Best Build for Early Bronco

[bubba22349]

One option that can be done on the C4's is to install a low gear set then you can use a taller rear gear it was called the "Poor Mans Over Drive".

 

[CoupeBoy]

I do like the 4dr action (being a family of 4 with now 2 dogs)
I wonder though, since reading the other thread and finding that the '60's Ford pickup straight boxes have the same body lines, what would it look like if you separated the newly created 4dr cab from the box and then used a standard (or shortened) 6ft bed on the back?

I'm a member on the oldfordcrewcabs.com forum and have been wanting to build my own vintage crew cab, since they don't exist in my area. The other thing that the old CC trucks didn't have was an abundance of back seat leg room, so I was planning on lengthening the cab body compared to stock and using stock length back doors.

and to counter the link I left you in the other thread..
Project SEMA 2013 -- ClassicGasProducts.com

 

[CoupeBoy]

Something else before I forget about it again. On the oldfordcrewcabs.com forum I am user named "phlegm" <-- like the mucus that comes out of your sinuses.. Also similar in color to '67 Lime Gold used on Mustangs.
Interesting Information on how the original crews were built -- OldFordCrewCabs.com

1967 F350 Crew Cab Question

Ontario Canada was the factory that produced all of the early Crews. All were essentially "hand made" and there really wasn't any deep, dark, or mysterious secret as to how they were made. By the way, my 1970 F-250 Highboy is this same way also. You will find this is the case with all of the "Bumps" and with all of the "Dents" which are Crew Cabs. That means all were "hand-made" until production of them ceased in 1979. I will explain how to tell about the "hand-made" portion in a few moments, but first, here's what was required to make one.

Two cabs were used, with the back of one and the front part of the other. It appears there was a "special" roof panel made and this was attached to the top of the cab after the modifications were completed so there was a one piece roof installed. The front part of the rear doors were literally "cut-off" from the vent window forward and the front edge was modified and used to complete the front edge of the doors after welding and shaping. The interior door panel was cut off on the front portion so it would now fit against the door with its front edge matching the doors front edge. Here is one of the "chintzy" things you will find. They tack welded a small piece of angle iron on the front edge of the rear door to make a slot for the door panel to slide into as they had cut off the front edge with the screw holes. The door panel front edge just "floats" inside the groove made with the angle iron. The rest of the screws on the top, bottom and back edge are fastened to the door to hold the panel in place. If you hear a faint rattle, simply tap the angle iron with a small hammer and "tighten" it against the door panel when it's in place.

Now, here's where it gets fun! The window crank on the front doors is close to the front edge of the door. This part was cut off on the rear doors so there wasn't a place anymore for the window crank. By taking a passenger side door window regulator and turning it around backwards and then installing it into the Driver's side rear door, the window crank became usable and now was located to the rear edge of the rear door and worked perfectly! Then using a window regulator from the Driver's side door, installing it backward in the passenger side rear door, it worked perfectly too, and the crank again was now positioned close to the rear edge of the door. The passenger door glass was used in the passenger side rear door and the driver's side glass was then used in the driver's side rear door. Drilling a new hole for the window crank's stub shaft in the interior door panel was all that was necessary to complete the rear doors. Kinda "chintzy" in my opinion but very workable even though the workmanship leaves quite a bit to be desired when you actually look over one of these rear doors.

The rear door inside handle for opening remained the same, but they did not enclose it with an arm rest as was the case with the front door. Instead, they used a plastic window frame type looking piece from the inside of a standard van's inside door handle to finish it off.

Because of the removal of the vent window from the rear door, the subsequent removal of some of the floor and roof to make it match resulted in the loss of considerable foot room, in my opinion, and the rear passengers get the feeling they are up against the front seat. When production of Crew Cabs was started again in the mid 80's, the new Crews of that era were built with more foot room and that has continued ever since their re-introduction. Seats were easy as the only modification to the front seat was a little upholstery added to enclose the back of the seat for appearance sake. The rear seat was simply mounted in with stationary brackets and became non-adjustable, although both seats are capable of being tilted forward to stow stuff around the gas tank in the rear and who knows what function the tilting front seat now serves?

As you can see, the only real "new" piece of sheet metal needed was the one piece longer roof. Wiring was simply "spliced" with an extension piece where required and the truck received cosmetic sheet metal finishing and painting.

Oh yes, I nearly forgot! The rear door sills are nothing more than front door sills that have been cut off, (shortened) to finish the floor to the door opening.

For those of you that are interested in just what this cost, well the full retail price for the "Crew Cab Option" in the 1970 model year was $773.00 as indicated by the Original Invoice from my 1970 Crew Cab Highboy. To us who bought these in those days, it was a "Hell of a Price!" Another reason for the low numbers of production. With "good wages" being about $120 a week, this was a fortune in those times!

As you can see, there was considerable "hand work" involved in the making of the crew cabs. The rear doors are the real item of "scarcity" and anyone finding one or a set of rear doors for any of these early crews if in good useable condition finds a part that will generally be salable at a fairly good price! Although you could make a new one from a regular door, it is a great deal of work and would be quite expensive, but NOT impossible to do if you really needed one!

When you get the opportunity, if interested, take the time to really check out the rear doors of these trucks. Hard to believe they are so simple, yet functional. The other thing I find of interest is the poor quality of workmanship you will find present in some doors when compared to each other even or to others on other trucks. It is very apparent there was good and bad rear door fabricators at the Ontario plant. Good thing the front doors were mass produced and made so well, otherwise without a good door to start with, some of the rear doors might have fell off before the trucks were sold. Oh, that also reminds me, the regular hinges from the front doors were used on the rear doors also. Hope those of you that took the time to read all this found it interesting. Didn't mean to bore you folks for quite this long!

oiy! that guy types as much as me!

-ron

Which also brings up the question... Are you set on small SUV sized only? If not, I really like the '67-79 Ford Crew Cabs.

 

[autoX65]

4. Crane Cam #503905. 260/272 (adv), 204/216 (.050), 112 LSA

I think that would be a great choice. Im digging the read so far and your ideas are flowing. Ive always been a big bronco fan only the 78 and 79 body was the only year you could get a big block 6.6 Liter special order from the factory its not a cleveland or windsor and you do have to deal with a heavily factory underrated low 100 hp or something in a 4000 pound truck so with your small bronco and a 200 hp goal from a 250ci you should be styling... I would put a three speed on it over the c4.(tough to say coming from me because I always run automatic but Purpose built.

Im currently working on a bronco trophy truck with a dana 80 custom in the front and jaguar independent rear suspension custom as well in the rear in the middle of a c6 fully built with reverse manual valve body and transfter case, custom stall of course powered by a 459(351Midland block) custom billet crank build with dodge pistons and chevy H beam rods. with the edelbrock victor windsor cylinder head modified for use on the midland block with custom spacers for the new glidden victor elelbrock 351w intake with 4500 series dominator holley and race gas only. should begin testing in august but the modifications will never stop :idea:


just keep this between us inline fans so all the big block guys dont go digging through our archives but it should be engine masters worthy and with a midland block and windsor top end it will be dubbed the WINLAND :arrow:

cant wait to see how your build turns out and hope to help.

 

[chad]

The EB Bronco won't fit 5 speed gearbox easily, quote]

And the NV3550 is bout the easiest due to no drive shaft changes...need a 250/300/SBF and 'fixins' tho.

and the 'regular' (ie 1" BL, clock the train, etc).