The Great Pumpkin Restoration Page

Last Update: March, 2004. The body work is finally done!

The Bronco is all back together and running fairly well. I just need to get some exhaust work done to get it to pass inspection. However funding is a little short right now so who knows when I'll get that done

After about 4 long months I brought the new and improved Bronco back from the body shop. The Mary Kay mobile is no more...it has been transformed into a "Bumble-Bee Bronco." (and it does look good if I don't say so myself)

My Original Bronco:

1974 Bronco (Ranger)
Orange with a black top (+ a little rust)
Stock 302 V8 and C4 transmission
1" suspension lift with 31" x 10.5" tires

My new and improved Bronco: Click here to see my new bronco

1974 Chassis w/ 1970 body.
Bright yellow with a black top and fender flares.
Stock 302 V8 and C4 transmission
1" suspension lift with 31" x 10.5" tires

Things accomplished thus far:

Stripped to the frame. Sanded frame and painted.

I used mar-hyde (turn rust into primer) primer and frankly, I wasn't very impressed. It seemed to work well in areas where there was a little bit of rust, but it just peeled off of bare metal (which the can claims it bonds to).
Don't use this method if you really want to do it right. I figured that this would work good enough for me, but sure enough, 4 months later and the rust is already trying to poke through. Of course it's a lot better than it was. After all, a little surface rust never hurts the frame.
My suggestion is to fork over the extra cash and have it sand blasted and powder coated.

Transmission rebuilt.

I had it completely rebuilt at G&S transmission in SLC for $400. I've heard good things about them, but I won't really know how good they did until I get the Bronco back into a driving state.
I wish you could take the body off everytime you had to drop the transmission.
I bought a 1970 Bronco which is pretty much still original with very little rust. I plan to put this body onto my other frame and then have a complete Bronco again.

Body swap / paint.

I stripped everything out of the Mary Kay Bronco and had the body put on my '74 frame.
Replaced the rocker panels, inner fenders, and inner kick-panels with sheet metal from Jeff's Bronco Graveyard.
Replaced the front fenders, grill, and hood with fiberglass from K-bar-S.
Replaced the tailgate with an aftermarket one from Tom's Bronco Parts.
Had the rear half of the tub (and up over the top of the rails) sprayed with arma-tuff lining. I wanted to have the whole thing sprayed, including the firewall, but they wanted $1000 bucks to do all of that. Just doing the back half set me back $500.
All of the body work was done at Rick Warner Truckland Bodyshop in SLC. Not including the parts, all of this work cost me $4000 which isn't a bad deal considering everything that had to be done.

Things to accomplish before I can drive it:

Put everything back together (I sure hope I remember how it goes).
Get the engine up and running again.
Pray that it will pass emmissions.

Long term plans for the Bronco:

Disc brakes up front.
3.5" suspension lift kit from Wild Horses.
33"x12.5" tires on 15 x 10" wheels.
Warn locking hubs.
Front and rear bumpers from Cross Enterprise.
Rebuild differentials with ARB lockers.

More to come as the the project slowly moves forward!

I have many parts for sale. The sheet metal is listed on my for sale page. If you need anything else, just e-mail me and I'll see if I have what you need (I don't have any differentials, transmission, or engine parts.

Pictures of my bronco:
The Original Bronco
Before and After

This

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