Great updates....progress is always fun and a great stress reliever.

Great work again Mike!

I would install the steam pipe, and plumb it to the high point in the cooling system, most likely by the radiator neck. Helps purge air out of the heads

Nice to see you getting back in the shop Mike. Connectors are looking good.

Thanks guys.

Time for another update. Like most lately, not a huge update, but it's still progress. Decided to install the Fesler trunk hinges. Thought I'd be better off with the hinges that I'm actually going to use when trying to get everything aligned.

Out with the old ones

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps549592b1.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...pse4ed82ef.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psda2dbb03.jpg

Putting the new ones in

Using a supplied template, had to drill a new hole

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps8131a05e.jpg

To mount this

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps33a51467.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps0f282b53.jpg

Then I had to trim the area in red

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps0cef867b.jpg

I forgot to take a pic of the original pin in place, but this is where you get the old pin out. You need to bend the tab out to get the old pin out

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps98d1d002.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps8acf3dce.jpg

The shock that the hinge uses and the weird little pins

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...pseab75d08.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psfbe824c8.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psee518fbf.jpg

Where the shock connects

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps35c3b925.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psf54f29a7.jpg

In place

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psa03829bf.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps5dc861b1.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps94f5ae68.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps526c656c.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps5b6ddacc.jpg

I decided to install the hinges as I've been fighting with getting the trunk and tail light panel aligned properly. I might end up having to make a couple relief cuts in the quarter panels to make it all fit.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps0cb6e8af.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps1dccbcc4.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps7d1e1aa4.jpg

I've been able to get the gaps along the sides really nice, but I can not get the rear gap to fit. I may just end up having to weld in a piece of round rod onto the trunk. Any suggestions??

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps80512012.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps85e56b25.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps2c03bd6c.jpg

Here's what I'll be working on over the next while. Been wanting to do this for a while now. We have 3 cars, a utility trailer and a boat trailer and it's like a game of tetris organizing them. I'm widening the driveway at the top by 20 feet. It will come straight back 25 feet then start to angle toward the bottom of the driveway. At the top we should be able to put 3 cars wide plus both my trailers.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps165c7a42.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psfe8b61e7.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps0b532fd1.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps780c3048.jpg

So between working on the retaining wall and driveway and yet another trip to Vegas next weekend, won't get back into the shop for a while.

Any progress is good progress.. nice work!

Man I need to move out of the city.. not nearly enough room for the ever-growing roster of toys! :(

those are some very nice hinges, why such a big gap?

Just extend the trunk lip down mike.

Those look great Mike. I'm no body man but I agree with Greg W. it should be the most straight forward way to do it.

Thanks Joe. Yes I must admit I love living in the area we so. About ten minutes from town but have a third if an acre so lots of room.

Thanks. Not sure, still trying to figure it out.

Thanks guys. I'm thinking the same. Would be just as easy to add to the lip and be done with it. Just good to hear from others also.

Unfortunately I haven't gotten anything done on the car as I have had too much else on the go. I likely won't get much done over the winter either as I have a new project on the go. I know it's not forum related, but most guys seem to have a soft spot for these old trucks. My wife owns a 74 Bronco which belonged to her first husband. It has been sitting since 1996 and has only run once or twice since then that I'm aware of and that was when I got it running to move it out of the shop to the rear of the shop.

Where it has been sitting

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psfb35f3e3.jpg

A few weeks ago, a buddy of mine stopped by and offered us 5K for it. We have had so many people stop by and ask if either one were for sale, but the wife never wanted to sell it. We got talking after the offer came in and she wanted to know what it would take to get it running again. I threw some numbers at her and before I knew it she was giving me the go ahead to order parts. She told me she doesn't want to hear about what I'm doing, she just wants it done and she trusts what I'm doing :D

So I spent all my spare time reorganizing the shop to get the Bronco back in there. I've come to realize that I have quite the collection of tools. I got rid of a couple shelving units and added about 25 feet of new shelving higher up and redid a bunch of other stuff.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps8be149d5.jpg

Then I made a trip to the border and brought back a car load of new goodies

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps93ea69cb.jpg

I spent several hours on Tuesday getting it running. Changed the oil and plugs. Pulled the distributor and primed the pump. I also forgot to mark the distributor before pulling it and found out the hard way that Ford engines are a pain to the distributor in the right spot. I was so grateful for the internet that day. Got it running and back into the shop.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps529e0d6a.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...pse7b386c6.jpg

Took the top off and cleaned it out

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psd5c9e268.jpg

Hate seeing the car like this

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psf156e48b.jpg

The plans for the truck are as follows:
- I'm going to lift the body off first and put it behind the shop again
- I'm going to be replacing the brakes, suspension, fuel and brake lines as well as pulling the entire drive train so I thought it would be easier to do all that without the body on. Might as well save my back
- I'm going to replace all the gaskets, seals etc on the motor, trans, transfer case and diffs

New stuff to be added:
- 2.5" Bilstein suspension lift
- 1" body lift
- Front disc brake conversion with new Warn premium hubs
- Power booster conversion
- Front sway bar (doesn't have one at all)
- Replace the fuel and brake lines with new nickel copper lines
- All new bearings, seals, etc
- Replacing both fuel tanks and sending units. The front will be poly and the main will be a 23 gallon upgrade

Few details about the truck:
- 351 Windsor, C4 auto trans, D20 transfer case, Dana 44 front and 9' rear

Here's a couple other pics

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psc8636eff.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps881d22ef.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psc674f890.jpg

I plan on spending most of my time this winter working on the Bronco, but hope that I can still squeeze a few days working on the car. I will update the thread if that actually happens :yes:

You get used to having your car be another storage shelf/organizer... :(

You two make me glad that i am single.

