yeah mine didnt have carpet when i bought it so when i knew the pump was going i cut the hole just big enough for the fuel pump to come int and out of and i patched it up so if i needed to get back in there i was able to rather than waiting for that day when i fill up and then something goes wrong just so i can drop a full tank

 

I crawled under my ol gal today and replaced starter. Went ahead and replaced relay to starter cable while I was under her. Took loose chasis ground and engine ground and wire brushed them too. You never realize how slow your old starter was turning over until you put a new one on. I am still waiting to get a good weekend to replace ball joints and other serviceable parts associated with that chore. They arent bad but I dont know when they were replaced and I would be willing to bet the spindle bearings need replacing. Funny how often those are forgotten until the stub axles start floppin around in spindle.

 

Rusty bolts were the only reason I even considered cutting a hole in the bed. No way, no how if I haven't grown to hate dealing with rusty fasteners here in the state with the largest salt mine in the world underneath it, Michigan.

I bought the tools, researched the layout but I just couldn't bring myself to do it, and then put a crude patch over it. I think of it as a truck bed that needs to be smooth so to do it right and make it flush fit would take more work than simply dropping the tank.

The rusty bolts added probably an hour and a half to the job. Most of the 8 bolts came off without a big problem, but two of them put up a fight.

Rust, is an X factor.

If the pump goes out again, I'll be able to do it better because of practice, and, I put anti-seize on all the new screws and nuts that I used.

It isn't hard.

 

I pulled the froze block engine out and got the gt40p/explorer engine tore down and ready for a freshen up ;-)
And replaced the broke oit pass window.

 

I think I'll get stainless screws from now on in any non critical load applications.

 

i found the fuel line tight aginst the header, didnt plan on that

 

My Highboy had the same issue with its 460 with headers. Not touching but less than a half inch away.

Fixed that problem.

 

Uh, is there a reason you are not letting me help? I thought u were going to text or call me when you were ready to start on it?

 

I had a lil time..its just when I can.don't worry..there is plenty more to do!!

 

got the headers off to be sandblasted and painted , now i can get at the fuel line to bend it up out of the way, while I'm at it might as well put in a new front pinion seal now that the front drive shaft is off, and while I'm doing that I aught to ......lol endless

 

Not much going on with the Bronco lately....been busy. Still sitting in the garage........sitting. The Jeep project kind of got cancelled.....all of a sudden he thought it was worth GOLD!! I told him I'm more of a wrought iron kind of budget!! He took it home!
Going to look at a 79 that has been sitting in an orange grove for about a year. We'll see what it looks like!

 

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This is the donor bronco[IMG][/IMG]
This is my new body

 

Always liked the home made camo look. Was even thinking of painting mine that way.

Jim

 

i am working all day today but when i get home i need to figure out how to move the drivers side header away from the front drive shaft some, it was very close before and would rub on a big bump at the collector flange but now it is worse for some odd reason. I know there isnt a lot of room for error , just another thing to deal with

 

Well today I managed to get my heads out of my truck! Second day I've been working at this! I am sick though so I'm going slow. I knew the E7TE heads were heavy... but not THAT heavy... glad I had a friend over (despite me being a little sick) to pull those things out! Good thing those aren't going back in! Now I just have to figure out the best way to clean the gasket surfaces.. I'm kinda scared, but once that is done I think I'll be on my way to putting everything back together!