Ferdinand - '85 Bronco 351W XLT "Phoenix" rebuild project...

[Ferdinand]

Afternoon gentlemen!

Looks like folks are staying busy and more and more folks keep finding Gary!!

(Which is a very good thing )

My saga continues with getting a proper title for Ferdinand...

One day when I have a few extra hours, I'll fill you in on that soap opera.

Been doing jus little tweaks here and there and noticed some major rubbing on the radius arms with the 35x12.5x15's on stock 8" wheels. So, against my better judgement and for a short term fix until I can build the back enough to spring for proper wheels I opted for spacers. Found them on Amazon for a great price. Here is a video of the install on the right (passenger) side. Sorry about the video angle. Space is pretty tight in the garage but I'm not complaining. I know some of you don't get to work inside!

Let me know what you think.

Have a great weekend everyone‼️

[Gary Lewis]

Afternoon gentlemen!

Looks like folks are staying busy and more and more folks keep finding Gary!!

(Which is a very good thing )

My saga continues with getting a proper title for Ferdinand...

One day when I have a few extra hours, I'll fill you in on that soap opera.

Been doing jus little tweaks here and there and noticed some major rubbing on the radius arms with the 35x12.5x15's on stock 8" wheels. So, against my better judgement and for a short term fix until I can build the back enough to spring for proper wheels I opted for spacers. Found them on Amazon for a great price. Here is a video of the install on the right (passenger) side. Sorry about the video angle. Space is pretty tight in the garage but I'm not complaining. I know some of you don't get to work inside!

Let me know what you think.

Have a great weekend everyone‼️

Again, I missed this yesterday!

As for comments, I went to get ear phones so as to not bother Janey since I thought you'd have comments. So I'll comment that there were no comments.

In fact, as you were installing the front one the music came on and when it quit there was a little noise, like something wrong with the audio. Then I realized it was the noise you were making installing the nuts. Did you pick the music and when it came in?

Anyway, on to my questions: Do the tires rub now? Did it fix the problem? How do you like them? Or, maybe how do you like how the truck looks and handles?

I think they make the truck look ..... tougher. More capable. But I suspect they'll also change the alignment, so need a road report.

[Ferdinand]

Again, I missed this yesterday!

As for comments, I went to get ear phones so as to not bother Janey since I thought you'd have comments. So I'll comment that there were no comments.

In fact, as you were installing the front one the music came on and when it quit there was a little noise, like something wrong with the audio. Then I realized it was the noise you were making installing the nuts. Did you pick the music and when it came in?

Anyway, on to my questions: Do the tires rub now? Did it fix the problem? How do you like them? Or, maybe how do you like how the truck looks and handles?

I think they make the truck look ..... tougher. More capable. But I suspect they'll also change the alignment, so need a road report.

Morning Gary,

Still haven't been able to road test any yet. Still waiting on my court date for title & plates 🙄.

I have noticed they still rub a little but will give a full report when I can get some miles in. I have actually enjoyed playing around with the videos a bit. That was my first attempt at sound clips and I have a shorter (around 3 minute) version of the same video on my youtube channel now. (Until this site I would have never dreamed of using the words "my Youtube channel" to EVER describe anything I would be doing) but it has actually been a little fun playing around with it.

I absolutely love the look of the Bronco now. I used to get this effect from deeper rims but they simply aren't in the budget right now. My guess at this point is when I need to get new tires I'll go for the proper rims.

Have a great day brother!

[Gary Lewis]

Morning Gary,

Still haven't been able to road test any yet. Still waiting on my court date for title & plates 🙄.

I have noticed they still rub a little but will give a full report when I can get some miles in. I have actually enjoyed playing around with the videos a bit. That was my first attempt at sound clips and I have a shorter (around 3 minute) version of the same video on my youtube channel now. (Until this site I would have never dreamed of using the words "my Youtube channel" to EVER describe anything I would be doing) but it has actually been a little fun playing around with it.

I absolutely love the look of the Bronco now. I used to get this effect from deeper rims but they simply aren't in the budget right now. My guess at this point is when I need to get new tires I'll go for the proper rims.

Have a great day brother!

Waiting on a court date to be able to drive it has to be frustrating! After all that work, to be held up by a technicality is surely awful.

As for the Youtube channel, I understand. I have one also. And a website. And a forum. And facebook pages! What is this world coming to?

But, we sure seem to be able to help each other far, far better than back in the 50’s. Even the 60’s the best we had was a magazine once a month. But how did you find out what others were doing? Get advice? All we could do was ask the other person in our little town.

So this is a huge, huge help. And, lots of fun! 👍

[Ferdinand]

Waiting on a court date to be able to drive it has to be frustrating! After all that work, to be held up by a technicality is surely awful.

As for the Youtube channel, I understand. I have one also. And a website. And a forum. And facebook pages! What is this world coming to?

But, we sure seem to be able to help each other far, far better than back in the 50’s. Even the 60’s the best we had was a magazine once a month. But how did you find out what others were doing? Get advice? All we could do was ask the other person in our little town.

So this is a huge, huge help. And, lots of fun! 👍

Amen brother!

I have been off grid for quite some time now but have thoroughly enjoyed seeing so many others find the site. Your plate must be getting awfully full!!!

As far as the Bronco goes, I have been romping around in a field beside my house with my kids and anyone brave enough to run sideways at about 40MPH. (no kids on those rides 😉) Still no title/no plates.

