Tonto's Build Thread

[BronKitis]

Ok, for the past year I've been doing an axle swap with limited funds, scrap metal and a lot of learning along the way! I kept breaking my rear driveshaft with 30'' tires so I decided it wasn't big enough to tackle what the Northwest has to offer. I went with a HP44 up front from a 1978 F-250 and the Dana 60 from the same truck. 4.10 gears and 36's seemed to be a wise choice since I had the tires laying around already.

These first 4 pictures are when I brought it home. I bought it for $300 with 89K on it! P.O. had swapped a manual tranny in place of the auto and hadn't got a front driveshaft yet nor could he get it to engage in 4 (touch drive) Got it home, played with some wires and got it in 4, junkyard shaft and it was on it's way!

 

[BronKitis]

Then the work started. No pics, but I did the infamous washer lift and belltech 6400 shackles to clear these sweet 7.50-15's I got on trade. They were used on a Canadian Military trailer and I thought they were freaking sweet! First real investment was the Smittybuilt 8K winch and built the bumper out of some spare scrap metal hanging around. First bumper I've ever built but it has been holding up well!

 

[BronKitis]

So, I played with it a few times after a little work here and there. Turns out previous owner didn't put fluid in tranny when he did the swap and I lost everything but 4th gear. Had to swap that out.... Anyway, the driveshaft pic is what instigated the build. It was resting on a rock in a mud hole and the rock actually acted like a torch and cut the shaft right in half from the friction of spinning in the same spot! I swore right then and there that I would never leave Elbe Hills in front wheel drive again!

 

[88_Eddie]

ok, your avatar pic is way more badass than the pics you've posted.....hurry up lol

 

[BronKitis]

And so work began.... Lots of it.....

 

[BronKitis]

New Perches, out with the old, in with the new! I should mention that all these photos are from my phone as my digital camera was stolen along with my laptop and all the really detailed pics were lost

 

[BronKitis]

Blocks were used for tire fitment. The tires in the pics are 37's on the rear. Those are 3" blocks from schmucks plus the 3" from the shackles. I upgraded to explorer leafs in the rear with add-a-leafs for another 3+ inches of lift and went to real steel 2" blocks. Think I'm at 9" in the rear total.

Very little offset wheels really help with tuck. The front springs I used were from the rear of a CJ7 and were 4" superlift springs a buddy had laying around from his build. I built the crossmember out of 1/4" wall square tube which I welded my shackle hangers to. I decided to run my shackles up front to help with pinion angle and it was the easiest route to take. They are the stock shackles from the 78' and I love the length! Wound up being exactly what I needed! I went with the F250 shock towers and some cheapo shocks up front for now. For the rear spring hangers, I used 1/4'' flat stock under the fram and came out 4'' to accomodate the wider front axle. I then took some 3''x3'' 1/4'' angle, welded a gusset in the middle and the used that as a gusset for the plate which I welded the rear hangers to. No pics of that (welds are a little embarassing )

I managed to peice together my brake lines crossreferencing from a website. Everything worked beautifully and I think I was into them like $45!!! DEAL!!! All of my spring hangers, shackle mounts and perches were purchased from RuffStuffSpecialties.com I highly recommend them! Awesome company and products!

 

[jhammel85]

Great build!

 

[BronKitis]

OK all, been a while since I posted! Sorry for the delay. Since last post, I got my steering all done! I found a local guy who machined my knuckle for me and even pressed the new ball joints all for $75! With a 3/4 heim joint and some fancy fabrication, I got steering!!!! Works SO much better than the goofy Z-Link I built to get it in and out of the garage.

I also upgraded my brake master cylinder to a 78-79 F250- The lines come out on the DS like the factory do, but it gets rid of the common design which I prefer!

Also installed some basic gauges to keep an eye on everything... Turns out, after she warms up the oil PSI is chugging right around 6.... No Bueno.

http://img.tapatalk.com/

Forgot about this sweet front driveshaft I built! Had to maintain the BII slip yoke, this was my solution! Lol!
d/14/02/20/hemezuve.jpg


All done with new drag link!

Not to terrible if I do say so myself!

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[BronKitis]

A couple more pics...

The pic on the trailer was after her first trip out! She wheeled like a champ for being open front and rear, but something went wrong...

The motor started to run like absolute crap.... Thought it was a plugged cat. Nope. That it was a bad ICM. Nope. Thought it was a bad plug in the harness, or a ground on ECM, or fuel pump, or distributor, NOPE! After a few weeks, I found the solution.....

I would like to introduce to you all, John Doe-Ner! A 1985 Bronco with a 351W/C6/NP208 Carbureted you ask? YES! Simplicity. Also, it's a freaking HOLLEY TRUCK AVENGER! John has a 3" body lift on 35" tires, an extra c6 and NP208, runs great and cost me a whopping $600!

Plan is to swap all the drive train over to Tonto. I know I've got MORE work cut out for me that I honestly was hoping to push off for a year or so, but I'm not going to sink another dime into a dying 2.9....

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[BronKitis]

Here we go! Officially licensed myself as a heart surgeon...

Lots of Bronco blood.... Didn't say I was a good surgeon... Anyways, the 351 is pulled. Up way too late last night, decreased the best I could, pulled oil pan and valve covers for quick paint and new gaskets since the pan was leaking. It won't be the prettiest motor you'll see here on TRS, but my plan is to get another 351 and build it over the course of a year or so.

Today comes the 2.9! Yarding everything out of Tonto! If anyone has any advice, please feel free to share! More pics this afternoon, I gotta get to work!

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[BronKitis]

Back at it again today, except we pulled the 2.9 from the BII. Man! It is tight in that thing! Plus all the wires and stuff.... But, it was a good day and has been a good learning experience. Pretty straight forward to get it out though. Here's some shots of the progress.

Took tranny and tcase out all in one shot. Bell housing bolts were a pita!

Out she came! Rather than pulling the upper intake and what not to get bolts for a motor plate, we just used 2 tie down straps around it. Worked great, but I sacrificed the ignition module on the back of the dizzy :-( I have another one though, EVEN THOUGH I WON'T NEED IT ANYMORE!!! :sly:

Empty and lonely.

Itty bitty cologne!

And this is why I didn't want a 4.0 or fuel injection period. That's a whole lot of wires that I don't know one thing about! Harness was easy to get out more or less.

Anyways, that's it for today. Gonna rest my back and have a beer.

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[jhammel85]

Youve been busy!

That's too bad about the 2.9. Did you have your doubts about it before you found that the oil pressure was so low?

Either way, with that Bronco for 600 bucks, you can't go wrong! What's going to happen to the Bronco? It looks fairyly clean...Might be able to part it out!

 

[BronKitis]

I posted it on CL for parts, but I have a guy interested in the whole thing as it sits for what I paid for it! That equals a free motor and tranny! Speaking of tranny....

Can anyone tell me if the speedo cable from the 1350 will work with the NP208?? I'm pretty sure they won't, but I'm ordering a new speedometer and think I'll just go with the GPS style to eliminate the need for a cable all together.... Unless they're interchangeable.... Then I'll save my money :-D

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[Hagan]

Looking good so far!

I'm in the process of doing a 351w swap also! Except I am not using an automatic or 208. Wait until you get the 351w in and see all the clearances!