Project "Cash" - Less

[Commitclothing]

Also posted on BroncoII.org

Newbie Here :hi:,

Never been a Ford guy.....Sorry if anyone takes offense to that :bigfinger:, but day by day, this little Bronco II is converting me. Picked her up for $400.

Looks like:

5"-6" SJ lift.
Stock 2.9 with @least 250k + on it. Got it with a nasty 2.9 lifter tick...Shocking!
Welded stock axles front and rear. Front Drivers side was spun...bad!
Solid 5spd and BW 1354 manual shift already installed.
Smitty built tubes Front and rear
33" x 12.5" 15 Big O muds
TONS of "Redneck engineering"

Wonder where I got the name from!! I couldnt pass this thing up with this awesome stencil on it! I heard it even gives it more HP!

It looks to me like someone built this thing for a local tough truck competition!
The long of the short....A buddy of mine got this and some guns in trade for an F600 flatbed. He was gonna keep it to mash in the hills, but decided to build a Wrangler instead....More streetable for less in his opinion.

So, I Pick-N-Pulled 2 new Drivers front axles, one replacement and one spare. Also got three manual locking hubs. Does anyone know why this thing would have shown up on stock axles with one manual locking hub and one automatic hub cover? The only thing I can think of is when they spun the axle they pulled it and threw on an auto cover, just dont know why, but there is a lot of things done to this rig that I have to question!!



I took it on one trip to the Hot Springs, Super Chill spot in the Sierras, Natural springs and pools right over the river. Awesome!

The little beast crawled the whole 20+ miles to the springs, and crossed the river...water just started entering the cab @ the deepest point.

By this point, I'm stoked! Wouldnt you know, as soon as we got to the springs, I ripped a sidewall on one of my awesome mall crawler tires! I know, I know, Radical self reliance is key....but it didnt really work out for me this time! after abandoning the Bronco @ midnight on a Sunday night( I own a business and my Girl is a teacher, so a No Call No Show for either one uf us is out of the question!) I returned Monday afternoon with some buddies and a spare. Crossed the river around sun set on Monday without a hitch. Enter problem #2

NO HEADLIGHTS!

With the use of one 12v spotlight and a generous buddy hangin out the door the whole way home, we made it.

Enter Problem #3

LOST AN OIL PUMP!

by this point I just wanted this damn thing home, so i drove it! It doesnt have an oil pressure gauge, so I dont't know how bad it really was, but if it was lugging, right before stall, my oil "Dummy" light would come on. She smelled pretty bad by the time we got home, but we got home.

This is where the project starts!

I have a spare 2.8 @ my disposal, but knowing myself, that just would not suffice! So after a whole 2 days of CL shopping I found a guy that started a 95 Exploder 4.0 into his ranger, 'til he figured out how much of a pain in the a*s that is on a truck that came stock with a 3.0. I got the motor, Tranny, and the stock Eshift T-Case for $300, with 54k on them all!! I really wanted to do this swap with a donor car, but this setup was too cheap to pass up. Ebayed a full engine wiring harness for a best offer bid of $60 out of a 95 exploder manual. Haven't received it yet, but the pictures look awesome. The guy is even throwing in the fuse panels. Also got an ECU for $50.

PLANS:
The whole idea for this build is to build a rig that I can sink in the river, and not worry about getting to work on Monday. Build it cheap. Build it strong. I figure with the explorer drive train underneath and a bit of cleanup, gears and lockers when the budget can handle it, this thing should Mash through a majority of the trails around here(Dont forget I live by Lake Tahoe, I am spoiled with my trail selection around here!)

The motor swap is starting this weekend.

Still looking for a D35/8.8 setup for cheap if anyone come across a set in Northern Nevada/California.

And an explorer dash.

Roll cage is coming out for a lighter, more coverage setup.

Got atleast a few days of metal work cleanup just on the roof!

Looking for a used set of 33" swampers.

Doubler

Body is HAMMERED!

Surprised with the flex from the D20 TTB

This is my first non native motor swap. So if anyone in the greater Reno/Lake Tahoe area has any expertise...I am your new best firend!

anyone else have any suggestions for cheap - useful - mods for the new beater?

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Sweet rig you got there! You can look up in the tech library about alot of info you will neeed even a 4.0L swap. One thing that is kinda scaring me about it is the rear shackle for your leaf spring. It looks like 2 pieces of that metal striping. Maybe its an actual shackle though... IDK Well good luck with it and just ask aboutany questions someone on here is bound to know what to do.

