Jim's 1982 300 Six Bronco Original Restoration

[ArdWrknTrk]

Engine block is at the machine shop. Machinist says it's already been bored .030 over, should clean out to .035 about. Whole block prep, pistons, and piston pressing will be $890.

Did a test run of paint on my transmission. Brushed on Rustoleum rusty metal primer and hit it with Duplicolor Ford Engine Gray.

Still got a ton of parts to sandblast and paint. Engine block and head will be the Ford Gray. All pulleys and valve cover will be semi gloss black. Going with the chrome Holley Sniper and a chrome air cleaner but I might change my mind. Not sure what color I want to do the manifolds, but I REALLY like the Eastwood Factory Gray for the exhaust.

https://www.eastwood.com/factory-gray-hi-temp-coating.html

That looks really good Jim!

Sounds like you will be busy prepping all the *tin and front dress before the machine shop delivers your parts.

No need for balance with an I-6!

 

[Gary Lewis]

That looks really good Jim!

Sounds like you will be busy prepping all the *tin and front dress before the machine shop delivers your parts.

No need for balance with an I-6!

Yes, it does look good.

This is going to be a really NICE truck!

[JimJam300]

Yes, it does look good.

This is going to be a really NICE truck!

Thank you, gents. I'm honestly really stressed out about the whole thing. There's a whole lot of stuff I still need to do and my work is pretty scattered. Lots of things I am still trying to figure out with restomodding and the order of work: i.e. what needs to be done before this or that. I've started to limit myself to $500 a month + whatever I make in overtime, so it'll be slow going from here on out.

I know I'll feel better once I start putting things back together again.

[FuzzFace2]

Thank you, gents. I'm honestly really stressed out about the whole thing. There's a whole lot of stuff I still need to do and my work is pretty scattered. Lots of things I am still trying to figure out with restomodding and the order of work: i.e. what needs to be done before this or that. I've started to limit myself to $500 a month + whatever I make in overtime, so it'll be slow going from here on out.

I know I'll feel better once I start putting things back together again.

When I was doing my cab off frame rebuild I worked 1 area at a time.

Stripping it was no big deal but going back together was the 1 area at a time.

Frame got painted and the painted front suspension back on so I could roll it.

Rear axle could not be installed as it had to pass horses holding the cab up.

The cab floors, rockers, door posts were replaced sealed and bed lined.

Then mounted back on frame.

Clean & paint rear axle & springs and mount back on frame.

Clean motor and replace gaskets and paint, same for trans.

New clutch assy. and mount trans to motor and put in frame.

As you can see just do 1 area at a time if you start jumping all over it never feels like you get anything done.

You may also start a list of the jobs and break it down as areas also.

A white board works great for this and when you get 1 thing done cross it out do not remove it.

With it crossed you can see what you have done, if you remove it you really dont see anything was done till you get a lot of them removed.

Dave ----

[BigBrother-84]

A white board works great for this and when you get 1 thing done cross it out do not remove it.

With it crossed you can see what you have done, if you remove it you really dont see anything was done till you get a lot of them removed.

Dave ----

I fully agree with Dave. I did the same, keeping everything in the list while striking out the done jobs.

It is very rewarding to see all the work that has been accomplished, and not only what's ahead.

 

[JimJam300]

When I was doing my cab off frame rebuild I worked 1 area at a time.

Stripping it was no big deal but going back together was the 1 area at a time.

Frame got painted and the painted front suspension back on so I could roll it.

Rear axle could not be installed as it had to pass horses holding the cab up.

The cab floors, rockers, door posts were replaced sealed and bed lined.

Then mounted back on frame.

Clean & paint rear axle & springs and mount back on frame.

Clean motor and replace gaskets and paint, same for trans.

New clutch assy. and mount trans to motor and put in frame.

As you can see just do 1 area at a time if you start jumping all over it never feels like you get anything done.

You may also start a list of the jobs and break it down as areas also.

A white board works great for this and when you get 1 thing done cross it out do not remove it.

With it crossed you can see what you have done, if you remove it you really dont see anything was done till you get a lot of them removed.

Dave ----

The organizational stuff has been killer early-on working on this project. A few months ago I got diagnosed with ADHD, and the big way it affects me in work and at home is that I have an aversion to writing stuff down and I try to wing everything. I started taking adderal and I'm easing into better organizational habits like keeping a notebook for the truck and an excel spreadsheet for the engine build. I went off it for a few months when I changed insurance and as of Friday I'm back on it and ready to get things straightened out.

With that being said, I'm finally getting around to using the Prothane poly body mounts I bought over a year ago and there are some massive issues with them.

1: All of the bushings do not fit the stock hardware, the inside diameter is too small.

2: On the #3, 4, & 5 position upper bushings, the metal reinforced part that sticks through the frame is twice as long as it should be. Instead of sandwiching the frame between rubber, the lower bushing will not contact the frame at all.

3: The lower bushing for positions 2-5 are too short for the stock hardware. They will not compress at all when tightening the body mount bolt.

The way I got around 1 was widening the ID of every bushing using a Dremel rotary tool with a low grit sanding tip. For 2 & 3, I got a bunch of 1 1/4"washers and ground them down to fit on the frame. That way the lower bushing will contact the frame and slightly compress against it.

