'85 Bronco II Paint & Body Thread

[rumblecloud]

Maybe a little overboard, but seeing your work so far, maybe not.

Door liner idea...take a look..

 

[ford4wd08]

Dying the card's fabric should work. I'd think clean the fabric beforehand. If that doesn't work out, I think it likely that you could find close fabric and recover just the upper parts. I haven't had to deal with that yet.


Heavy mil plastic would be good for the liners. Here are some pics from my zoo and comment, in case it helps.

Here is my '84, which is probably what yours is originally:

View attachment 74088

Note that a first-gen has a decompression vent in the lower rear corner. Yours should be in good shape, as in the rubber flap being good, and more on this below.

On my '84 the paper liners are good enough so I kept them. Later on, I'll replace them with plastic, if needed.

Not sure of what model year, but later on Ford changed to using thick plastic sheet themselves for door liners. Here is how I replaced some torn ones on one of my Explorers.

Here's one of my original torn liners:
View attachment 74092

And here is some thick-mil plastic replacing it:
View attachment 74093

I used spray adhesive to stick the edges, and reinforced needed openings with tape. I can just peel it for future access, and spray glue it back.

On yours, you'll want to mimic the original shape, and leave the opening for the decompression vent.

Before you close it up, clean out any trash in the door bottom, and clean all of the window's moving parts, then lightly lube all of the contact points. I used white lithium.

If you haven't yet, but are going to replace the beltline felts, do that too before closing up the door.

Keep on truckin'!

I had the black paper like you showed above.

I think I'll do the heavy mil plastic and use double sided tape or spray adhesive.

As for the belts, I have already replaced them with new. Actually every door seal was replaced, all new weather stripping all the way around.

LMC took me for a expensive ride lol, but I will say all of the weatherstripping they supplied was great quality. I had bought glass runs before, and these are better.

Ole bronco buttons up pretty tight at the moment, minus the big hole in the glass

 

[ford4wd08]

Little bit of today's progress do far.

Oh by the way, I never could get the seat belts buckles up front to do right, the plastic around them was pretty weak, they are supposed to stand up above the seat for easy buckling. So I got some aluminum bar flat stock and slid it up the plastic sheathing and bored a hole through it so it would connect the the floor. Now they stand up great.

 

[ford4wd08]

So onto the door panels/cards. I actually have both styles, but much prefer the XLT ones that go up to the window belt. I got the other with I the interior I installed this weekend. Mine aren't in terrible shape, just faded because of sun.

I actually like the idea of having a vinyl there because it would be easy to clean. Mine arm is almost always on the window seal while driving. Especially when the windows are down.

Anyone every took this style apart before? I'm sure I could figure it out, they had to assemble them some how right?

That is all I have left in the interior minus maybe some more cleaning. I might paint the vent window frames too, but I can get to that later.

 

[RobbieD]

Anyone every took this style apart before? I'm sure I could figure it out, they had to assembly them some how right?

I have no direct experience with the nicer full door panels. Can you post a couple of clear shots of the backside of the panel?

 

[ford4wd08]

I have no direct experience with the nicer full door panels. Can you post a couple of clear shots of the backside of the panel?

Ask and you shall receive.

It appears the plastic chrome trim is glued on, I don't see how you could get it off without breaking it. The top of the panel is actually metal where it meets the window belt.

This thing is like a time machine. Look at the stamp from '84!

 

[RobbieD]

Thanks for the pics.

I think that the chromed strip insert was thermal process when the panel skin was manufactured, or even the skin was placed on the cardboard, processed, and then final-wrapped around the edges. In other words, the cover went into an injection press with high enough temp to melt the material into shape for the trim strip, then the strip was chrome-decaled (even the velour fabric is plastic, and it will melt).

Notice how the original material is stapled to the cardboard at the sides and bottom, but at the top it's glued to the metal section.

Anyway, here's some food for thought. You have the vent windows (which I really like). The panels you bought with the interior package will work, but they're not near as nice as the deluxe full panels. The smaller ones could even be recovered easier, but they still won't be as nice as the deluxe panels.