 

[Commitclothing]

Yeah, The shackles aren't the stoutest looking things in the world, but they are "real shackles". Was thinking about replacing them with an old set of revolvers off of a buddy, but have heard quite a few horror stories from people saying the revolvers unload at the most in-opportune times....usually rollover to follow!

 

[Commitclothing]

Check out what I got today!!

Now just waitin' on the harness to start tearin' her apart!

 

[Original_Ranger84]

High Five!

 

[Commitclothing]

I know, I know......Still no progress on the truck itself, but this is an EXTREME budget build, so I'm trying to acquire everything I need and do it all at once......The good news, Im almost there!

The 4.0 !!!! 54k miles!!

<BR><BR>
GOt a complete EM Harness off ebay. NOTHING CUT, came with fuse panels even came with mounting clips still useable...Awesome!<BR>

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She just got loaded on the trailer to take her to my buddies shop to start the transplant!!!

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Almost forgot. Picked up a set of '94 Exploder axles with brand new brakes....Rear 8.8, 3.73 open. Front D 35, 3.73 open. Should be a lot nicer on the road than the Welded front and rear combo this thing came with. $100, and I used their torch to get 'em off the donor!!

So, I have most of the big stuff I am going to need, besides tires, and am looking for lockers now. anyone have suggestions? keep in mind this rig will get past around from me, to my lil brother(13), to my Chica(tryin' to get her to feel the itch...wait, that didnt come out right!!) and that I am keeping this build VERY frugal. Was thinking about spooling the rear, with an aussie or detroit, some sorty of lunch box locker up front........suggestions?

I will get ya'all some pics this weekend or next week, we have 3 guys working on it @ my buddies race shop, so hopefully we will have the motor in, Axles swapped, and wiring close.......Wish me luck

 

[TheNicky]

Nice Finds... haha im in nor cal thats cool...
Good luck... sounds like you have 1 BUSY weekend haha...

Hopefully you dont run into too many snags

 

[dangerranger83]

Sounds like somebody is going to have a fun weekend. Love swapping motors.

 

[BlackBII]

Ooooh 4.0!

Should be bitchin when it's all done.

Good luck on the swap!

I would clean everything up and paint it all satin black, that red looks silly.

 

[Commitclothing]

Yeah, I agree. But right now its all about the mechanics. I want this motor in, Axles swapped, and need to find a cheap set of 35's, then I'll get on to the aesthetics. Not to say I'm gonna make this thing pretty, but I'm contemplating going OD Green for everything. I own a vinyl graphics shop and will probably *One off army stencil it after paint.....but still want both front fenders to be replaced before that.

**BlackBII, I know you swapped a 4.0 in already, what's your diff gearing @? Trying to decide what is going to be beneficial to me behind this 4.0. As of now thinking 4.10's.........

 

[BlackBII]

I have 4.56's and 33"s..a very good setup. If I were to get 35"s, I think it would be OK, but 4.88's would be better.

I think 4.10's and 35"s would not be geared low enough, but that's me.

Right now I am at 2700rpms at about 60 mph or so. (I have a 2.9 M5OD)

 

[Commitclothing]

Thanks

 

[Commitclothing]

Got some work done this morning before we had to head to the race track. A bunch of work, but doesn't feel like a lot of progress..... Decided to pull the body off so I can clean up a lot of things while we're doing the 4.0 swap. Once we got the body off and started going after the drive train, my buddy informed me of a set or waggy axles he has on the side of the shop.....now the question..... To SAS or not to SAS.....I know it's an obvious answer for 90% of us, but now I'm looking at a 4.0 swap. new m5od, and b.w 1350 install, 8.8 and d35, completely rewire, reset cab. now to throw a sas swap on top of that, this build is getting away from the idea that started it all.....to build a cheap, quick and easy rig to play with now.....we'll see how the rest of the weekend goes.

Don't know if the pics are gonna work, trying to post from my iPhone.

 

[zainyD]]

SAS it. You already have everything torn apart and obviously have access to a good shop. No time like the present.

 

[Commitclothing]

I agree, but, always with the but.... The d44 that we want to
to use will need quite a bit of work, and need to be geared. All while still trying to keep this build low budget style. My thought as Now is to use the 35 Ive got and save up a little scratch and throw some tons underneath it this winter. This thing being a chop top and living in the sierras, I don't see many runs foe this old girl from about November til March. Thinking that would be a very opportune time for that swap. right now..... I just wanna get her on the trail. Not the right train of thought, but @least I recognize that!!