Rear body crossmember replacement and bumper build
#1
Rear body crossmember replacement and bumper build
It has almost 220k on it so it's a little tired. Dash bracket is broken on the right side, the front seat cushions are beat, carpet is rough, rain gutters have cracked at the rear, slow coolant leak from timing cover, rust at the rear of the tub near the crossmember and oh yeah, the whole black and blue thing. Tailgate is also rotten and needs replaced.
The good is the body is very straight, while not a powerhouse the old 5.8 runs pretty goo . It has a newer tranny, manual shift T-case and manual hubs.
I have some front bucket seats from a 97 f150 along with a 2008 super duty console waiting to go in front. I'm wanting a roll cage so I can cruise with the top off and am thinking about some combo of vinyl, bedliner and/or rubber mat to replace the carpet.
Need to find another hood as the first replacement is now hail damaged. I plan on squirting it John Deer blitz black on the cheap and powder coating all the chrome gloss black.
Big score this week is a used rancho 4" suspension lift including rear springs, shocks and extended radius arms
I'll upload some pics tomorrow when I pick it up
Here's the before :
The good is the body is very straight, while not a powerhouse the old 5.8 runs pretty goo . It has a newer tranny, manual shift T-case and manual hubs.
I have some front bucket seats from a 97 f150 along with a 2008 super duty console waiting to go in front. I'm wanting a roll cage so I can cruise with the top off and am thinking about some combo of vinyl, bedliner and/or rubber mat to replace the carpet.
Need to find another hood as the first replacement is now hail damaged. I plan on squirting it John Deer blitz black on the cheap and powder coating all the chrome gloss black.
Big score this week is a used rancho 4" suspension lift including rear springs, shocks and extended radius arms
I'll upload some pics tomorrow when I pick it up
Here's the before :
#2
So, I've had the 95 Bronco for a few years. Bought it wrecked in the front end and fixed it. It's getting a little long in the tooth and due for some upgrades. But it's a factory 5.8/e4od combo with manual hubs and floor shift t-case.
Was hoping to have the lift, paint, rust repair and bumper done before winter but life gets in the way.
Hood was hail damaged
Tailgate is off and scraped seam sealer from the crossmember joint (man the tailgate is a heavy bitch)
Gonna have to replace these side wings
Removing tire carrier body brace (I'll be selling the entire setup)
Rust free junkyard donor rear clip
And the best hood I could find from an f350
Was hoping to have the lift, paint, rust repair and bumper done before winter but life gets in the way.
Hood was hail damaged
Tailgate is off and scraped seam sealer from the crossmember joint (man the tailgate is a heavy bitch)
Gonna have to replace these side wings
Removing tire carrier body brace (I'll be selling the entire setup)
Rust free junkyard donor rear clip
And the best hood I could find from an f350
#5
I welded the side back together and replaced the torsion bar a few years ago along with patching up some braces inside with strap and rivets. Braces inside are rotten and the skin at the bottom is starting to bubble.
#6
some older update pics, but better late than never. Plan is to continue on with the rear crossmember replacement and bed patches until that's all done, then move on to the rain gutter cracks and then start stripping for paint. Need to build that back bumper somewhere in there. Ordered a new tailgate that should be here Tuesday so that's a relief. Still have a few stubborn spot welds holding the crossmember in.
#7
Finally getting back after this old horse. Life (and shifty weather and work) get in the way. Had a warm spell lately and I've been back at it. Finished removing the crossmember bits and found a few small bonus rusty sections. Good thing I haven't cut into the donor part yet...
Stripped the old tailgate shell and checked the fit of parts to the new, which arrived damaged. Shipper gave a partial refund and I'll do a little body work on it before squirting it with bedliner
Both bottom corners were folded over due to **** poor packaging and a ding in the middle which I'll hammer out and cover up with the finish panel.
I've been told to drill some extra holes in the bottom of the new gate to help with drainage and coat the inside with bedliner. Open to suggestions on that as well as the replacement crossmember for rust prevention. I planned on sandblasting the donor sheet metal and spraying it with weld-thru primer then seam sealing and topcoat with black. I plan on bed lining the entire inside of the tub.
Stripped the old tailgate shell and checked the fit of parts to the new, which arrived damaged. Shipper gave a partial refund and I'll do a little body work on it before squirting it with bedliner
Both bottom corners were folded over due to **** poor packaging and a ding in the middle which I'll hammer out and cover up with the finish panel.
I've been told to drill some extra holes in the bottom of the new gate to help with drainage and coat the inside with bedliner. Open to suggestions on that as well as the replacement crossmember for rust prevention. I planned on sandblasting the donor sheet metal and spraying it with weld-thru primer then seam sealing and topcoat with black. I plan on bed lining the entire inside of the tub.
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#8
That sure looks like a tremendous amount of work! It'll be worth it though. I have some dents at the top of my tailgate I'd like to try and work out when I go to repaint my truck.
Lucky thing I live in AZ for now though. I don't have much rust issues at all. The F250 I just picked up is rusting through the cab though, but that's not going to be used so that's okay. I'm scared for where the AF will send me after I finish college. I hope it's not somewhere with snow. If so, I'll have to buy a beater vehicle because I won't want to take my Bronco or Camaro. Plus, I don't know emissions standards and will be worried my Bronco may not pass with a 7.3 in some states.
I'm sure I could find a beater car up north if I had to move there that would be somewhat cheap. Who knows, maybe I'll find another Bronco and fix that up real good once I get out. Maybe I'll be lucky and get stationed in AZ too.
Lucky thing I live in AZ for now though. I don't have much rust issues at all. The F250 I just picked up is rusting through the cab though, but that's not going to be used so that's okay. I'm scared for where the AF will send me after I finish college. I hope it's not somewhere with snow. If so, I'll have to buy a beater vehicle because I won't want to take my Bronco or Camaro. Plus, I don't know emissions standards and will be worried my Bronco may not pass with a 7.3 in some states.
I'm sure I could find a beater car up north if I had to move there that would be somewhat cheap. Who knows, maybe I'll find another Bronco and fix that up real good once I get out. Maybe I'll be lucky and get stationed in AZ too.
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