I'm going to use position # 4 and 5 body mount sleeves on position # 3 (rear floorpan) and modify a couple to fit position #2 (front floorpan) by shortening them because I can't find the parts outside of the $370 combo kit on Bronco Graveyard.

[JimJam300]

The organizational stuff has been killer early-on working on this project. A few months ago I got diagnosed with ADHD, and the big way it affects me in work and at home is that I have an aversion to writing stuff down and I try to wing everything. I started taking adderal and I'm easing into better organizational habits like keeping a notebook for the truck and an excel spreadsheet for the engine build. I went off it for a few months when I changed insurance and as of Friday I'm back on it and ready to get things straightened out.

With that being said, I'm finally getting around to using the Prothane poly body mounts I bought over a year ago and there are some massive issues with them.

1: All of the bushings do not fit the stock hardware, the inside diameter is too small.

2: On the #3, 4, & 5 position upper bushings, the metal reinforced part that sticks through the frame is twice as long as it should be. Instead of sandwiching the frame between rubber, the lower bushing will not contact the frame at all.

3: The lower bushing for positions 2-5 are too short for the stock hardware. They will not compress at all when tightening the body mount bolt.

The way I got around 1 was widening the ID of every bushing using a Dremel rotary tool with a low grit sanding tip. For 2 & 3, I got a bunch of 1 1/4"washers and ground them down to fit on the frame. That way the lower bushing will contact the frame and slightly compress against it.

I'm going to use position # 4 and 5 body mount sleeves on position # 3 (rear floorpan) and modify a couple to fit position #2 (front floorpan) by shortening them because I can't find the parts outside of the $370 combo kit on Bronco Graveyard.

While I'm waiting on the engine block to come back from the shop, I have been working on painting the rest of the underside of the truck and then the floor. The floorpan in the cab has a total of 20 rust pinholes (1/4" diameter and smaller, most are around 1/16") that I'm planning on plug welding.

Caveat is that I don't know how to weld, but I have access equipment. I've been watching videos on how to join sheet metal and fill holes with a MIG welder, but I couldn't find one for what I'm specifically trying to do. The missing link is how to prepare the pinholes for welding. Do I drill them out to expose fresh steel?

[Gary Lewis]

While I'm waiting on the engine block to come back from the shop, I have been working on painting the rest of the underside of the truck and then the floor. The floorpan in the cab has a total of 20 rust pinholes (1/4" diameter and smaller, most are around 1/16") that I'm planning on plug welding.

Caveat is that I don't know how to weld, but I have access equipment. I've been watching videos on how to join sheet metal and fill holes with a MIG welder, but I couldn't find one for what I'm specifically trying to do. The missing link is how to prepare the pinholes for welding. Do I drill them out to expose fresh steel?

Jim recommended that I braze the pin holes in Big Blue's floor shut, and it worked out well. You can see it in this post. I used a MAPP gas torch, meaning a garden variety "propane" torch but with MAPP gas since it burns a bit hotter.

The issue with welding is that pin holes are really thin spots in the metal, and you are very apt to burn through, meaning you'll have a bigger hole than you started with. But brazing doesn't get the sheet metal floor hot enough to melt.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jim recommended that I braze the pin holes in Big Blue's floor shut, and it worked out well. You can see it in this post. I used a MAPP gas torch, meaning a garden variety "propane" torch but with MAPP gas since it burns a bit hotter.

The issue with welding is that pin holes are really thin spots in the metal, and you are very apt to burn through, meaning you'll have a bigger hole than you started with. But brazing doesn't get the sheet metal floor hot enough to melt.

Yes, brazing is not hot enough to melt steel which is why I suggested it. 💡

If the metal is rusted thin -long before you get hot enough for fusion- the iron oxides will flare up and burn bigger holes through the panel.

The first thing you need to know about welding sheet metal is that it must be clean. Or it will vaporize.... instantly!

Second is heat control to minimize distortion. Using an aluminum or copper back-up block as a heat sink can help, but making lots of tacks and cooling the weld area before you start to see it rise are both good things to practice.

Floors are good to start on because it doesn't really matter how they look as long as they are strong and water tight.

My driver's floor is pieces left over from from other patch panels I didn't need all of. (I did buy a new rocker and cab corner)

If you're looking to do cab corners or other difficult to reach areas definitely look into panel bonding epoxy.

 

[JimJam300]

Jim recommended that I braze the pin holes in Big Blue's floor shut, and it worked out well. You can see it in this post. I used a MAPP gas torch, meaning a garden variety "propane" torch but with MAPP gas since it burns a bit hotter.

The issue with welding is that pin holes are really thin spots in the metal, and you are very apt to burn through, meaning you'll have a bigger hole than you started with. But brazing doesn't get the sheet metal floor hot enough to melt.

I done did it. Was easier than I thought it would be. I used a MAPP torch and whatever brazing rods they had available at Lowe's, precision wasn't great but it worked. I wanted to borrow a portable oxy/acetylene rig we have at work, but looks like it walked off along with lots of other tools when one of the mechanics recently quit...