hello everone,
I just want to say that I used a couple of fourms to help with my drag car 88' lx coupe mid 6 sec. 1/8 mile. so I've got too give porps to "vintage-mustang.com and 5lmustang.com and all the people there for all there help.
now my next porject for me and my sons is a '78 bronco 4x4 I got the truck about the same way I did the mustang it's a good rolling body, all the axles are still installed the guy had takeing out the trancfer case and tranny. The motor he had I did not want (he had been screwed by a motor shop) and wanted way too much for the work they claimed they had done to it.
My goal is too have a the truck too pull the race car and go any where I want too go. I got 2 new 33x13.50x15 M/T baja claw tires witch to me look like they would make a very good tire of choice.

some of the thing I have planed are (in no order) are full roll cage.
the truck has a removable hard top looks like fiber glass, so I want too exchage it with a soft top probly homemade.
I don't know if I would be better off with a FE or big block or go with a well built 351 w. c. m, or a 400 or a 302 witch I have had alot of luck with but I run a 3800 stall on the car this time I need too design high torque lowwer rpm motor.

it has an Open rear end with 3.50 gears witch will be changed to a limted slip 4.11 the front is a dana 44 witch is also Open 3.50 so I thought I would put in a mini spoll with 4.11 gears so when I need to lock in the hubs for hill climbing or deep mud I could get all 4 tires pulling the truck has P/s to help with the steering with the hubs locked.
it has a small body lift on it now if I had too guess I would say 3".

well thats enough for tonight, If anyone has ANY commets or Ideas I may be over looking PLEASE let me know I have never even owned a 4x4 untill now. I Have how ever drivin quite a few of some of my old friends mostly Jeeps scouts and I hate too say it but chevy trucks.

thanks,
chris roden
killen AL.

 

ehhhhh, before you go any further with this you might want to reconsider the towing part! i wouldn't want to put the bronco under that kind of stress. also the towing capacities for the bronco are not in the safe range for towing a car on a trailer. Yes it can be done, has been done, and always will be done, but it is like playing Russian Roulette...you are playing with life and flirting with death. look into a f250/f350 for the towing capabilites.

now if you are just building the bronco to have fun that is a different story! sounds to me like you have done your homwork and you very well know what you're talking about!

~roll cage is always a plus as well as a look really cool.

~i would stick with the hard top personally but that is just me...the soft tops always get loose and they get real noisey not to mention off road not much protection!

~if you don't/won't be doing any bogs or extremely deep water crossings i would highly suggest going with a rebuilt 351w with EFI! they are all kinds of nice and you won't ever have to worry about altitudes or inclinations

~while your in the rear end go ahead and lock it....either an auto Detroit NoSpin or Electrac.....even an ARB, hell if it don't see much road weld'er up!

~the locker for the front is debatable...i would get a selectable if you can. otherwise just weld the front and save your money. you will need to invest in beefier front axle parts and steering parts and a hydro assist should be thought about serisouly. i haver my front welded and i absolutely LOVE the tracltion and the after-effects are worth it but you will break more stuff! you might even think about upgrading to a D60 if you get too serious!

keep up the great thinking and let me know if you agree/disagree about my suggestions!

have a great one

-Cutts-

 

like fishy said you can weld the front end, but since you have 3.50, and going to 4.11 you will have to change the carrier anyway so just buy a full spool, series 4 carriers will cost $50 even on ebay unless you can happen to find one in a wrecking yard and you can buy a full spool for around $130.
I also agree with him on towing the broncos would work great for towing your lawn mower on a small trailer but I wouldn't pull a race car with it, the short wheel base really doesn't do a good job of controling the weight in a towing situation.
EFI engines are a great idea in alot of situations, and personally I would stay away from the 302/5.0 not enough torque, a 351w, or c would be ok expecially if you stroke it, but go with a 429/460, and it will give you all kinds of low end torque, and plenty of HP, and by the time you get a 351w to produce the hp, and torque of the big block in stock trim, you could build the big block.
just my 2cents worth

 

I disagree about the previously mentioned towing issues- I used to tow with a Bronco and it did just fine, unless I tried to tow a big ol car like a 77 lincoln town car- theres just too much weight there to keep under control with a short wheelbase. If your trailer isnt a heavy pig, then you should be OK, because that stang cant weigh very much. You definitely dont want a 302-not enough torque for towing unless you put in a EFI 302 but even then its borderline. 400's will also make lots of low end torque if built right-4 inches of stroke will do that!!!!

 

like i previously stated....it has been done, is being done, and will always be done. that's not to say that it is safe! if you look at the gvwr on the door sticker you will find it has enough room to load the bronco down and a small trailer but not enough to haul another vehicle. i would never do it personally and i am sure the family with 3 kids in the mini van next to me on the highway is glad i made sure my load was safe before i left the house!

-cutts-

 

theres alot of factors to take into consideration when towing overweight, if i were towing a car to the drag strip outside of pittsburgh i would be fine, theres very few hills, and the ones that are there are only mild inclines. for me to go anywhere else, it wouldn't be safe, if you towing across a flat surface you should be ok. as far as motor goes, get yourself a 460. the truck would be easy to set up for it and would be well worth it. have fun with it, i know i have. in the past year i've had my truck its become something im almost proud to own. lol after paint and i get the 460 in ill be very proud.