Your original panels are nicer, but for the fabric wear at the top. I think that it may be possible to just recover the top, with decent results. Especially if you'd like a vinyl material and not fabric in the arm rest areas. It will be a lot easier to explain sketched out, so I did this in robbieCAD:

First of all, disregard "removing the belt trim". I was thinking that it was attached to the door panel, but it's attached to the door instead. You will need to remove the lock button trim ring; I think that it can be carefully pried out (it should have locking tabs).

Basically, the strip of metal traps the lower edge of the vinyl (or new fabric), it is then covered, or hidden, when the material is pulled up and over to the panel edges, and it creates a clean seam between the original fabric and the new material (i.e.- vinyl or fabric). For the best results it should lay flat when installed, and not be "wavy". I'm thinking along the lines of the heavier metal banding, used in shipping freight, would be a good "scroungeable" source.

The thin foam padding helps in hiding the strip beneath the vinyl, tensions the vinyl which makes for an overall better look, and makes contact in use more comfortable.

On the top and side edges, trim the foam padding only "just over" or flush, and let the vinyl stay longer. Then use a good spray glue applied well to bond the back of the vinyl to the back of the door panel. It may be best to also trim the original material back, so that only the new material is glued directly to the panel back. Cutting slits in the glue-area of the material will help, to both pull it tight and to avoid bunching it up behind the panel. Warm vinyl is easier to work; a heat gun or hair dryer can help a lot.

This is one of those things that hard as hell to explain to somebody, and you have to sort of feel it out as you go along. I did this kind of upholstery when I was doing conversion vans for a while years ago, and with patience it's not hard, and can produce some great results.

Anyway, it's another option for you think about. And if you have some materials laying around, you can also play around with it to get an idea of how it works, before having to actually do any changes to the original panel.

 

[ford4wd08]

Thanks for the pics.

I think that the chromed strip insert was thermal process when the panel skin was manufactured, or even the skin was placed on the cardboard, processed, and then final-wrapped around the edges. In other words, the cover went into an injection press with high enough temp to melt the material into shape for the trim strip, then the strip was chrome-decaled (even the velour fabric is plastic, and it will melt).

Notice how the original material is stapled to the cardboard at the sides and bottom, but at the top it's glued to the metal section.

Anyway, here's some food for thought. You have the vent windows (which I really like). The panels you bought with the interior package will work, but they're not near as nice as the deluxe full panels. The smaller ones could even be recovered easier, but they still won't be as nice as the deluxe panels.

Your original panels are nicer, but for the fabric wear at the top. I think that it may be possible to just recover the top, with decent results. Especially if you'd like a vinyl material and not fabric in the arm rest areas. It will be a lot easier to explain sketched out, so I did this in robbieCAD:

View attachment 74150

First of all, disregard "removing the belt trim". I was thinking that it was attached to the door panel, but it's attached to the door instead. You will need to remove the lock button trim ring; I think that it can be carefully pried out (it should have locking tabs).

Basically, the strip of metal traps the lower edge of the vinyl (or new fabric), it is then covered, or hidden, when the material is pulled up and over to the panel edges, and it creates a clean seam between the original fabric and the new material (i.e.- vinyl or fabric). For the best results it should lay flat when installed, and not be "wavy". I'm thinking along the lines of the heavier metal banding, used in shipping freight, would be a good "scroungeable" source.

The thin foam padding helps in hiding the strip beneath the vinyl, tensions the vinyl which makes for an overall better look, and makes contact in use more comfortable.

On the top and side edges, trim the foam padding only "just over" or flush, and let the vinyl stay longer. Then use a good spray glue applied well to bond the back of the vinyl to the back of the door panel. It may be best to also trim the original material back, so that only the new material is glued directly to the panel back. Cutting slits in the glue-area of the material will help, to both pull it tight and to avoid bunching it up behind the panel. Warm vinyl is easier to work; a heat gun or hair dryer can help a lot.

This is one of those things that hard as hell to explain to somebody, and you have to sort of feel it out as you go along. I did this kind of upholstery when I was doing conversion vans for a while years ago, and with patience it's not hard, and can produce some great results.

Anyway, it's another option for you think about. And if you have some materials laying around, you can also play around with it to get an idea of how it works, before having to actually do any changes to the original panel.

