#earlybroncos

Project #longhorse Rear suspension completed. Coilover towers installed, just need to install the limit straps. This is ride height with 4” of up travel and 10” down. Second photo is full stuff with axles straight, third is full stuff at max articulation. #earlybroncos #crawler #fordbronco #rockcrawl #fabrication #vintage4x4 #609axle https://www.instagram.com/p/CZnad4HOfYN/?utm_medium=tumblr

Project #longhorse 143hrs in. I wasn’t sure how the front bed extension were intended to close out in the corner behind the B pillar as there was just rot and fiberglass when I got there. But I do know the height of the extensions is flush with the raised bed corrugations, plus I wanted to increase the rigidity of this area, so I came up with this plan of using angle iron and square tubing. I also needed to close up the gap between the bed sides and the new front bed extensions, because I had to remove so much due to rot. So I whipped out a little sheetmetal forming and coped these little pieces in. Not to shabby- #earlybroncos #fordbronco #fordbronconation #builtnotbought #beatnotbabied #trailtruck #fordtrucks #crawler #stretchbronco #trailrig #vintage4x4 #rockcrawl https://www.instagram.com/p/CNiXppmBay7/?igshid=kf8ixg3jzi6m

Project #longhorse 134hrs in. Extended rock ski kick-outs that I bent up the other day. This is how I cope and fit tubes, I mark and cut it by hand using a portaband, cutoff wheel, and a grinder. Tig welded and a little Steel-It to finish it off. I then cut the old secondary fill cap to fill the hole. It fit perfectly, I just had too. Right?! #earlybroncos #earlybronco #fordbronco #fordbroncosonly #stretchbronco #fordtrucks #fordtough #builtnotbought #trailtruck #trailrig #crawlmagazine #rockcrawling #crawler #wildhorses4x4 #doyouweldbro #beatnotbabied https://www.instagram.com/p/CNd4Ys_lwrG/?igshid=13m7jubzqzisf

Project #longbronco 115hrs in. Good grief! Getting the upper seat deck somewhat straight and level was the hardest part so far. I had to remove the body mounts, use four adjustable pipe stands, and lots of cussing. All while working from the hole in the middle of the deck. It was so far off and I would get one side good, then the other side would be wildly off. Did I mention cussing? Fck me- what a mental sht show... after hours of trying to get it straight, I finally gave up and did what I should have done from the start. Get one side good weld in the new floor structure then get the other side straight. Well not straight, but straight enough. It’s rigid and back on the body mounts. The doors close well. Good enough for me! #stretchbronco #longbronco #earlybroncos #fordtough #fordbronco #vintage4x4 #trailtruck #trailrig #crawler #rockcrawl #builtnotbought #earlybronco #fordtrucks https://www.instagram.com/p/CM---Cnh3CQ/?igshid=n8p6z8l9mqnm

Project #longhorse 103hrs in. Cleaned my transmission and transfer case and found this crack on the input snout of the transmission. This has to be what was causing the bucking and clutch chattering. I welded up the quarter infill panels and added 18” to the White Knuckle rock rails. I also soldered in extensions to the chassis harness and rear winch setup. #stretchbronco #earlybroncos #earlybronco #fordbronco #fordbronco4x4 #fordtrucks #fordtough #trailtruck #trailrig #crawlmagazine #crawler #rockcrawl #wildhorses4x4 #vintage4x4 #builtnotbought #offroad #offroading https://www.instagram.com/p/CMsuUDdhrPs/?igshid=65yyot10rtp3

Project #longhorse 53hrs in. Prepped the frame and splices (removed loose rust, converted rust, ground edges, drilled spot weld holes, deburred and sprayed with Steel-it). Positioned and welded the splices- this was a pain, I didn’t realize that the frame had a bulge on the sides and a depression on the top making it challenging to set the splices to aid alignment. Then added the cut 3x4 tube to the front section and from the rear of the truck I stabbed the splices blind (I couldn’t see anything from back there). Due to the tightness of the splices, I had to employ helpers to pull the frame together. Amazingly the length was spot on right off the bat, but I went and pulled dimensions everywhere anyway just to make sure. Using stock frame holes the spliced stretch ended up at 16.5” +\- 1/32” I went ahead and welded up all the spot holes and started welding up the seams, but do to the temperature and my ability to fog up anything on my face I just couldn’t see well enough to continue, that and I had bashed my head enough times today. #stretchbronco #earlybronco #earlybroncos #builtnotbought #lightattheendofthetunnel #vintage4x4 #trailrig #classicford #fordtrucks #somuchfun #offroading #crawlmagazine #crawler #rockcrawl https://www.instagram.com/p/CLkgnx-l63U/?igshid=iptfewbt6su

Project #longhorse 47hrs in. Passenger side disaster. At least they tried to use some metal instead of just bondo. I think I’ll leave this stuff open until after the frame splice. At least I’ll have better access from above. #earlybroncos #vintage4x4 #stretchbronco #fordtrucks #builtnotbought #diyhotmess #pandemic2021 #covidprojects #trailrig #offroadbronco #realbronco #earlybroncodrivers https://www.instagram.com/p/CLXzIqPlQZN/?igshid=1v02y99i5sb9u

Project #stretchbronco 36hrs in. Quarter Panels and cage cut. #earlybroncos #wildhorses4x4 #krawlersedge #vintage4x4 #crawler #rockcrawler #builtnotbought #bailiebilt #vintageford #trailrig https://www.instagram.com/p/CK46NqslTF_/?igshid=tmiia0ncnezx