1978 Ford Bronco XLT

I've had this forum in my favorites for a while now, but until recently I didn't realize that I didn't sign up. My name is TC, and last January I purchased a 1978 Ford Bronco XLT. Here's how the story goes:

A few years ago, I lost my grandfather. To make a long story short, most of his stuff was sold with the estate, including his 1978 Ford Bronco XLT. Last January I was headed to work, when I saw a blue and white Ford Bronco on the side of the road for sale. It looked very familiar, but I thought it was too much of a coincidence to be my grandfathers truck. So for 3 days I drove past this truck going to work, not giving it a second thought, when the 4th day my father gave me a call and told me that I'd never guess what was sitting on the side of the road. I asked him if he was sure it was the same truck, and he said that he had gone back home, gotten a copy of the old title and the keys, and "verified" it was the same truck. Needless to say the next day I bought the truck.

The guy I bought the truck from wasn't the brightest bulb in the pack. One of his selling pitches for the truck was that he redid all the brakes, they just needed bleeding. Didn't matter to me if they were done, I was going to redo them anyways. I got the truck home (what an experience) and started to tear the brakes apart. What he called new brakes was new lines. The rear drums were so worm that they cut themselves into the drum, and the front brakes were pretty much frozen. He had been driving the truck on the front passenger caliper, thats IT.

Right now I'm replacing the front wheel U-Joints, after thats done I'll redo the transmission line, which he did in all rubber hose, as well as the fuel line, which is all rubber hose as well.

I'm not sure if I want to keep the plow or not. I really want to make this truck shine (after some body work of course, since the guy drove the winter, and let it sit outside for the summer) so I don't think I want to plow with a pretty truck. I will, however be adding a lift kit and some mudders, and plan on off roading with the truck

Info on the truck:
- Factory Ford 351M
- Rear Axel: Ford 9"
- Front Axel: Dana 44
- C6 Ford Automatic
- 205 New Process Transfer Case (Part Time)
- Free Wheeling Hubs


Onto the pictures.



Please, comments, crits, suggestions are all welcome.

My Bronco, as well as my other cars, can be viewed here as well: http://www.fquick.com/cooltc2004

Nice truck, I always liked the old FS Broncos. If it were MY choice (which it isn't) I would fix the rust, take off the plow and get some bigger tires on there. Is the top supposed come off or is it just made to look that way?

cooltc2004 said:

I'm not sure if I want to keep the plow or not. I really want to make this truck shine (after some body work of course, since the guy drove the winter, and let it sit outside for the summer) so I don't think I want to plow with a pretty truck. I will, however be adding a lift kit and some mudders, and plan on off roading with the truck

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So, you don't want to plow with a nice truck, yet you don't care about scratching it up going off-road?

exbass94 said:

So, you don't want to plow with a nice truck, yet you don't care about scratching it up going off-road?

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plows look stupid and have parts that the plow attaches to that hang down, makes for a bad approach angle.

Wheelers do not make good plow trucks and plow truck do not make good wheelers (different spring rates).

that being said......... whats your location cooltc? if you don't want the plow, I'll take it for my Suburban (not a wheeler)

The top can come off, and once I redo all the weather stripping, I'll be having it off alot during the summer.

I don't plan on doing rock crawling or serious off roading, and (I dont think) nobody plans on scratching their truck. And, as BDAB verified, I didn't think off roading trucks made good plow trucks.

As for the plow, I do have a truck (89 Blazer) that we are looking to put it on, but if anything changes I'll let you know. BTW I'm in Ohio.