Thanks for the excellent detail Robbie. I understand what you are describing to do.

The top of the panel where the current metal is actually has some level of foam already in the material.

I'm going to try the SEM color coat to start. Figure I'll clean them really well then hit them with a few coats. I'll tape off the chrome plastic and the bottom. I think it will get me through for now.

 

[ford4wd08]

So I have to give props to the theautoglasspros on eBay. They have double and triple checked that the glass I bought matches my current driver's side. They emailed me and asked for VIN described the factory privacy tint and even sent me two pictures of different styles via text so we could all be sure it was right.

Very impressed with that level of customer service. It will have to ship to me, but I'm pretty confident they will package it well. I paid about $350 for the glass and shipping which really isn't bad considering it is the right match and my new windshield was $295 installed. I'll probably be out another $100 to get it installed.

They have a refund policy if it isn't right and I'm sure a lot of my shipping charge is insurance.

Any tips of getting new clips on the post for the aluminum window trim around the windshields and quarter glass? I have all new clips from LMC, but they seem hard to press on for install and I'm a little gun shy at the moment around glass.

 

[RobbieD]

Good to know on your source for the glass; thanks.

I don't recall ever having any unusual problems with trim clips. If memory serves, I used the butt end of a wooden brush hande to push down on the clip top, once I have the stud head in the clip's slot. One thing that will make the installation difficult is if there's excessive sealant in the area that the clip will want to occupy. I have had to sometimes cut or scrape excessive sealant out from around the clip mount with a miniature scraper tool.

That's understandable, your concerns about working around the glass. The edges of glass are also easy to chip when doing trim work around them. One thing that I've done, is to lay down some wide masking tape and then some duct tape on top of that, to pad and shield the glass around the work area. Slightly overlap the tape over the glass edge and roll it down to also pad the side of the glass pane.

Just take your time; good luck!

 

[ford4wd08]

Good to know on your source for the glass; thanks.

I don't recall ever having any unusual problems with trim clips. If memory serves, I used the butt end of a wooden brush hande to push down on the clip top, once I have the stud head in the clip's slot. One thing that will make the installation difficult is if there's excessive sealant in the area that the clip will want to occupy. I have had to sometimes cut or scrape excessive sealant out from around the clip mount with a miniature scraper tool.

That's understandable, your concerns about working around the glass. The edges of glass are also easy to chip when doing trim work around them. One thing that I've done, is to lay down some wide masking tape and then some duct tape on top of that, to pad and shield the glass around the work area. Slightly overlap the tape over the glass edge and roll it down to also pad the side of the glass pane.

Just take your time; good luck!

I was able to get the trim and clips installed around the windshield and around the driver's side rear quarter window.

I used a plastic trim tool from harbor freight and a plastic hammer to tap them in place.

I was nervous, but worked through it.

My new quarter glass arrived yesterday (unbroken) and is being installed tomorrow morning.

I was out of town with the wife most of the weekend, but was able to get the panels painted and installed. I think they turned out pretty good. Especially for 20 bucks and some tape....

You can sort of tell where the faded areas are, I've got more paint if it does bother me, but I'm just happy it's not bleached white anymore.

Feels like a Bronco II on the inside again.

Started working on the aluminum wheels a little bit, they're pretty rough, but I'm just stripping them, sanding them, and will polish them up from there.

 

[RobbieD]

Looks great! I'd be happy with those. The deluxe interior on the first gens was a huge improvement over the base interior.

 

[ford4wd08]

Back in business....

Getting closer to getting this rig done.

 

[ford4wd08]

And I got the trim installed as well. Has a few hail dents, but it works with some fresh Rust-Oleum spray bombing.

Have to travel the rest of the week for work, but when I get back, I'll continue polishing paint, aluminum wheels, and bumpers.

 

[ford4wd08]

Well..... **** I went for a drive on the interstate today and my upper windshield trim (windshield reveal) decent to fly off in the excessive winds..... It was hail damaged and most likely not hanging on like it should have been.

Just heard it fly off while driving and never saw it again.... Drove back and looked... no sign of it.

Anyone have a lead for a replacement?

Luckily they were on rangers too for quiet a while.