move and start over when you get settled. No doubt you could master the skills to do the work and paint it and that alone is very satisfying. But it will take a lot of time and if you are resenting every moment and dollar you put into it you don't have a hobby, you have a burden. Only you can decide. May the force be with you! Mark

This is what I'm thinking. Life is short. With all due respect, these rides are just expensive toys. Check your emotion and wallet at the door, then evaluate the logic in it all. I've always wanted a project, but try to keep my emotions in check. My last three, I've saved first to buy a nice driver instead. For me, waiting to find a decent one to buy, was tough, but better than working on one for years hoping to finish it.

Oh yeah, you have friends in high places. What does HE suggest? ;D

Hope your move goes smooth! If Mary ever gets her house sold, I'll be back up in Salem to get her packed up, and can help you pack if you could use some help.

Kevin
 
OP
OP
ObscureMachine

ObscureMachine

Seatbelt Orifice Officer
Joined
Sep 28, 2006
Messages
3,998
Loc.
World Headquarters
So, after some breathing, sleeping, meditating, praying, and a box of cookies - here's my 15th plan:

1. Go ahead and do as much of the chassis and engine work as I can before the move (springs, bushings, shocks, fuel lines, cam and timing chain and possibly Holley EFI.

2. Do as much small sheet metal work as I can before packing up for the move.

3. Put doors and hood back on, but probably not fenders.

4. Haul the thing, along with 4 tons of mechanic and woodworking tools, south during the move

5. Have my contractor Bro-in-law (a big-time contractor) help me build a 20x40 Garage / woodworking shop.

6. Put Body on Rotisserie, Finish sheet metal.

7. New Wiring and Dash

8. Then Line-X, Roll Cage, and Paint

All I'll need is the garage. I've got the hookup for that. I'll also need a rotisserie and electricity, which, we own a commercial electrical company, so that's taken care of. It'll be ready for it's 46th Birthday.

Thanks for putting up with my mental breakdown. - jim
 

rydog1130

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
4,020
Way to pull through Jim! Good luck we're always here for you!
 

Bronco Junkie

So Cal Broncos
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
3,232
Hang in there man. I sort of know how you feel. At 2.5 years into my build, giving up all my weekends including fishing, I just about had it. I took a 2 week break and then was back on it. Another 1.5 years later and I have a fairly nice rig. It took 4 years of basically working on it constantly. Be patient and persistent. You will get there and have what you want. Good Luck!!!!
 

ep67bro

Contributor
Bronco Junky
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
3,642
Loc.
Easton, MD
Sounds like a plan.
I know I have had a few hang up on the broncos over the years, and I just needed a brake, take a few months off re evaluate the project and get a new plan. Remember these thing are supposed to be fun. Good luck you can work through it!
 

Seattle66

Contributor
Full Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2012
Messages
223
I know the feeling, but hang on. Mine was a driver. I did the 4x4x2 power steering kit. I put in power brakes. Replaced the gas tank. New Carb, etc... All those were singular projects. Install, then drive it. Then do something else. Drive it. It was all good. Then in the early part of this year, I decided to bite the bullet and go for the full wiring harness, custom dash, new roll cage, and tube doors. Ya right! Frustrating as hell to find the time and it just sits in the garage and makes me sick when I see it. I have the dash pulled and part of the old wiring harness pulled. I only get about 3 months of legit nice weather in Seattle to enjoy it with the top off and its stuck in the garage. I know the angry feeling. Just need to keep chipping away. I hope to have it all back together by February, but who knows.

That being said, I don't get as much done as I want, but when I do get to work on it and one of my three little helpers wants to help, its hard to get too mad :)
 

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