Joel's Bronco II

[Copykat]

Plus I've seen Bobby at Solo Motorsports Broncos plus yours and you can see how much potential they really have. Nice spread on BroncoDriver by the way.

Chris

Bobby's red B2 has been 100% inspiration for my truck. I was going one way with my build untill I saw a couple pictures of the Solo B2. I fell in love with it and had to have one like it. It's almost a blue replica. If you look close the bumpers are almost the same and the fenders are also.

I just don't have the coilovers, 4" over beams, and cage......yet.

[Copykat]

Back at this.

Pulled the bronco into the shop yesterday. Plan is to get the front axle out and get the new D44 in place and see if I'll need to cut and turn the beams.

[Copykat]

Truck in the shop. Before


Put the stands under the frame at ride height. SO I Shimmed the truck level. Gives me something to build off of.
Got the D35/D44 hybrid pulled out along with the coil buckets, shock hoops, steering, coils, brackets and shocks. Only thing left is the bumpstops.

Bolted up the D44 conversion brackets and slid the D44 under. Bolted the pivots and put the tires under. Wanted to check for width and to see if I would need to cut and turn the beams to fit. But it sits damned near perfect with 0° alignment bushings.









Kinda a funny view with 33's on the back, with a ranger axle. Spacer adapters have been removed so it looks stupid narrow compared to the F150 front axle.

[CBDuner]

Cool! Can't wait to see how this turns out. Are those your own conversion brackets?

[Copykat]

Are those your own conversion brackets?

Yes they are

[CBDuner]

Figured. Any plans on marketing them?

[Copykat]

Figured. Any plans on marketing them?

I did. I had alot of interest and guys wanting these but when push comes to shove and money is involved no one put the money where their mouth was. I just managed to move 13 sets. I have one left over from the last small run. Maybe I'll make another small run next year, when the 16 sets I cut are out getting beaten upon. Till then, everyone else is stuck with the $700 GiantMS brackets or having to buy the complete $2400 system from Autofab.

[ChaseTruck754]

I had alot of interest and guys wanting these but when push comes to shove and money is involved no one put the money where their mouth was.

Happens all the time. I learned this the hard way as well.

[Copykat]

It's funny how the pictures don't do any justice to how wide the D44 TTB is over the D35 TTB.

Now that I know things are going to work out perfect. I will start setting up some supports to locate the axle where I want it so that I can start measureing for rad arms.

With the rad arms done I'll then move on to the coil buckets and shock mounts.
Still waiting for the Fox 12" travel resi's to get here. Still not sure if I'll use the 14's infront of the beam or use the 12's behind the coil.

[Copykat]

Updates??

Nope.

Broke my leg back in Feb and have been on the mend and getting ideas, lots of them.

Plans and parts for the front axle are:

D44 TTB. Have 5.13 gears and a 4.09 up carrier. Waiting on JBG for install kit. Working on designs for Radius arm mounts, trans mount, and rad arms. Ideas for coil buckets floating around. Have Deaver 5.5 F150 coils for front, and a pair of 2.0 x 14" Fox res shocks that will mount to front of beam. Trying to get some hyd bumps, that will mount behind coil, and bump on the rad arms. Have limit straps. Just need to get going on things.

Engine will stay a 4.0L but will install an Auto to make driving easier for me. (Bad Knee and broke leg). Will install the turbo back on to new motor. Have HV oil pump, FMU and larger injectors to add, as well as intercooler. Dodge 2500 Brake master added for extra stop power.

Rear axle will retain the durango leaf pack. Drum Explorer 8.8 will go under, and stuffed with 5.13 gears, and mini spool. Spidertrax wheel adapters to change lug pattern, and get some width back to match front. Cantalever shock setup will be designed to use a pair of Fox 2.0 x 10 resi shocks. Limit straps and Sway bar will be added as well as HD diff cover.

Interior will get simple cage, and possibly fiberglass dash. Auto column to be added. Stereo deleted and an amp with Ipod to be used.

Exterior will get Newer rust free doors and fresh paint. Plan to flare fiberglass more to account for extra width of front and rear axle.

Merc project has been terminated. Will convert it to automatic to drive untill I get the bronco on the road.

Now I wish this cast would come off..... 4 weeks to go.

[bajascott]

Damn Joel wtf happen to your back?

[Copykat]

Not my back. Broke my leg. Two places. Both spiral fractures.

I've been laid up since February 18th. Getting more and more mobile. Cast comes of May 15th. Then I have to learn to walk again.

Ive always drove standard trans ever since I could reach the pedals. But a bad left knee and now a broken left leg has put me out of the standard spirit. Atleast with an auto my wife can't bitch about not being able to move it without a freek out.

Hydro bump deal fell through. Still on the hunt. Looking for 2.0 x 4 Fox with cans. Used preferred or new at a smokin deal. I've been thinking about the daystar stinger bumps but the foam pucks will turn rock hard when it gets to -40 here.

[Copykat]

Latest X-rays after 6 weeks in a full leg cast.





New shorter cast with another 6 weeks to go then lots of work to get back on it.

[johncharlesb]

I hope you heal up soon. I have always liked your work and look forward to seeing more of it. Did you get any more work done on your Mercury truck?

[Copykat]

I hope you heal up soon. I have always liked your work and look forward to seeing more of it. Did you get any more work done on your Mercury truck?

Plan to step up the quality 200%. Going to do this right so I don't have to do it again. Thought about pulling the cab from the frame and getting the frame cleaned up. Every electrical harness will be gone through and what I don't need will be pulled out. (Power locks, power windows, AC...Etc)

New brake lines and routing.

Have the proper fuel lines so I can get rid of the spliced lines I did to swap the 4.0L. Found out that in 1990 B2's the fuel line termination points (Connectors)under the hood are in the same spot as the 4.0L's. So I kept the lines, incase I needed to replace.

The Merc truck is no longer a Merc. Sold the Grill and tailgate skin. Truck will get parted out and scrapped when the bronco is back on the road. I can't sell it locally for $1200, and there are more than $2000 worth of parts on it now. Get more money out of it if I scrap it, and make a trailer out of the frame and box.

[Copykat]

Just bought a pair of Billstein 2.0 x 4 bumpstops.

Now to get going on the front coil bucket design.

[DirtFiend602]

You bastard I wanted those lol. Anxious to see you getting back on this. Hows the Injury?

[Copykat]

You bastard I wanted those lol. Anxious to see you getting back on this. Hows the Injury?

I've been looking for the past 4 weeks. Looking at everything and anything. Deals have fallen through because they don't want to ship. The bumps with the aluminum striker I've been trying to avoid because of the clicking/clanking they make. Wanted the ones with poly strikers.

I came across these ones after I bought mine.
http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/parts-a ... 158408.htm
Older thread so not positive if they are still available.

[ChaseTruck754]

On a side note, but related to what was mentioned above - is there not a way to put the poly caps on the aluminum cap ones? I've never looked at it really but always kind of ASSumed it was just an easy "update" type thing.

[Copykat]

Prolly is just that easy. But no point in paying for something I don't want. Just more parts I would have to order. Little bummed that these don't come with mounting cans, but those should be fairly easy to make.