Project Complete (for now)
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: South Bend
Project Complete (for now)
I added some pictures of my Bronco to my gallery. I finished the work I had planned for the summer/fall about a month ago and I just got some pictures taken. I added a 4" lift, replaced the tailgate and grill, sanded and painted it, and built a custom center console. I just wanted to show it off to those who will appreciate it how much work these things can be.
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From: South Bend
Yeah, it's nice sitting up so high. My wife doesn't understand though. I lowered my Mustang and lifted the Bronco. She figures the Mustang sits too low and the Bronco is too high so I should have done it the other way.
Yes, I did the paint myself. To prep the cap I sanded it down to bare fiberglass and filled any defects with epoxy (that's what a guy at a body shop near here recommended). Since I wanted it to be smooth and glossy (I hated washing the thing because it ate up anything I used when it was that rough gritty finish) once I sanded all the paint off I used some really fine sandpaper to smooth it. Then I applied 2 coats of fiberglass primer to it. I don't remember the name of it and it was a brand I'd never heard of, but it's actually for boats. The guy at the local paint supply place recommended it. Then I applied 2 coats of black base and 2 coats of clear coat.
The mirrors actually came that way. I found them at the local Auto Zone. I never liked the bare aluminum finish on the factory ones and living where they salt the roads the chrome on them always seemed to bubble up and look crappy. The only problem with them is the mounts don't sit flush on the bottom and I need to take them off and bend them to fit, not a big deal.
Yes, I did the paint myself. To prep the cap I sanded it down to bare fiberglass and filled any defects with epoxy (that's what a guy at a body shop near here recommended). Since I wanted it to be smooth and glossy (I hated washing the thing because it ate up anything I used when it was that rough gritty finish) once I sanded all the paint off I used some really fine sandpaper to smooth it. Then I applied 2 coats of fiberglass primer to it. I don't remember the name of it and it was a brand I'd never heard of, but it's actually for boats. The guy at the local paint supply place recommended it. Then I applied 2 coats of black base and 2 coats of clear coat.
The mirrors actually came that way. I found them at the local Auto Zone. I never liked the bare aluminum finish on the factory ones and living where they salt the roads the chrome on them always seemed to bubble up and look crappy. The only problem with them is the mounts don't sit flush on the bottom and I need to take them off and bend them to fit, not a big deal.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: South Bend
It's a pain in the butt color, but it looks good. I wouldn't have painted it black except for that was the factory color and I didn't want to have to paint the door sills and all the other parts. I really think it looks tacky when the door sills and under the hood doesn't match. Just my opinion.
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Florida Hill Country
That's a nice looking rig. Good job. What were the issues with the Rough Country lift that you mention in your gallery?
P.S. They are never complete!
P.S. They are never complete!
Last edited by rlh; Jan 1, 2004 at 06:06 PM.
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 261
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From: Western NY
Nice looking truck...Im toying with the idea of a new center counsel also....but Im thinking of running it up to the dash...sort of the 04 design...then putting gauges, switches ect in it....anyone do this before ?
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From: South Bend
I was actually thinking about doing the same type of thing. The console I built didn't come out exactly how I wanted. I was thinking about extending it forward with more plywood and then covering it with fiberglass to smooth it out. Then having it upholstered. What I found was there was no way to have it smooth at all with the plywood. A friend of mine used fiberglass that way on one of his projects and it turned out good. Maybe next summer. I've got a new suspension to put on the Mustang as a winter project.
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From: South Bend
I guess I could explain better. The way the Bronco is shaped in that area is very irregular. In order to extend the console forward of where I have it it would take laying out multiple pieces of plywood for the sides. This would give it a very angular appearance, rather than the smooth (rounded) look that factory consoles have. It wasn't very easy to come up with a shape that fit the floor the way I have it, I used cardboard as template and cut away at it until the bottom fit. To extend it forward would take narrowing it down and that would give it a weird look.