Lewis & Clark Ford Bronco II

[Jim Oaks]

I was recently looking at a 1984 Ford Bronco II XLT on Facebook Marketplace for $3,700 and my mind started to wander...

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I started thinking; How cool would it be to build one of these as a Camel Trophy tribute? I've had this thought a few times over the years.

The graphics would be easy since I have a vinyl cutter, but I'd have to paint it.

Then I thought that leaving it the stock color & patina could be cool and seeing if I could build an adventure rig on a cheap budget. I already have a spare 4-inch lift kit sitting in my shop and 2-pairs of Rancho extended radius arms. If I stick to a 31-inch inch tire I could even keep the Dana 28 for now.

But what would the budget be? That was easy.

$6,000.

I complained in another thread about someone having to spend $6,000 on a transmission rebuild in their newer Ranger and that I could buy a whole vehicle for $6,000.

Ok, if it's a cheap adventure rig, how do I put it to the test? Where could I take it? What about Lewis & Clark?

I had actually shared a video before about someone that traced Lewis & Clarks route in a Jeep.

It would be even more fun to make the Bronco II look like it was an actual vehicle from the expedition which just requires a lot of imagination. But imagine getting out of your rig in some small mountain town dressed like a frontiersman in a vehicle with Lewis & Clark expedition markings.

Don't laugh. If guys can show up at our events in kilts, I can dress up as a fronteirsman.

And then I realized that I don't have $3,500 to buy a Bronco II and play Lewis & Clark.

My dog Reese would have made a great Clark.

But damn it, a guy can dream!

 

[oldgeek]

I have had similar feelings with an old MCS stereo receiver we have. I have been watching videos of techs repairing old receivers. I would like to go through ours and also rebuild our speakers. Time is the hardest resource to find. Then I try to remember the last time I even turned it on!

 

[JoshT]

What's this? I thought you were going to do a Street Freak BII...

That thread actually put the crazy idea of a choptop drift BII in mine. Was already thinking about a drift Ranger, just roll all of that over into a BII chassis.

How cool would it be to build one of these as a Camel Trophy tribute?

I don't hate this one either, but I think I'd skip the 7 lug wheel conversion and what ever is going on with that grill.

Given the top heavy nature of a BII in stock form, if going for more of the trophy truck type use, I think I'd have to go for full size axles. Stay TTB, but from an F-150/FSB. Wider footprint to help with stability, and the benefit of longer travel.

It would be even more fun to make the Bronco II look like it was an actual vehicle from the expedition which just requires a lot of imagination. But imagine getting out of your rig in some small mountain town dressed like a frontiersman in a vehicle with Lewis & Clark expedition markings.

Don't laugh. If guys can show up at our events in kilts, I can dress up as a fronteirsman.

Someone needs to build this BII and a time machine NOW!

Also a wagon to pull behind it with fuel for the journey, since it might be difficult to find a gas station.

They aren't going to get me into a kilt, but a frontiersman is something I could go with.

 

[Jim Oaks]

What's this? I thought you were going to do a Street Freak BII...

I was just sharing a thought. The engine would cost more than the vehicle.

I don't hate this one either, but I think I'd skip the 7 lug wheel conversion and what ever is going on with that grill.

My free AI only does renderings on a middle school level.

 

[Curious Hound]

I was recently looking at a 1984 Ford Bronco II XLT on Facebook Marketplace for $3,700 and my mind started to wander...

View attachment 150060
​

I started thinking; How cool would it be to build one of these as a Camel Trophy tribute? I've had this thought a few times over the years.

View attachment 150062​

The graphics would be easy since I have a vinyl cutter, but I'd have to paint it.

Then I thought that leaving it the stock color & patina could be cool and seeing if I could build an adventure rig on a cheap budget. I already have a spare 4-inch lift kit sitting in my shop and 2-pairs of Rancho extended radius arms. If I stick to a 31-inch inch tire I could even keep the Dana 28 for now.

But what would the budget be? That was easy.

$6,000.

I complained in another thread about someone having to spend $6,000 on a transmission rebuild in their newer Ranger and that I could buy a whole vehicle for $6,000.

Ok, if it's a cheap adventure rig, how do I put it to the test? Where could I take it? What about Lewis & Clark?

I had actually shared a video before about someone that traced Lewis & Clarks route in a Jeep.

It would be even more fun to make the Bronco II look like it was an actual vehicle from the expedition which just requires a lot of imagination. But imagine getting out of your rig in some small mountain town dressed like a frontiersman in a vehicle with Lewis & Clark expedition markings.

Don't laugh. If guys can show up at our events in kilts, I can dress up as a fronteirsman.

And then I realized that I don't have $3,500 to buy a Bronco II and play Lewis & Clark.

My dog Reese would have made a great Clark.

But damn it, a guy can dream!

View attachment 150061​

It needs a birchbark canoe on top and elk antlers on the hood.

 

[JoshT]

I was just sharing a thought. The engine would cost more than the vehicle.

Same for me and a drift Ranger/BII, but you still planted the seed.


Your AI rendering skills are better than mine. I could probably get one to draw a potato... if I was asking it to draw a tomato.

 

[oldgeek]

I gave it a try.

Copilot's effort

Meta.ai

Gemini's effort

Grok's effort

 

[Jim Oaks]

Gemini definitely gets the body styling the closest.

 

[Curious Hound]

Copilot doesn't know how to load a canoe on the roof.

 

[Jim Oaks]

This was the other Camel Trophy rendering AI did but the front looks too much like a Cherokee: