Black954's 81 Silver Lake sand dunes build

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:49 pm

Well, I was reluctant to start a thread until I was able to get back working on it, but I was bored at work and am getting to the point where I am having more and more questions. So here we go...
I live in the Chicago suburbs so I'm kind of out here by myself. I go to the Silver Lake sand dunes in Michigan 2-4 times a year usually riding quads, dirt bikes, jeeps, and trucks (just sold my Ford Raptor). I built a 1978 CJ7 starting in 2008 and finished it in around 2012. It was build just for the dunes for my wife and I. BUT, by time I finished it, we grew to a family of 4. The jeep was just too small for us so I started looking for a FSB. I found this one near by that was originally from California so it didn't have too much rust for a Midwest truck. Unfortunatly, I lost the jeep in a garage fire last year. This kind of jump started the plans to build the Bronco. It wasn't a bid deal since I had a 2011 Ford Raptor to use in the mean time. Well, we also sold our house and move 10 months ago. This was all good,but the new house only had a 1 1/2 car garage that the Bronco wouldn't fit into. SO, I recently sold the Raptor to build a 28'x40' garage in my back yard. Right now i'm in the process of finishing the garage so I can get back onto the Bronco. I'm building the garage myself, so it's taken a few months to get to this point. But, I should be up and working back on the Bronco in a couple months. I appreciate suggestions and welcome comments!

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:53 pm

This is the jeep that has it's soul in my Bronco. It was a frame off restoration done entirely by myself with the exception of the paint. It had a build AMC360 running race gas and around 400-450hp, 4.56 gears with Detroits, 35" BFG's, mid travel leaf springs with Fox bypasses, full cage, Mastercraft seats, etc.

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:57 pm

A few more. It was kind of an old school/lightly modified build. The last pic is what it looked like pulled from the fire. I kept the tires and swapped my old Raptor tires on it before they took it away

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 1:06 pm

So here's the Bronco. It's an 81 Ranger model which was pretty much loaded. It's got power everything, 351m, C6. I wish it weren't optioned out so I'd have manual windows and locks, but oh well. I gave the drivetrain to my buddy since I will not be using any of it. It also came with an old school Rancho 4" lift kit. It will stay that way until phase 2 of the build when I go extended C&T front end with coilovers, full float widened 40 spline 9" rear and 4 link. So far I've only gutted the interior and cleaned up the engine bay. I will be boxing the frame and welding all the front cross members to the frame before I install the new drivetrain. I plan on going full chromoly cage front to back as well. I have aluminum solid body mounts and ordered up a ton of chromoly tubing. Most of it will be 2"x.120", but I also have 2"x.095", 1.625"x.120" and 1.625x.095" tubing for gussets and mounts. I bought 320' of it since it was cheaper by the qty. and I can sell what's left.

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 1:09 pm

Cleaned engine bay

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 1:14 pm

For now, I'll be running the suspension pretty much as is. I did pick up some FOX 2.0's for the front since the 25 year old Rancho 5000's are ready to fall apart. I will be sending out my old rear Raptor Fox 2.5's to get rebuilt and revalved for the rear of the Bronco too. I kept my mint 35x12.50-17 BFG KM2's from my jeep for the Bronco, though now i'm thinking of going 37"s. I got a great Black Friday deal on some 17x9.5" Raceline beadlocks so they are all mounted up

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 1:19 pm

I ran Autometer's in the Jeep, but wanted to try out the Speedhut gauges. They are made in USA and will easily hook up to the LS platform. Autometer's need a lot of expensive senders to use them on an LS motor.

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 1:36 pm

So, I know I'm going to catch a lot of hell, but I'm running LS power. I learned my lesson the hard way building an AMC motor because I wanted my jeep to be "all AMC". I had over $7,000 into that motor for 400-450hp and it just wasn't worth all the aggravation. FORD is not sponsoring my build so I'm going with what I think is the best bang for the buck. I bought a crate GMPP LS480 LS3. It's rated at 480+HP, all aluminum, capable of handling much more power, and is SMALL. I have future plans of adding a 4.0L Whipple super charger and this is a good platform for it. I am bolting this up to a TH400 and an Atlas II. I had Finishline Transmissions build me a reverse manual valve body TH400 with 300M input/output capable of 1500hp. They installed a super bell bell housing and B&M cast aluminum pan as well. I wanted the case as strong as possible with the Atlas hanging off the back. I only wish the Reid racing case was in my budget! I ordered the Atlas with a 2.0 low range since I will never be rock crawling with this and so I can actually use the low range if I want at the dunes. I am running a Circle D HD SFI flexplate and one of their billet 3,600 stall converters and a Winters shifter.

