One wire away! Broncos almost together.

[Kara]

It has been a while but I was at the mercy of a free welders schedule. and I will never complain about help. Whats new:

Most of the electrical is gutted. Everything is going manual.
The decay, rust and damage on the floors and seam is repaired primered and painter.
I cut the top off! so much fun!
No more back hatch, obviously.
Took out the dash for some "restructuring". Basically I kept the top flat and cut the metal cage for the spedo- which is getting a custom panel and new gauges so its not pretty but it will work for now until the new face is made and skinned.
The ac/heat is out. The interior box is only temporarily inside until the small fans and boots are "custom" built by me to provide defrost and "heat" -air off the back of the engine.
Cut the fenders to fit better with the 3'' lift so I can keep my tires a little longer.
The rear D-pillars are cut but not done with the caps getting welded on.
Also the ugly gas tank access in the bed is not cut straight yet but it will be.
Im paying for that rush job repair. 2 years later the hole remains.

SO, with all this in the last year I had some motivators. First : to the wasps that keep trying to nest...I hate you and will hunt your children until I die.
Second: To the at first cute little fuzzy brown bird that nested in my exposed
B-pillar at the door above the seat belt mount. Your babies left... its your turn.
I pull out the nest and you still rebuild... figure it out.
and last but not least to the city inspector that visited every 90 days, to the minute. IT IS NOT ABANDONED! leave it alone and stop giving me hate mail.

Attaching pics now.

 

[Kara]

more to do

It may not seem like the thing to do but the fire wall and floor became an issue. The decay had to be beaten back and brought under control or I wouldnt have anything to work with by next year.

I didnt want to pull things through the wall a second time so I decided I would just work at it until it was complete to the point of paint.

Since my end game is for the truck to be able to go in fairly deep water I went with west marine, interlux boat paint.

The most expensive thing on that truck is the poorly rolled on paint but since I needed to use it up if it was opened I went ahead and hit the engine bay, front end and while waiting for time to pass ended up sanding fenders so i wasnt doing nothing.
At first it felt like too many projects at one time but it worked out time wise.
After the dash- cab area- is finished up I will post pics. Should be 2 months. New windshield goes in this month.
Next is to get 2nd gear back and fix the 4 weel drive.lol I know, seems like it would be first on the list but with another truck to drive I decided on rust repair before drivability. I drove it for 1.5 years with no 2nd gear so I wasnt to concerned on that

 

[Kara]

NOW IF ONLY I HAD POSTED IN BRONCO.... oops hey someone wanna move this up one slot to the Bronco thread.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Holy smokes! I can't wait to see what it looks like finished.

I'll move the thread for you.

 

[tidmarshsmiths5]

I'm jealous! That's an awesome start! That paint must be expensive but well worth it and looks great - waterproof!

Man, that's a lot of wires!

Hope Mills - got relatives up there and in Sanford (Uncle used to work for Campbells Soup Co) and I was stationed at Bragg.

Looking forward to seeing the finished project!

 

[Kara]

help with lights

If anyone can take a picture or has a diagram of what wires should be coming out of the back of the headlight switch/pull knob I could use some help.

My red w/yellow stripe got pulled out and the green w/black stripe that Im pretty sure needs to go their was cut out accidentally. The green one went from the column to a relay I think and then the light switch but dont know what accessory relay since I cut all that stuff out. Also if you know what relay it runs to that would be helpful as I will want to put one back in.

I have bronco2-86-EB-2.9

 

[Kara]

thanks Jim

Jim to the rescue.
I have lights. All lights. No blinkers and one running light-which is weird because its the pass taillight/running light. Last in the circuit.

Fall term starts in 2 weeks and all I have left is the wipers and new windshield after the weird lights thing.


tidmarshsmiths5---i didnt know people escaped bragg...you give me hope

 

[Jim Oaks]

Can't wait to see the finished project.

 

[Kara]

Freeze plugs stalled my progress

With my lights working(thanks to Jim) I could move on to fix my windshield wipers... but this did not happen.

A small puddle under my truck that turned out to be 3, not 1, freeze plugs rusted out on the pass. side needed to be addressed.

To the point... plugs are replaced with brass ones and all put together.
The truck does not start .