I'm single too.. just life, work, etc gets in the way!

I can't even imagine how little work I'd get done on it if I had a wife and kids.. oi!

cool side project
 

Sorry that your car will be sitting for awhile, but that's a cool old Bronco there. Will be a nice ride when you get done, though I wonder if the little woman will be able to get in it after you install the lift, LOL.

Rod

Looks pretty good to have been sitting that long, Mike. Good luck with it.

How's it goin.......????!?!??!!!?

Havent made as much progress as I was hoping (isn't that always the case though lol). I'll admit though, as nice as it is working on the car with all new parts, it's pretty nice taking parts off, cleaning them, adding some paint and putting them back on. I don't have a up to date pic, but here's the last couple I took:

New rear lift springs in

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...pscd38267a.jpg

Since taking this pic, Ive cleaned up and painted a bunch of the parts. Have put in new axle joints and started doing the disc brake install. I don't have much left on the suspension then I'll pull the motor and trans and start running the brake and fuel lines. I'm going to rebuild the trans and replace all the gaskets on the motor.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psd13d5fce.jpg

I'll try and grab a more up to date pic when I'm out there next. As for the car, still holding up all my bronco parts lol.

I just noticed that I didn't post any pics since I got the bronco running. Here's a few of the progress between then and now.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps95661ec0.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psb1871007.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps7fa37b9c.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps6606d034.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps9de9aafd.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps18302f37.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psa68d43cf.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps69f9aaec.jpg

Wow busy guy! Look at all that knowledge you got from working on the car. Your branching out! Nice.

Maybe I need to make a road trip thru the interior this summer and stop in up there to "check in" on the progress, and maybe provide some inspiration...!

Hey guys remember me. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to update. Since my last update, life, work and finances have gotten in the way of me doing much on the car. Also have been working on the wife's Bronco and have the body back on it and hope to have it running by summer time. One of the big reasons I didn't get much done on my car is I got to a point where I was stuck and didn't know what to do next or how to do it. I usually don't like to ask for help and wanted to try and do as much of the car by myself as I could. Well life isn't getting in the way as much anymore, finances are better and I'm at a point where I want to get back to work on the car.

I got off the phone a short while ago with a guy who is interested in doing some work on my car for me. I'm likely going to get him to finish up the trunk work, get all the panels hung to make it look like a car again and maybe a few other custom things that I want done. I've seen some of the work this guy has done and it is very nice. He also does this as a side job as his main job is he owns a towing company. Makes it even easier to get the car to his shop lol. We will be getting together in the next week or two so he can look over the car and make a plan as to what I want done and when to take it to his shop. I may even get him to paint it when it's ready. I can actually say I'm getting excited again :D:yes:

Don't give up, Mike. It's worth finishing even if it takes longer than originally planned. Good luck!

Thanks Trey. I can honestly say that I thought about giving up a few times over the last couple years. But now am very excited about getting it going again. Definitely going to set some small goals and tackle each one before the next.

Mike don't give up bro. I feel your pain and know first hand what your going through. I fought for 10 years but finally enjoyed it last summer and it was awesome. It will be worth it. Hang in there

As others, I feel your pain bro and I too, have felt the same about giving up. I took a break as well from my car. I spent money in other places like on guns and stuff. Just got a bit tired of my car, but I'm getting back on mine too.

Nice to hear from you MIke, we al l have those things that take us away from our projects. I'm glad your finally back at it. Kee us in the loop so we can know what you decided on.

glad to see you are back

Dude life happens....nice looking project,now get to work.

Thanks guys. It does feel really good to be able to update again. Patiently waiting for the body guy to call so we can make a plan. Then hope to keep the updates coming

Year 5, slow going, but going and going and going...
All good Mike, keep at it!

I met with the guy who's going to do some work on my car yesterday. He said he's quite picky on the work he takes on as he only wants to work on cars that he's excited to work on. He liked my build 😁 He is just finishing up a new and bigger shop and wants to wait until it is done before taking my car. He hopes to be done in a month or month and half, then my car will be spending some time with him.

I mean if you dont want to wait that long bc Im sure its in the way, Ill give you 5 grand cash and Ill just come haul that piece of scrap metal to my place next to my firebird. HAHAHAHA :G-Dub:

Haha a year ago I might have taken you up on that...especially since 5k US is worth like a million dollars Canadian lol

Glad to hear it's getting close to going in for the work soon.

I know this is a small update, but I haven't been able to post a pic of new parts since 2014 so I'm posting one. Found bit of cancer on the fenders so decided to pick up some new AMD ones. Just waiting for the call from the body guy as to when he's going to pick the car up. He said first part of May so hopefully soon.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psn5gt8ogm.jpg

Hey an update is an update and this is a good update as I see a mountain bike hanging above said fenders

Progress is progress Mike!!

EH!

I just saw this a minute ago and posted else where, Glad to see it's getting close to him taking it.