Biggest Regret on Your Build?

[willtel]

For those of us that have built a Bronco and "finished" it what is your biggest regret?

Mine has to be that i didn't do any sound or heat insulation on my tub when I had the body off the frame. It is like riding in a hair dryer in the summer once everything gets heat soaked. I plan to go back and fix it but it would have been much easier before I put it together.

What about you?

 

[garberz]

Not buying two Broncos, when I bought this one in 03’.

Mark

 

[sanndmann3]

Not stroking the 351 block when I built my engine.

 

[bronconut73]

Not stroking the 351 block when I built my engine.

This/\/\
But my excuse is it was 30+ years ago, I was on a teen agers budget, and strokers weren't as common as today.

But yea....a 408 would be bitchin'....

 

[ET]

Putting an auto in instead of the np435. Now I have to spend more money and time into converting back to 435. Fustrating...

Eugene

 

[blubuckaroo]

I've owned this '77 since it was new, so my regrets are many.
My biggest is building a performance motor rather than using gearing to fix performance problems.
More motor will never fix performance issues from three speed (manual & auto) trannys.
Lower gears and an overdrive tranny are the answer.
I know you all want a hot motor, but you'll do better with an investment in gearing.

 

[garberz]

I've owned this '77 since it was new, so my regrets are many.
My biggest is building a performance motor rather than using gearing to fix performance problems.
More motor will never fix performance issues from three speed (manual & auto) trannys.
Lower gears and an overdrive tranny are the answer.
I know you all want a hot motor, but you'll do better with an investment in gearing.

It’s too bad more people don’t understand this concept! Well stated.

Mark

 

[bronconut73]

I've owned this '77 since it was new, so my regrets are many.
My biggest is building a performance motor rather than using gearing to fix performance problems.
More motor will never fix performance issues from three speed (manual & auto) trannys.
Lower gears and an overdrive tranny are the answer.
I know you all want a hot motor, but you'll do better with an investment in gearing.

I want to have my cake (power/torque)
And
Eat it (gears) too.

 

[Kbpony]

I wish I’d have found a 351 to put in it instead of the 302.

 

[MarsChariot]

Yes, blubuckaroo pretty well summarized it right there. Along the same thoughts, I am wondering if the headlong rush to Coyote motors in Early Broncos is mistake. The other thing is loud exhausts. Quiet is cool these days.

 

[sykanr0ng]

Not having it completely planned out from the beginning.

Buying parts, then finding better parts and buying them and changing the plan to suit them, then finding even better parts and buying them and changing the plan to suit them is !@#$%^.

 

[STalon89]

Not having it completely planned out from the beginning.

Buying parts, then finding better parts and buying them and changing the plan to suit them, then finding even better parts and buying them and changing the plan to suit them is !@#$%^.

Haha this is a big one for me

 

[1strodeo]

Buying parts, then finding better parts and buying them and changing the plan to suit them, then finding even better parts and buying them and changing the plan to suit them is !@#$%^.

or buying smalls (switches, knobs, pigtails) only to find out the box/bucket of parts that came with the Bronco had what you needed

 

[EBGeek]

I love this topic, I bet you get a significant response here.

Hands down, my biggest regret was not going with an OD transmission while I had my rig apart. I had a C4 on hand, and I underestimated the amount of difference 4.11 gears would make (I had 3.50 in previous rig). Its still very drivable, but I'm not a big fan of interstate driving as I feel like I'm wearing my motor out.

Second biggest regret was cheaping out on my mufflers and putting Turbos on instead of spending a little more money on Flowmaster/Magnaflow. I love a good exhaust note as much as the next guy, but my turbos are entirely too loud once you past about half throttle.

Lastly was putting off the 'expensive' front disk brake conversion. I drove around for nearly a year on manual drums and had a couple close calls before finally taking the dive on a power disk swap. There have been at least two instances since then that I know without a doubt my disk brakes saved me from a crash, which makes that 'expensive' $1000 investment more than worth the time/money.

 

[stoker]

My biggest regret is that I cut corners in the earlier stages of the project. Money was tight so I didn't correct PO's poor handiwork and patched rust holes and floors when I should have installed new panels.
The average guy wouldn't notice unless you're under the truck but I know it's not right. One day I'll fix it right.

 

[Justafordguy]

I got in a hurry and cut some corners on the body work that I regret now. It had been so long since I had an EB I just wanted it finished so I could drive it.

 

[tasker]

TAKING THIS LONG and still not being done! At least I do have another one to drive!

 

[Brnco302]

I had a pretty good rust free tub but I had to replace the floor pans because it came with a rubber mat.it held in all the moisture. I than rinolined the entire tub. Should of just painted it the same color. Real hard to keep it clean.

 

[Dannyboy71]

Two things that I am in the process of changing now that should have been done in the beginning are putting hydroboost brakes in. The new motor seems to not give enough vacuum even though I put a new booster in. Second is gearing changing from 4:11 to 4:56 and the big one which will probably not change is the ecm wish I had coil packs with a trigger wheel (explorer) instead of my distributor(mustang a9p) not bad I guess just time and money��

 

[FordBronc]

My biggest regret is that I have 2 Bronco's to try and work on and not enough time.