I would like to introduce my Salt Lake City-based BroncoSpeed chase/prerunner project that officially started April 7th, 2009. It is based on my 1996 XL 5.0/E4OD (with 169K miles, but is in pristine shape.) I purchased the Bronco in October 2008 specifically for this project, shortly after I got back from the 2008 ORE in Pomona.
Some details about the build:
The primary purpose of the truck will be for:
1. Daily driver transportation on SLC streets (50%)
2. Low speed off-road Utah, Colorado, and Nevada mountain/desert trail exploring (10%)
3. High-speed desert trail exploration/pre-running (30%)
4. Remaining activities (10%):
- Serving as a race worker for the Rally USA and California Rally Series Pro Rally events held in Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, and Idaho (2-3 events/year)
- Spectating at various BORE, SCORE, VORRA, and other off-road racing events in Utah, Nevada, and California
- Supporting various Ham Radio field day events in Utah and surrounding states
The vehicle will be built to meet these basic requirements:
- - Provide high levels of off-road performance without sacrificing street manners
- Be able to withstand and provide comfort on commutes
- Smoothly idle in gear and not overheat in bumper-to-bumper traffic
- Perform well in all types of weather environments (including snow) and handle all types of terrain
- Can be "ridden hard and put away wet"...and do it all over again next weekend
- Will not sacrifice interior comfort features like: A/C, cabin ventilation, radios, sunshades, door cranks, speakers/speaker placement
The Bronco will be built in phases:
Phase I: Initial vehicle modifications to achieve a fully turnkey operational vehicle that meets minimum standards summarized below:
- Full safety cage (roll cage)
- Mid-travel (16"-18") suspension work to achieve a mild lift and an increase in suspension travel (using as many off-the-shelf parts from reputable manufacturers as possible to save time and money);
- F&R pre-runner style bumpers custom fabricated
- Skid plates in select areas (as recommended by fabricator)
- Hella Off-road lighting
- 4.56 ring & pinions
- Suspension seating for four passengers
- Aftermarket 4-point safety harnesses x 4 seats
- Existing Ford 10-hole aluminum wheels with 35" tires
- Graphics (mild)
- FSB "6-Litre tune-up" (See http://fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63592 which includes plugs, wires, distributor cap, coil, and a timing advance)
- Fuel cell (DOT/EPA legal) <-- Cancelled July 2009
- Rear disk brakes <-- Cancelled July 2009...moved to Phase II
- Front disk brake enhancements
- Bassani E.O. headers & Y-pipe/catalytic converter system
- Cyclonic air filter <-- Included in Phase I, July 2009
- Dual batteries
- F&R fiberglass fenders <-- Cancelled August 2009
- Additional engine/transmission cooling
- Custom center console
- Detroit (Eaton) True-Trac (rear first, then front) <-- Rear Tru-Trac included in Phase I
This will be an Autofab Bronco. I have heard enough good things about John's suspension systems (at FSB and here...) that there is no other real choice for my budget. My various conversations and e-mails with John have solidified my decision. In fact, I have the dual 2.5" res. shock 16" travel TTB system is on order as of mid-March, 2009.
Here is a quick list of initial parts:
- Full cabin safety cage (DOM tubing, MIG welded)
- Autofab 16" travel TTB system, for dual 2.5" SAW shocks per wheel
- Autofab 18" travel 2-link leaf spring system, for single 2.5" SAW shocks per wheel
- Sway-A-Way RaceRunner 2.5¨ remote reservoir shocks <-- Changed April 2009 to replace the originally designated F-O-A 2.5" smooth body remotes that I wanted vice the SAWs
- 35x12.50-15 tires <-- Goodyear Silent Armors, 35x12.50-15's purchased May 2009
- American Racing Outlaw II 15x8 wheels (already on the Bronco) <-- Correction: Ford 10-hole OEM wheels, 15x7.5", polished
- 4.56:1 ring & pinions
- F&R prerunner bumpers (DOM, MIG)
- Hella 4000 lights (2 ea Euro Beam, 1 ea pencil beam) <-- Correction: 2 x Hella 4000s (Euro beam), 2 x Hella 500s (Euro beam)
- Mastercraft or Beard suspension seats, 4 ea (Mastercraft "originals", or Beard "Super Seats") w/ sliders <-- Mastercraft "Originals" x 4
- Mastercraft (or possibly a DOT-legal set) 2" 4-point restraints on all four seats
Fabricators: The fabricators that I have chosen are two local professionals that specialize in both off road long travel pre-runners and high performance racing vehicle fabrication.
- The lead fabricator is Ojive Industries (formerly HoleShot Off Road) who built a nice '96 2WD Ranger that appeared in ORM in 2004 (http://www.off-roadweb.com/features/...cab/index.html).
- The vehicle will be co-built at dp custom fab (http://www.dpcustomfab.com) shop in Centerville, UT. Special advanced thanks to "Revenant" down in American Fork for his suggestions, contacts, and his F-150 build (http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/...d.php?t=114672 )
- Magnaflow 3" cat-back exhaust
- K&N panel filter (in stock air-box) <-- Correction July 2009: OEM airbox will be replaced by a Advanced Air System cyclonic paper filter housing
- AR Outlaw II wheels (15x8) <-- Correction June 2009: These OEM wheels actually turned out to be Ford 10-hole 15x7.5" wheels!
I also look forward to documenting (narratives, pics) the entire build here (and at Broncospeed.com,) and I invite feedback from all. Thanks!
Some "before" photos attached below...and since I can only upload three photos at a time, I'll add more below!