Sloppy The Bronco

[relentless044]

Being a gear head from birth, like most of you, I have a ton of project trucks and have seen a ton of them enter my possession and then leave. I have a few major ones, my bronco is my personal favorite truck and at this point the longest lasting one.

Sloppy is a 1990 retired Forest Service Bronco, 302 with a 5 speed that I saved from the crusher at my dads tow yard way back when.
When I got it, she was in bad shape (she still is but its getting better)

tons of stuff didn't work or was missing, power steering pump was gone, it had a breathilyzer that was bypassed in the most ghetto way imaginable, cluster was dead, the bushings in the trans were shot giving it its name, Sloppy
Floor boards were destroyed where the seat mounted, some time with a welder and a bit of fab fixed that

bolts for the stat were broke off

little bit of welder magic

I did eventually get the engine bay looking a lot better

It got an aussie locker

Reworked the front bumper and put a shiattybilt winch on it, and took it to moab
Ugly wheels and all

And then, real life struck, I moved, got hit with medical bills, sold the bronco

 

[relentless044]

Fast forward 2 years, the guy I sold it to and asks if I want to buy it back because he's done with it, the answer, is yes.
We agree to exchange the bronco for united states currency at a mutual friends wedding I had to be a groomsman in.
She's a little worse for wear, someone stole my winch but I still have the bumper fortunately, but she came home
The eco was deff loaded heavy, gcvw was somewhere around 13k but she pulled it like a champ, tow haul on and cruise set on 70

but we had plenty of stops like this one

as of today, I picked up a set of 17's, the plan is some 33x11's, a desolate level with their rear bumper, put the front winch bumper back with another higher quality winch, a selectable front locker (electric) regear to 4.10's and eventually it will need a new motor, I'm thinking 351

 

[kirk]

Man I love these old Broncos. Especially in the forest service green. Sweet!


I cant see any pics in your first post however.

 

[relentless044]

Man I love these old Broncos. Especially in the forest service green. Sweet!


I cant see any pics in your first post however.

They were all there, copied and pasted in just like the 2nd one, idk what happened

 

[relentless044]

despite being my baby, the bronco has been sitting on standby as I get my free x up and going, I did however, buy a little something for it

 

[XterraRising]

Man, these of forest service trucks are fun. I had a ‘76 Powerwagon in that same shade of sea foam green. Thing was a beast.

 

[Prime]

Ford 9?

 

[relentless044]

Ford 9?

yes sir, I'm not sure (probably did, I'm just a super busy person that doesn't know what day of the week it is and has to think if I ate today when its dinner time) but the plan is to put it on 33's with 4.56's, the only shop that actually gave me a price on the regear wanted 3k to do both axles, desolate sells a front 3rd member for about a grand (complete with the lsd I wanted) and 9", well, same deal, plenty of companies will build a 3rd member to your spec, and everything combined, even if I put disc brakes on the rear, will be less than what the shop wanted, and I'll have a 9", and rear disc

 

[relentless044]

gobble I love removable 3rd members

COMPLETE 3RD MEMBER KIT - FITS FORD 9" REAR - MECHANICAL LOCKER - 31 SPL - 4.56 | eBay

Because there are no friction plates, you can use any gear oil you like, including full synthetic and racing lube. And don't forget that there is no friction modifier additive necessary! - assembled and ready to bolt in.

www.ebay.com

 

[Prime]

Nissan should never have stopped using it.

 

[relentless044]

its one of those things that you can't understand why its not the norm, well it is in heavy equipment

Nissan should never have stopped using it.

 

[relentless044]

So long story short I dropped the money on a 351, a zf5 (the heavy duty manual 5 speed that will bolt right in, but features a super low 1st gear and still has overdrive) a front 3rd member with 4.56's and a spartan locker (I may switch to a selectable of some sort)

Think the x is gonna be built just kinda minimalistic so I can drive it streetable but still have fun with it and the bronco is probably gonna go off the deep end

 

[relentless044]

ta da
now to reseal the engine and see if it looks the part of 20k miles since rebuild


I wanted the zf5 because its a stronger tranny with better ratios than the m5od, but also has pto capability, so I could run hydraulic winches if I wanted too