Jump to content
Bullnose Forums

'85 Bronco XLT "Motorsport 5.8HO"


MotorsportXLT

Recommended Posts

Back when in the fall of 2015 I had decided that I needed a 4x4. I told my dad that it was either going to be a Bullnose Flareside or a Bronco. If you can guess a Bronco was much easier to find. I found my Bronco on craigslist and my dad and I were going to go look at it, but a nasty snow storm hit, and it was 2 hours away and we weren’t going to risk it. The Bronco then went off Craigslist for a few months. I was really bummed out. I kept looking for a Bronco and Flareside. In the spring my dad and mom were headed to pick up a Mustang in the city that the Bronco was originally on Craigslist. I looked up Bronco and I couldn’t believe it; my Bronco was back on Craigslist! I begged my dad to just stop buy and look at it when they finished picking up the Mustang. My dad looked at it, and everything was there except for the original engine. The guy was asking $600 for the truck and my dad offered him $400. My dad was not a Bullnose fan until I started building him, he is a total Dentside guy. The guy said absolutely not, he said the rear-end is worth more than the whole truck. Being a Dentside guy my dad thought that it had an 8.8, so he crawled underneath the truck and it had a 9". My dad then gave the guy $600, and to this day the only reason why I think my dad bought the truck was because it came with a 9". :nabble_laughing-25-x-25_orig: After decoding the VIN I found out my Bronco was a 5.8HO truck from the factory and that is why it had a 9" rear diff. A few weeks later we brought the bronco home, drained the C6 and both differentials, put fresh fluid in them, and so I could drive it we put a 5.0 Explorer engine it. I drove it this way for a few years and I had no problem with the 302 until I bought my Lightning. After having a 351 I decided the Bronco HAD to get a 5.8 again. Last summer I completely Rebuilt a new 351w and C6. The 351w was an F4TE roller cam block that is bored 30 over. It has period-ish correct Ford Motorsport aluminum X heads. I also ran a Ford Motorsport aluminum intake. It also has a E303 roller cam. I decided to run a FiTech EFI system on it, and with all these combinations what great running truck. Unfortunately, with college and such, the Bronco has to sit in my grandmas garage. I haven't gotten to drive it much, but when I get done with college that is all going to change! I also should mention that I got a Marti Report for my Bronco and it Turns out that it is a one of one truck! I will post the Marti down below. The Bronco is pretty spoiled. I have collected almost every possible "rare" option you could have gotten for a Bullnose Bronco. This includes fog lamps, underhood tool box, GT bar, and sliding quarter windows. I still would like to track down the factory Power mirrors. I have also bought an auto dim mirror and overhead console from a '96 Eddie Bauer. I tracked down a set of original red double sun visors from a 94-96 Bronco, and I also wired in a factory amplified Premimum Sound radio from an Eddie Bauer (dont worry I did not hack up the original dash wiring :nabble_smiley_wink:) This truck is my total baby. I can't wait to have her painted and the stripes re done just like the factory. Here's just a few pics of my truck. I will be posting more over Christmas break.

IMG_1136.jpg.784e419de052b8f96e122aad1bb1645b.jpg

IMG_1248.jpg.86a56a3eca61ebae514cb30f408f18da.jpg

IMG_3038.jpg.16a0a242de422b3fedefac8a7b4097b1.jpg

IMG_3042.jpg.564a38a04bf6573f21d3eb041669c908.jpg

IMG_1610.jpeg.74a093e1c7b9a801af5e67f06541c75c.jpeg

IMG_1607.jpeg.04f5f2ea7d02d9f3db9d52f9c76db5a9.jpeg

IMG_1603.jpeg.cd0d36867353c68ef75f8218a8f5e54c.jpeg

IMG_1600.jpeg.23da75c536f32563e2081bae586f2f78.jpeg

IMG_1601.jpeg.a18245cf364e9ca203091e76b005e648.jpeg

IMG_1231.jpg.7a96b3d9a1e7055ccf71c2b473cb2eb5.jpg

IMG_0687.jpg.7d67d9ddf9e00b176cca6b1fadab26b4.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Great project and very similar to mine, right down to the tool box, GT bar and sliding windows. I too am building a 351 but I'm using the OEM air filter tray. I like what you did with the air filter on yours, would you mind telling me how you did the cover? I assume you sprayed over a cover but who's? Also, and most importantly, where did you plumb the breather for the valve cover? I see it sneaking below the filter but how does it connect? Great job and keep up the good work!

IMG_1610.jpeg.d497f9d12422bce6f0411dd329eef6ec.jpeg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...