1978 Bronco restore

[saltbranch]

Hey all back again with gas power this time. Everyone gave me alot of advice when I had my 89 F-350/7.3. Well I hit the point with it I decided it was time to cut it loose with everything it needed to be brought back into prime condition. So it was sold as was my other truck and I bought a 05 Chevy ex cab(got it cheeeap) for my daily driver but was still keeping an eye out for an older Ford. My son was showing me pics of the mid 70's model Ford trucks/broncos, saying thats the body styles he liked.His 16 Bday was coming up soon and he was dropping hints in Overdrive... I came across a 78 Bronco on another forum and Pm'd the guy, after seeing alot of pics and talking to him, we made the deal. So I hooked up my trailer and headed 400 miles north to pick it up. Got there and everything checked out just as I told, loaded her up and headed south. Got home Saturday afternoon and my oldest was pumped, I told him it was for a family project not just for him..he was kind let down some but still all over the truck. Sunday was the day of his surprise party, so once the cake was cut and presents opened, I flipped him a small box. He kind of had weird look on his face, opened the box to find the Bronco keys...Mom and I both said Happy Birthday, its yours! Excited is an understatement but worth everything it took to make it happen!
He plans to go back to factory paint and fix what little it needs on the interior, he is saying that it will stay stock other than the rims/tires. Truck runs and drives great, does have some surface rust, no holes through the body though,Does have a few dings a 2 small dents nothing major

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[Optikalillushun]

Any more progress?

 

[saltbranch]

Has been at a stand still for now pretty much. I did have the exhaust turned out in front of the rear tires.Just picked up a set of flowmasters that will get put on. Have got the paint and body work lined up for later this summer. mainly just cruising in with my son, we are doing the self taught drivers ed, so we are logging driving hours. he gets thumbs up all the time which is cool. Have the top off of it right now and its alot of fun teaching him to drive. He locked in wanting to keep it as close to stock as we can. So it will be painted the same and reuse all the trim we can and order what we screw up in the removal
the other day on the way to school he was telling me no one in town has a Bronco like his and they only made that body style for 2 yrs....I was like jaw dropped amazed, he researched something other than XBox and girls! Then he said when I make the money paint it, its going to be better than those rich kids new trucks. My Bronco has style not plastic!..., just about about brought a tear to my eye. Think a gear head might have born that day

 

[Keeway]

broncos are neat rigs. keep us posted!

 

[opusd2]

Hey, you have a great son! I hope mine is that kind of gearhead when he is that age too. Right now my son is about 3 1/2 and just loves my 79 Bronco, and wants to just sit behind the wheel with the window down and arm on the window ledge just like his Dad. The Bronco is pretty much stock and on it's way to be fixed up nicer than it is now. I bought it with a plow on that the mount was cobbled together, and the wiring was done by someone who used a lot of jumpers and not many connectors other than wire nuts. But it spent all of it's life prior to 15 years ago in Texas, and then the last 15 plowing a guys yard. So the rust is extremely minimal and the tailgate switches work. Though it's not in as nice a condition as yours, I like it and the way it rides, goes through the snow, has a small turning radius (compared to an 86 F250 sc lb), and with my little guy makes a good camper as well.

You've got a great ride there, and I am impressed that he used the line that it didn't have the plastic of the new cars. I know I've wanted a 78-79 ever since I was a kid and saw them hit the road new. It took a few years but I got mine last December. I consider us a lucky bunch.

Good luck with everything!

 

[MUDKICKR]

nice looking rig there, i used to have a 78 bronco that was a "bronco ranger xlt" wish it was that nice, but mine was a rust bucket, it had a 400/c6/203 combo with 3.55 gears. thing was a tank, and went better then my 2000 jeep wrangler locked frt and rear on 35s. what all extras does yours have? i can tell it has a/c but what other factory things does it have?