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 1:37 pm

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 1:41 pm

I am going to run the stock manifolds for now. I did cut the 2 bolt flanges off and weld on some 2.5" V-bands. Then I welded 2.5"-3" reducers on so I can run dual 3" exhaust. It's a little big right now, but I don't want to redo the exhaust completely when it gets supercharged and long tube headers.

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 1:43 pm

I picked up some front Yukon gears and open carrier. I went with 4.56's for now. If the RPM's are too high with the 3 speed, it will be my motivation for going up to 37"s.

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 1:52 pm

I scored a sweet deal on some Beard Super seats on Craigslist last weekend. This is pretty much impossible to find used in the Midwest. Got the pair for $200. They are small for me since I'm a big guy. I will wind up putting them in the back for the kids and I will be ordering PRP extra tall and wide seats for the front. I did get 4 Mastercraft 5pt harnesses from Rusty's off-road on Black Friday this year.

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 2:02 pm

So this is what I sold my Raptor to build. It's taking longer then I hoped, but I'm doing it mostly myself with some help from friends and the wife. The plan is to put a 2 post lift in the back for the Bronco and make the back half the shop. The front half will be where I can finally park my truck and my wife can finally park in the front attached garage. I went with vaulted trusses so I have at least 13'6" on the outside of the lift and 15'6" in the center. There shouldn't be any headroom issues. I also went with 2x6 studs since the walls are almost 12' tall, plus it will allow me to add more insulation. And I put in as many windows as I could budget for. I HATE working in a dungeon so natural light was imperative. I have a 16'x9' garage door so I added windows to the top panel for more light.
This is where I'm at as of now. I'm waiting for my siding to get delivered. It's been back ordered 3 times now and I'm getting impacient. Then I can buy all the electric supplies and start running that. I'm putting a 100A box in the garage since I need 5 220V outlets. I am also running 1" gas pipe to the garage for my 2 Reznor 125,000btu shop heaters.

PVTBronco · Post by **PVTBronco** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 2:07 pm

It's nice to see someone else from the Chicago suburbs on here. I grew up in Bolingbrook. I'm looking forward to seeing this thing come to life!

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 2:12 pm

black954 wrote:I scored a sweet deal on some Beard Super seats on Craigslist last weekend. This is pretty much impossible to find used in the Midwest. Got the pair for $200. They are small for me since I'm a big guy. I will wind up putting them in the back for the kids and I will be ordering PRP extra tall and wide seats for the front. I did get 4 Mastercraft 5pt harnesses from Rusty's off-road on Black Friday this year.

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 2:16 pm

BFGs mounted up

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 2:17 pm

PVTBronco wrote:It's nice to see someone else from the Chicago suburbs on here. I grew up in Bolingbrook. I'm looking forward to seeing this thing come to life!

Thats great to hear. I'm in Wheaton, but I didn't mention it cause I figured nobody on the site would know where its at LOL

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 2:20 pm

A couple random pics. My little guy helping me on the roof, and where the garage sits waiting for siding

PVTBronco · Post by **PVTBronco** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 2:29 pm

black954 wrote:
PVTBronco wrote:It's nice to see someone else from the Chicago suburbs on here. I grew up in Bolingbrook. I'm looking forward to seeing this thing come to life!
Thats great to hear. I'm in Wheaton, but I didn't mention it cause I figured nobody on the site would know where its at LOL

Ha! My brother just bought a house in Wheaton. I'll have him on the lookout for you. When the summer months roles around be on the lookout for me in my white and tan 96.

black954 · Post by **black954** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 5:44 pm

Sounds good, we'll have to meet up this summer

Black954's 81 Silver Lake sand dunes build

Black954's 81 Silver Lake sand dunes build

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Re: Black954's 81 Silver Lake sand dunes build

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Re: Black954's 81 Silver Lake sand dunes build

Re: Black954's 81 Silver Lake sand dunes build

Re: Black954's 81 Silver Lake sand dunes build

Re: Black954's 81 Silver Lake sand dunes build

Re: Black954's 81 Silver Lake sand dunes build

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