Lookie at my new toy

[tbj188]

got it last weekend...but it drives just dont stop very well yet..

Thomas [

 

[kenny c]

cool bronco

 

[Yankee Transplant]

is it a 64 ?

 

[tbj188]

nope its a 71...bought it off my grandpa

 

[Yankee Transplant]

nice !!

 

[bruno]

Nice looking Bronco, Stopping is highly overrated.

 

[tbj188]

lol...didnt realize it until i was driving down a hill towards one of his gates...also the steering is off...it jerks me all over the road and thoughts or suggestions? i bought a steering stabilizer for it and will put it on this weekend.

 

[Dirtyrat]

I'd start going through the steering box, the fords typically get a ton of play in the old boxes...
They can be adjusted to remove some of that play...

But I'd still do a once over on all the moving parts to make sure nothing is worn out causing issues..

Nice Bronco for sure!

 

[soltz]

welcome

Love the bronco, the little PU is BA, what are your plans. OEM or Hot Rod [S as Bruno mentioned, stopping and steering are both over rated.

 

[donsrods]

Nice little Bronco. I had a new one in 1970, 302 stick, four wheel drive. I couldn't wait for the first snow storm to try it out. We took it to take my Sons for their Christening and we were one of the few cars on the road due to lots of that white stuff that day.

They really are a great little car.

Don

 

[CR55]

Nice![cl Love the old Broncos.

 

[tbj188]

my plans are going to be a frame off restoration but with modern conveniences like disk brakes on at-least the front and power steering...im going to leave the three on the tree....the engine in it is a 289 with a mild cam...haven't decided on color yet...but hopefully if i can get the body work done at a reasonable price. I can sell it and put some money into my 65 GMC and maybe the rat rod that I was planning on building.....Any thoughts should I go back all original or make it more driver friendly??

Thomas [

 

[Bamamav]

Nice Bronc! Those bring pretty good money when done right. That said, I'd resto-mod it. Nothing major, just upgrade to disc brakes, new paint and interior, make sure the engine is OK. I wouldn't go overboard on wheels and tires, either. Chrome or aluminum, 15", 10.00 or maybe 12.00. I'd love to have one like that, but have enough toys already, or so the wife says!

 

[maverickmk]

I like it. Drive it like ya' stole it

 

[Willowbilly3]

Sweet!! I had a 75 Explorer, 302 Auto. It was a lot of fun but with that posi rear it would swap ends faster than you could blink if you hit a patch of ice in 2wd.

 

[Sniper]

lol....also the steering is off...it jerks me all over the road and thoughts or suggestions? i bought a steering stabilizer for it and will put it on this weekend.

Had a Jeep in the shop one time doing the same thing. Real twitchy steering from time to time...but not all the time. Turned out to be the front axle 'U' joints were seizing up, they would steer the spindle in the direction they were seized in. Being real tight, they load up in tension and make the steering act real wonky.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Also I'd check the track bar bushings. If you rock the steering wheel with the truck setting still, the front will wag back and forth if they are loose.

 

[tbj188]

Thanks guys ill check all that out...I aired up the tires a bit more and it helped some...took it to a body man he said to fix it would cost me up to 4400...wife thinks thats too much but im not sure....thats not counting the paint...and also is it hard to repair the front apron, rockers inner and outer, and replace floor pans in one of these....I was thinking about trying to tackle the body work myself and get paint done by professional.

Let me know what you think,

Thomas [

 

[Willowbilly3]

I'd say go for it. I bet you can buy every panel for it, probably make some of your own. My 75 looked pretty solid but I ended up taking the front fenders off just to fix the sagging, rusted door hinges. Even though the fenders looked pretty good, they were junk and needed replaced. So I ended up with about 50 hours and new front fenders into a job that started as a 15 minute door adjustment. Personally, I'd keep the original color. I always like colors that are contemporary to the model, not fadish. Nothing looks worse than something like silver and blue 2 tone on a car that never came that way. Even if you don't like that color, Ford had a buttload of standard color options back then. I don't know what your 65 pickup looks like but I think I'd keep the Bronco over a 65 pickup.

 

[dmw56]

Love 1st gen Broncos. If it's a 71 it should have 302 unless it was replaced.