I am due to file my last petition and request the judge's final sign off sometime next week. 🤞🏻

So, Lord willing, I could have it plated in the next two weeks. Then, I can finally start some on-road testing.

I will likely pull the 4-speed manual, pedal set, & column out of the boneyard Bronco this summer sometime. I would love to swap out that C6 for a while but it us running rather well.

Keep up the great work my friend.

[Gary Lewis]

Amen brother!

I have been off grid for quite some time now but have thoroughly enjoyed seeing so many others find the site. Your plate must be getting awfully full!!!

As far as the Bronco goes, I have been romping around in a field beside my house with my kids and anyone brave enough to run sideways at about 40MPH. (no kids on those rides 😉) Still no title/no plates.

I am due to file my last petition and request the judge's final sign off sometime next week. 🤞🏻

So, Lord willing, I could have it plated in the next two weeks. Then, I can finally start some on-road testing.

I will likely pull the 4-speed manual, pedal set, & column out of the boneyard Bronco this summer sometime. I would love to swap out that C6 for a while but it us running rather well.

Keep up the great work my friend.

Thanks! And luck to you on getting the title!!

[Ferdinand]

Sooo, I am a little closer on the title maybe another week...

However, I am getting a little "heat" from the mrs to move the Junk Yard Bronco that has now been sitting in my yard for over a year now.

My goal is to pull the 4sp Manual transmission and related components to do a swap (have original C6 in there currently) this winter. My expectation is that with another gear I will get a little better gas mileage. Is that something anyone can validate?

Does anyone have any suggestions/guidance/information (or warnings 😉) they would like to share?

I still need to figure out the proper way to identify which transmission the JY bronco actually has. Any help there would be great as well.

It has been really great seeing so many folks working through their projects!! Good luck everyone!!

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[Steve83]

My goal is to pull the 4sp Manual transmission and related components to do a swap (have original C6 in there currently) this winter. My expectation is that with another gear I will get a little better gas mileage. Is that something anyone can validate?

Not really. You're using the same engine to push the same weight, rolling resistance, & aerodynamic drag around - the MPG isn't directly related to the number of gears you use. It's more related to the amount of acceleration you aim for when you mash the pedal. If you can deal with less, the MPG will go up, regardless of transmission or gears.

But an automatic has nearly infinite "gears" anyway because of how the torque converter works.

Does anyone have any suggestions/guidance/information (or warnings 😉) they would like to share?

About what? Swapping transmissions? Or about keeping the Mrs. happy?

I still need to figure out the proper way to identify which transmission the JY bronco actually has.

Read this caption and follow the link in it to adrianspeeder's list:

https://supermotors.net/getfile/72354/thumbnail/doorsticker.jpg

[Gary Lewis]

My goal is to pull the 4sp Manual transmission and related components to do a swap (have original C6 in there currently) this winter. My expectation is that with another gear I will get a little better gas mileage. Is that something anyone can validate?

Not really. You're using the same engine to push the same weight, rolling resistance, & aerodynamic drag around - the MPG isn't directly related to the number of gears you use. It's more related to the amount of acceleration you aim for when you mash the pedal. If you can deal with less, the MPG will go up, regardless of transmission or gears.

But an automatic has nearly infinite "gears" anyway because of how the torque converter works.

Does anyone have any suggestions/guidance/information (or warnings 😉) they would like to share?

About what? Swapping transmissions? Or about keeping the Mrs. happy?

I still need to figure out the proper way to identify which transmission the JY bronco actually has.

Read this caption and follow the link in it to adrianspeeder's list:

https://supermotors.net/getfile/72354/thumbnail/doorsticker.jpg

While I agree with Steve's assessment on the lack of MPG change by adding gears, I'll add a bit. The current trend to add gears to the transmissions is a quest for more MPG, and it does work to some extent. But, a lot of the gears they are adding are just above and just below 1:1, and are useful to keep the engine in its power band regardless of the speed the vehicle is traveling.

But today's vehicles have been tuned and honed to a fine degree such that the extra gears make a little bit of difference, and the manufacturers are searching for every little bit they can find. Our trucks, on the other hand, are dinosaurs in comparison. Their shape is worse than the proverbial barn door for air drag, the brakes don't completely release, and the typical 3.50 rear gears cause the engine to spin way too fast at highway speed for decent economy.

But, economy can be improved by adding a gear - an overdrive gear - thereby getting the RPM down when cruising. So an M5OD or a ZF5 can be a big help in a manual. Or an AOD if you need an auto.

But the C6 is, in my opinion, one of the worst transmissions with regard to MPG. There is no OD and the torque converter is always slipping. And the internal friction is said to be quite high

[Steve83]

...a lot of the gears they are adding are just above and just below 1:1, and are useful to keep the engine in its power band regardless of the speed the vehicle is traveling.

But today's vehicles have been tuned and honed to a fine degree such that the extra gears make a little bit of difference, and the manufacturers are searching for every little bit they can find. Our trucks, on the other hand, are dinosaurs in comparison.

My friend just got a '17 F150 with EcoBoost 3.5L & 10-sp slushbox. But it doesn't use all 10 all the time; it normally shifts through 4~5 gears getting up to cruising speed. This is very similar to e-fans... Many people think that switching from a mechanical fan to an e-fan will improve MPG, but it won't. It takes a LOT of precise programming in a modern PCM to get a TINY net increase in economy using something that's inherently less-efficient. A more-complicated, heavier transmission is also less-efficient. But when carefully managed by the PCM, the whole vehicle becomes more-efficient.