Bella the Bronco

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mustacheride
Posts: 51
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:25 pm
Bronco Info: 90' OJ Style

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by mustacheride »

yikes wrote:I went through the frame. Worked out well. Used a flange and gasket on either side. No major increase in resonant harmonics. Never vapor locked after that.
You’re not worried about the frame cracking/breaking there with a huge hole in it? That would be my only worry. These frames are pretty floppy as it is.
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AussieRod
Posts: 2804
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 1:43 am
Bronco Info: 81 Bronco XLT, 250 alloy head crossflow 6, NP435/NP208, 4:10 gears, 31-10.5R15 M/Ts.
Location: Downunder

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by AussieRod »

mustacheride wrote:
yikes wrote:I went through the frame. Worked out well. Used a flange and gasket on either side. No major increase in resonant harmonics. Never vapor locked after that.
You’re not worried about the frame cracking/breaking there with a huge hole in it? That would be my only worry. These frames are pretty floppy as it is.


The Yeti has a full cage, so frame strength shouldn't be an issue.
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yikes
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Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:51 am
Bronco Info: 1996 with tires and stuff
Location: Yucaipa, CA

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by yikes »

mustacheride wrote:You’re not worried about the frame cracking/breaking there with a huge hole in it? That would be my only worry. These frames are pretty floppy as it is.
No. I actually think it's stronger with a pair of 3/8" flanges bolted up than it was before the hole.
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mustacheride
Posts: 51
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:25 pm
Bronco Info: 90' OJ Style

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by mustacheride »

yikes wrote:
mustacheride wrote:You’re not worried about the frame cracking/breaking there with a huge hole in it? That would be my only worry. These frames are pretty floppy as it is.
No. I actually think it's stronger with a pair of 3/8" flanges bolted up than it was before the hole.
Ah I see. That makes sense. I looked through your thread (quickly) to see if there was a pic of your exhaust but I didn't see anything. You think you could snap a pic of it when you get a chance? No rush, not going to be doing anything to the exhaust anytime soon.
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yikes
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Bronco Info: 1996 with tires and stuff
Location: Yucaipa, CA

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by yikes »

I'll be making a new muffler in the next week or two, so I'll grab some pictures then.
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mustacheride
Posts: 51
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:25 pm
Bronco Info: 90' OJ Style

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by mustacheride »

Long overdue update:
1/19/19 - Made it to San Felipe with no issues. It was supper muddy. Was having a great time.
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Thennnnnn... smashed the front end. Nearly lawn darted the thing off a huge roller at about 80mph. Pics don't do it justice. The front suspension pushed back and wiped out all the front suspension/steering. Broke all sorts of things. Got a tow back from some great friends.
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Anywho, the rebuild has commenced. I had intended to make a bunch of changes to this thing, just wasn't planning on doing them so soon and all at the same time but now is the time I suppose. Kind of a blessing in disguise I guess. I had to replace the engine cross member and do minor frame tweaking. I got a hold of the factory ford frame dimensions with datum points and she's straighter than when it rolled off the assembly line. The plan is to have this thing back together for a New Years trip in December. There's a lot of upgrades planned for this thing. Stay tuned.

Hoover craft mode
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Pulled the motor. It broke the motor mount boss on the block on the driver side.
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Freshened up a roller with some goodies.
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Started getting the bling unboxed, installed and cycling. #SAB
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Becks_Bronco
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Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:12 pm
Bronco Info: 96 Eddie Bauer, 5.8
Location: Antioch

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by Becks_Bronco »

Very nice!!!
Pickuptrucker
Posts: 93
Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2016 9:16 pm
Bronco Info: 1982 c6, 9" gears, lockers,

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by Pickuptrucker »

You're going to need some serious glass!
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mustacheride
Posts: 51
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:25 pm
Bronco Info: 90' OJ Style

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by mustacheride »

Got the shackles finished up. Going to try the uniball method and see how it pans out. Had to notch the hanger a little bit for the droop.
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Rear end mocked.
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Ultras on to clear the big brakes.
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And motor in the hole
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mustacheride
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Bronco Info: 90' OJ Style

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by mustacheride »

Pickuptrucker wrote:You're going to need some serious glass!
The axles aren't in it in that picture. Its insane how much more travel/turning you get without the 4x.
jhj_08
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2018 2:18 am
Bronco Info: 95, 5.8 AFR Heads, RV Cam, 4.56

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by jhj_08 »

I see you have some of Cho's work under Bella as well. Thanks for these updates. Looking forward to following along.
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mustacheride
Posts: 51
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:25 pm
Bronco Info: 90' OJ Style

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by mustacheride »

Got the engine cage mostly tacked up. Finalizing the shock mounts then on to the steering.
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ThrustMaster
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Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2019 11:20 am
Bronco Info: 1985 Bronco Victorian 2 tone blue stock at the moment

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by ThrustMaster »

Any progress on this?? Very awesome work, helping with ideas for my build.
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mustacheride
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Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:25 pm
Bronco Info: 90' OJ Style

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by mustacheride »

I'm trying to get this thing cranked out for a new years trip in JV.

I don't have current pics but here's a few updates:
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New seats:
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Pitman arm: I ended up having to trim this a bit to get the rodends to be happy.
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mustacheride
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Bronco Info: 90' OJ Style

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by mustacheride »

Modified the coolant catch can. It didn't have a breather or a cap to check level before.
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Rearend is all back together:
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Had to build a new shroud for the trans cooler cause it took a beating when I sent it.
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mustacheride
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Bronco Info: 90' OJ Style

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by mustacheride »

Built a mastercylinder cantilever thingy to make room for the shocks:
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And got the bumper on:
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ThrustMaster
Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2019 11:20 am
Bronco Info: 1985 Bronco Victorian 2 tone blue stock at the moment

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by ThrustMaster »

What oil pan are you running on your bronco?
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mustacheride
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Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:25 pm
Bronco Info: 90' OJ Style

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by mustacheride »

its the stock one
Pickuptrucker
Posts: 93
Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2016 9:16 pm
Bronco Info: 1982 c6, 9" gears, lockers,

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by Pickuptrucker »

Nice work keep it coming
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mustacheride
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Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:25 pm
Bronco Info: 90' OJ Style

Re: Bella the Bronco

Post by mustacheride »

I've been thrashing to get this thing together.

PHOTO DUMP:
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