1979 Ford Bronco Restoration "Iron Horse"

[Ranger Kip]

Well, I was on the bus, lets say, 3 years ago, driving past a house that had a falling garage and a odd looking Ford Truck with a cap on it sitting in the right bay. I found it interesting for the next 3 school years of my life, passing it everyday almost, just staring at it. Well, a few days ago, from this post, I went over with my buddy Jason, for the shits and giggles we ask him how much, he said $50, and I ended up getting it for free.... Well, Its a 1979 Ford Bronco with a little over 120,000 miles on its 400m Engine.

Automatic Transmission, 4wd, blue interior, white/blue exterior (originally), and a lot of work ahead of me.

The tires were rotted and it had no brakes, and it had not started or moved in 7 years, so I had to pull it out with the F150.

Here the project goes....

 

[Ranger Kip]

Went over today and pulled out the passenger side seat, the back seat, a lot of carpeting, and a lot of the shit the previous owner's daughter in law's kid's friends' had in it. There were beer cans, soda cans, the smell of weed, you name it, YUCK!

Well, I came across some problems, but all expected.... Bondo work and bottompan rust.
I will need to get images tomorrow or this sunday because Im going to be gone friday and saturday, and when I took images I had my phone's camera resolution set to a low settle that made the photos really small.....


I will need 2 new rear quarter panels ($200 LMC or $45 Pickapart), and floorboard work done (bottom pans are about $35 a piece).

 

[koda6966]

One hell of a deal.



Congrats.

 

[dangerranger83]

Glad to see that you are fixing her up. Glad to see that in the 3 years of seeing it that the barn didnt fall on it.


I will be watching this build thread.

 

[buell-eyed-devil]

I agree. Congrats, you stole it. Wish I could find one for 50. My neighbor sold a 76 for 400. Didnt offer it to me though....bitch

 

[stegomon]

well if the body it beyond repair. slap a ranger body on her and some 35s and call it grand!!!!!! good luck

 

[Ranger Kip]

well if the body it beyond repair. slap a ranger body on her and some 35s and call it grand!!!!!! good luck

you, over there, no..... well, is actually very tempting, but if the body ends up being more work than its worth, and I cannot find a suitable replacement, Im gonna patch and bondo the hell out of it and paint it a glossy black with 5 rattle can coats. Right now its worth $600 junkyard value lol.

 

[jhammel85]

Black is hard to paint nicely..Just saying if its your 1st time painting a car or doing body work. If you bondo it it don't go too thick (3/16" max?) or you'll regret what you find.

Dumbboy who painted my truck before I had it LOVED bondo. The rear fenders are paying the price for it now.

 

[Boggin]

if your rattle canning it, dont do it black. that looks like an original paint job offered on the 79s, its Jade Green. should do it back like it was in the factory, or do it this kind of Jade green;

thats what ill be doing with mine when shes done.

 

[koda6966]

Yeah black is hard to get right. It's the easiest color to match though IMO. Black is black lol.

I would do what Boggin said and go with an OEM design. Since those are light colors I would stick with that, lighter colors are easier to paint in my experience.

 

[Ranger Kip]

How do you paint fiberglass without ruining it? also, how do I patch fiberglass? there is a crack in the corner of it, and its about 4" long, and should I drill the ends of the crack to keep it from getting larger?

 

[dangerranger83]

Does she run and drive yet? If not I would do that first before even doing body work.

 

[Ranger Kip]

I need some headers first, also, can you tell me where the battery cables attach to on the engine? Mine are unbolted

 

[Boggin]

change your info under your username. your bronco does not have '351hp'. more like 150hp. its either 351CID/5.8L or 400CID/6.6L

 

[shane96ranger]

change your info under your username. your bronco does not have '351hp'. more like 150hp. its either 351CID/5.8L or 400CID/6.6L

Maybe hp means high performance dude.....