 

that is more of an opinion than anything....GVWR's, GVCW's, and GVW's never change unless you buy the stuff to beef up your truck (bigger axles, thicker tires, stronger hitches, etc) it is still not safe even for a short distance but you feel comfortable pulling that far. there is always more chance for something to go wrong in a long distance, but things do happen and when you hit a pothole that wasn't there last time or swerve to miss a deer in the road and have an accident your load is gonna be investigated (a VERY hefty fine for being over your GVWR) and then you will think twice about what you pull. I am only 21 and i try to be as safe as humanly possible when pulling a load b/c the driving characteristics become completely different than without a load. i am just saying it is better to be safe than sorry.

and i would like to add to my previous post that the EFI 460's are heavenly for trail riding! i would kill to throw one in my truck!

-cutts-

 

your right about towing overweight, it's not good to do. i just used my dads chevy which has a tow rating of 6500lbs to move my truck on a trailer that probably weighed about 7800lbs. the move wasnt bad, but i wouldnt do it again. only reason i did it was because it was the biggest truck i had access to. i wouldn't haul any distances with it like that. if you want to haul something on a regular basis, definately just get a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. i bet pros truck if he put his stroker kit in a efi 460. that would be awesome.

 

Well I guess I'll need to go head and add to the towing issue.
First off I started out using a '77 F100 long wheel base 302 2v
with drum brakes all the way around and the trailor I had was really wade to pull tractors, (like '40 's moldel john deere's) on it . In fact we had to flip the axles to get it low enough so a car would be able to get on it. and a bumper hitch!and I have pull things as big as a full size f100 too a '84 lincon tonw car 6 door limo.

here is where one place where one of those smiley faces with it holding a gun too it's own head. (sorry if anyone takes afence too that)

later own, my dad and I whent in together and bought a new trailor and a hitch tht weilds in to the frame I don't rember was class it is, But do know it's over the size to pull a large car or truck, The trailor on the other hand was built by a certffied Iron Worker That I used with work with then he retired and started building all types of trailors and dolly's. It is very light, what do they call that, Is it "tamdem, tamdumb" I no that's not the right way too spell it , But it has 2 axles you know what I mean 4 wheels with adjustable trailor barkes on all four wheels I can litterly, and have brought the hole rig to a complet stop with just the trailor brakes, faster than I could with the older set set, oh and it's a "dove tail trailor" I don't think that matters. I think I wold be fine in a full size Bronco with power front brakes I think there Disk , but I really don't rember. the weight of the car is close too 2965 minus my 205 os the car is close too 2760.
on the motor have be thinking on going efi so I don't take a chance on starveing out the carb on step grades And I have been thinking of running the air intake too inside the cab like where the doom light should be to keep it from drowning in deep water.
The resone I was thing abought getting rid of the top is keep from crushing it if I was to roll over I had been think of just building the roll cage so that I could canvas to put over it and having one that would just cover the top. Just think it would look cool.
I just started spiting out Ideas,let me know if you've got anyopins on that or any thing else.


thanks,
chris

 

For a motor, the easiest would be to rebuild what came in the truck truck stock (i'm assuming 351m/400) then that way its easier in terms of not having to find motor mounts and such. Also the 400 with the right parts will be unstopable, and i will be dropping a hot 400 into my 81 F-250 Mudder and i'm using cleveland 4v heads a higher rpm cam for in the mud and other goodies, but if you are willing to spend on a complete rebuild go with a 429/460 cause there is no replacement for displancement, but theres a guy in the 335 series forum that runing a 800hp 400 in a puller. A 351W is a good motor (i have a 350hp w in my 82 flareside) and will have more options for parts due to the fact of the mustangs and such (which you are well acquainted with) but to get the torque you want they need to be stroked and that gets pricey. I would stay away from the 302/351C due to the fact that their powerband is generally to high for offroading unless you plan on doing mud drags.

 

ya it came with a windsor and there are all kinds of aftermarket parts for it. alot cheaper than the 429/460 and it can be alot lighter with alum. heads and intake. I want to build the truck too be able to take a jump and still land pretty even I guess I need too start with building the supion shocks and figure out on some of the weight balanceing. I'm guessing it would be the same as the race car get the front end as light as possible witch a stroked "W" would be about the best way to go I can get alot of power and keep it farly light put about a 2000 stall to get it in a good power band a buddy of mine I work with has got a '93 f150 with a 351 I think it's a 5.8 thats right isn't it? I could find one in a yard some where find out what the cam specs. are (and probly change it to a good low-mid range comp cam) match it with a set of injector from ford racing a bigger.... Well I realy need to research this a little more before I get pinned for been an idiot on here for just talking out of my head. .

thanks
chris

 

Using fuel injection will only add excess weight and since the truck is a 78, it will be a lot easier to stay with the carb. And since you want to jump it the stroked 351 would be in my opionon the way to go. Also because the motor is in a truck and for the fact you plan on doing some towing with keep the power lower in the rpm range (high lift short duration) and go with a 1000-1200 rpm stall, remember that a stroked out windsor is going to have a fairly nog stroke compared to that of a 347 stroker.

As far as finding a block look in 96-97 ford 1/2 ton (96 only) and the 96-97 3/4-1 ton trucks as some came with the roller block (there is a way to identify the roller blocks but i can't remember, try posting in the smal block forum or the 88-96 forums).