Power= check.
fuel was in it when i parked it. so while i plan to put in a few gallons I truly dont think thats the issue.
air = check
spark... thinking no.
I turn the key but no chugging happens, the engine does no turning over of any kind.
I have double checked every ground strap.
Replaced spark plugs.
plug wires ARE connected.
Distributor is fine, wires all still attached.
everything looks connected. I didnt mess with anything other than the wheel well to get to the freeze plugs.

yes , I had the clutch in when I turned the key.

what should I check? Any thoughts?

Ill be having one of these and be online for a bit if someone has questions.

 

[3rd Petal]

Just making sure I'm reading this right, so you turn the key and nothing at all happens? Engine doesn't turn over or anything? If that is the case it sounds like a starter issue. Either the starter is bad or isn't getting power. Wiggle all your connections, battery connections, connection down on the starter, the two on the solenoid on the fender, also make sure the little wire on the small stud of the solenoid didn't get pulled off, that is the wire that activates the solenoid when you turn the key. If all of that looks good, you can jumper power to that small terminal on the solenoid directly off your battery, and if that makes it turn over, the problem is somewhere between the switch and solenoid

 

[Kara]

Just making sure I'm reading this right, so you turn the key and nothing at all happens? Engine doesn't turn over or anything? If that is the case it sounds like a starter issue. Either the starter is bad or isn't getting power. Wiggle all your connections, battery connections, connection down on the starter, the two on the solenoid on the fender, also make sure the little wire on the small stud of the solenoid didn't get pulled off, that is the wire that activates the solenoid when you turn the key. If all of that looks good, you can jumper power to that small terminal on the solenoid directly off your battery, and if that makes it turn over, the problem is somewhere between the switch and solenoid

When I turn the key the starter kicks and the fuel pump hums for a 2 secs but nothing after that.
Since I did disconnect the pass side plug wires i rechecked but they are fine and im thinking it wouldnt have had the effect of no engine movement.

Just to make sure the starter was ALL good I checked your above mentioned items. Its all good.
Im wiggling everything. everything is secure. I know I DO HAVE POWER. So what makes NO SPARK. Power goes to the coil and the coil sends power to the distributor and the distributor sends power to the plugs to make a spark while fuel is squirted and i get combustion...RIGHT? close enough?
During my OCD clean up of old oil I did spray a good bit of wd40 and brake clean at the back of the engine. The distributor is clean and the plug connector for the distributor module.... the module is sealed so it should have been safe right? ( i do have a back up module, if i dont hear back I ma just try to swap modules)

 

[Kara]

....so i just found out it is no longer a priority to get the truck running.
If I can get the picture to post you will see how bad my current state of SUCK is. Turns out I get to replace some more freeze plugs.
OH and the wires coming out of the starter ARE pulled. With better light I was able to see it clearly.

ALSO there is a mystery connector off of the 2 starter wires that plug into the engine? I say connector because there is no wire attached to it. Clearly it has been pulled out and it looks clean. NOTHING on my truck should look clean except the pass side of the engine. SO I think this is new. Also the wires are right next to the down pipe for the manifold that was recently loosened up to remove the pass side manifold that had 5 broken bolts.

Since I cant drop any more classes due to a faulty ride I will be pushed into getting a running vehicle.

On a positive note, since it looks like a "new to me" ride is in my near future, there is a 302 and 451? 452? 4something waiting to be rebuilt at my brothers garage. Pulling the engine and just making her right has been in the cards from the beginning.I just tried hard not to let it be now.

Thanks to all for the help and advise.

 

[Kara]

and not just the freeze plugs. I realized i did not finish the breakdown of SUCK.
The rebuilt gearbox is dripping more than a little. The old distributor was replaced due to NO TEETH being left on it.(solving that one took longer than I like to admit) so pieces are in there somewhere. There is oil leaking, not seeping from the pan, and head. The fairly new spark plugs looked burnt when I replaced them yesterday, the trans needs rebuilt, it was rough shifting even before I lost 2nd gear.
and even if i managed to get the driver side freeze plugs replaced and starter fixed up. I wouldnt pas inspection for tags due to cracked windshield and no wipers or rear view mirror, or license plate lights.

No more nickle and dimeing my baby. Its time to just tear her down and make her pretty.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Sorry to hear about the misfortunes.

 

[NEALD]

Sometimes its best to just take a step back, go over the whole truck with a fine tooth comb and make a checkoff list of everything that needs done on the vehicle along with a list of parts needed to get it done. then start attacking the list and check off what is gotten and accomplished. Btw great progress already and good luck with her.