Carly's 96

[hobbyturnedobsession]

Spent new years in Parker with family and friends. Rhonda (my daughter named Carlys bronco and it stuck) did close to 1,000 miles between carting everyone around and desert runs and did awesome. Kids are now in full size cars which has been really cool watching them progress as drivers too. Down past the end of Shea Rd are a couple of really cool canyons so we ran through them. She needs a bumper and some other small things but she goes everywhere. It may not be the fastest but it gets there.


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[Quicksand]

Great pics. Bronco looking good out there. Hoping to make it out to Shea Rd for the Parker 400 next week.

[toddz69]

Very cool and looking good! Sometimes it seems like those of us that still cruise around in regular 4WD vehicles (instead of SxS's) are in the minority!

Todd Z.

[hobbyturnedobsession]

Great pics. Bronco looking good out there. Hoping to make it out to Shea Rd for the Parker 400 next week.

Thank you. If you follow it all the way down, you'll drop into the canyon that leads to the old copper mine. Right before a little rock obstacle, there is a trail that leads to the right up another canyon. That is the canyon to go through. Its not too tight, but tight enough to make it alot of fun. My girls were supposed to race it, so we were there to also test, but I can't get everything finished in time to make the starting line, so we are out this one. It alot of fun out there.

[hobbyturnedobsession]

Very cool and looking good! Sometimes it seems like those of us that still cruise around in regular 4WD vehicles (instead of SxS's) are in the minority!

Todd Z.

Thank you Todd! I personally haven't owned a sxs. My girls are starting to run RS1's and we now have a 2 seat XP that the girls and my nephew want to switch out racing in DP4, so we are in the midst of redoing alot of stuff to make it compliant at any sanction. I'm not a big fan, but its alot of fun having your kid skip across the whoops in anything at 60+ and since it's the stock production class, its "affordable". Bri wanted to race class 11 and I told her between the cost and the ride, its not something I'm getting into lol.

[hobbyturnedobsession]

Been playing alot with our 3d printer. Had an idea that didnt work out but the adapter mock up came out pretty cool. I was going to run the filter back but didnt have the room i thought. I went ahead and redid the mass air bracket and this is how it was finished. I have more t bolt clamps coming. I just wanted to see if it would change anything driving wise so i used a regular hose clamp on the filter side.


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[hobbyturnedobsession]

Also, the rear end started whining on coast so I’ll tear into that today. This is all that came out of the drain plug. Hoping no big chunks when i drop the pan.


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[hobbyturnedobsession]

Annnd i found the problem. Too much preload on the pinion bearings. Gears looked good to me so a new set of bearings and a new crush sleeve eliminator kit and it should be on the road by tomorrow night.






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[hobbyturnedobsession]

So finalizing the issue, i used a richmond spacer kit. One of the shims broke and caused the issues. To compond the issue, i had to replace the pinion seal 2 times. It wouldve been then I retorqued the nut and overdid the bearings.


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[hobbyturnedobsession]

The rear end is fixed and Carly is driving it every day. Realigned it and got it perfect, then took it out, and bent a tie rod trying to get it unstuck off a pipe. Ended up cutting the pipe and getting out after field fixing the tie rod angle. New tie rod made and will be fixing the fender i managed to mangle.





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[hobbyturnedobsession]

So there is one gripe she has. It doesnt have enough power. Rhonda (we finally gave her a name) moves good but the little 302 isnt a fire breather. We wanted to keep it simple so i found some gt40 heads and did some massaging. Ill have them milled .025-.030 to bump compression, different cam, new roller lifters and some intake work. Mostly just port matching and smoothing out the big casting flaws etc. i understand I probably left some on the table by not removing more material. I just wanted better efficiency.







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[toddz69]

I'll be curious how whether you feel like the new heads wake up the engine or not.

Todd Z.

[hobbyturnedobsession]

I'll be curious how whether you feel like the new heads wake up the engine or not.

Todd Z.

Its no dog for what it is. Im hoping to see 30-40 hp with heads cam intake etc. Current heads have 253k on them so id say ill see something just out of a spit shine valve job springs and clean up.


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[hobbyturnedobsession]

So I found a 302 roller long block on the cheap. Its easier to do the top end with the motor out and since its the mom mobile, being down for months wont work. Plus the existing motor has 256k miles so it makes sense. Hoping to get this stuff to the machine shop here in the next few weeks. I have a cam picked out but I’m sure itll change 5 times before I actually buy it. Also ordered a valve spring kit from Alex parts for the heads. So far 249.00 in new valve springs seals and shims. Ill run stock rockers and reuse the lifters as long as they all check out. So far the cam looked great so Ill take a closer look and clean them.


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[hobbyturnedobsession]

Also there is some light rust so itll get honed at least. I verified bore with a mic at 4.00 so no additional boring has been done yet. I have considered 331 and 347. Still havent made up my mind.


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