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This is the story about My Bronco. Starting with the purchase. And It's a Long Story!! So I'm Breaking it up.
Purchase | The Ride Home | Starting Work | Brakes | U joint |
Have you ever bought something and thought "At that price I can't go Wrong"
I did! And I was WRONG!!!
I saw it sitting in a used car lot. it was primer gray but over all didn't look that bad. no major body damage. just the normal rust all Trucks get.
I had the owner of the lot start it up, and man did it smoke. There was more smoke coming out of the valve cover than out the tail pipe. The Rods were knocking and pounding. I was to find out later that was because it was out of oil.
I knew it needed an engine. But I also had a good 351W sitting and waiting for something to go into. And with that in mind I asked "HOW MUCH" He said "$850.00" I looked at him and said "your kidding right?" He informed me it was worth it. I told him "I don't think So, Not with a blown Engine" and turned and started walking off. He called me back and said "Make me an offer." so I did. $200.00 we sat down and did some dickering and when it was all said and done I bought it for $400.00
I went home and got my money and went back and paid him. since I lived across the state from where I bought it, I had to make plans to get it to my mothers house to sit till I could transport it to my home. So I called my nephew to follow me out to my moms and take me back to my truck after I dropped it off. The Ride was Quite an Experience.
First I checked and filled the oil. I started it up. And it's Really Smoking. I hoped in, and put it in gear and head across the parking lot, as I reach the entrance I attempted to stop. To find the pedal is hard to press, and goes to the floor. I throw on the parking brake and get it stopped. I Pop the hood and find the master Cylinder is pretty much empty. I move fluid from the half that's still full to the side that's empty. Well now I've got brakes if I pump the brakes, But the pedal is really hard to press. But at least it will stop. And I've only got about 5 miles to get it to my mothers house.
I head back out again, and I'm going slow, Not all that sure about the truck. and when I buy a used vehicle I like to listen to it. but in this case it was a waist of time. you couldn't hear anything over the Pounding rods and open exhaust.
I had only gone less than half a block when I had to cross several Rail Road Tracks. there was a lot of banging and clanging as I drove over the tracks. the only thing was the noise didn't go away after I got over the track. and it's starting to shake and vibrate badly. It feels as if the truck is bouncing all over the road. so I decide to take the back roads.
I can't get the truck over 35MPH so I drove about 30MPH the whole way. and even at that speed it was shaking and rattling and banging and clanging and Knocking and Pounding and smoking. And I'm Getting lots of attention. there's more smoke coming out from user the hood than there is coming out the tail pipe and there's a lot of smoke coming out of the tail pipe.
Half way to my mom's I look down and notice, I no longer have any oil pressure! Now I'm beginning to wonder if this thing is even going to make it to my mom's house! and the further I drive the slower I'm having to drive, because the banging and shaking is getting worse with every block I drive. and the smoke coming out of the exhaust and out from under the hood is stating to catch up with me.
People are pointing and laughing, and little kids are running for cover, as I drive this Deal of the Century Home....
By the time I get to my mothers house I'm barely doing 10MPH, and the smoke coming from the truck is moving faster than I am. making it hard to see the street. I don't have to worry about hitting anything or anyone, because they're clearing me a large path as I come down the road. the truck now feels like it jumping down the road, it's shaking so badly. and the noise is so loud you can no longer tell what it what! and as I pull in the drive at my Mom's house it Dies... and coast down the drive way. I tried to start it back up, but it was DEAD!!!!
I Started with Changing the Engine. What an Experience. The engine I had was out of a car. And the first thing I found out is, a lot of parts have to be changed to fit into a truck. And Pedestals had to be installed to change it from a L6 to a V8. I found most this out by trial and error. Like radiators aren't interchangeable. and the wiring harness isn't set up for a V8, a lot of things came up short. The Oil Pan has to be changed along with the oil pump. And Exhaust manifolds are different, and Motor Mounts. and so on. which turned my simple engine swap into a major ordeal! But after 3 days and Several trips to the salvage yard, I finally got it all together. it doesn't have any exhaust on it but it is in and running. and I'm thrilled.
My excitement is soon doused when I go to move the truck and it has no brakes.
So I decide this is a project for the next weekend. The next weekend comes and I get started on it. thinking this is going to be a simple deal. WRONG!!!
As usually with the truck nothing is as it seems. After looking under the truck and looking at the backing plates on the rear brakes I can see right off I'm going to need wheel Cylinders, so I decide to start with the rear Brakes.
Now I've seen Brake shoes put on wrong before. But never as badly as this one. besides all the hardware being put in backwards, they put both the long shoes on the left side and both the short shoes on the right side. So I headed to the parts store with my list of parts and hardware I was going to need. I got my part and went to work. And latter that day I had it all back together. And Proceeded to Bleed the brakes. At first I thought my son just wasn't pumping the brakes enough. Because I wasn't getting much fluid to the rear brakes. So I put My pressure bleeder on, and it wasn't long before I figured out the Master Cylinder was also bad!! So back to the parts store and with a new Master Cylinder in hand I headed home. after only about 30 minutes I had the new Master Cylinder on working, and all bleed out.
Now I've got Brakes, but I've got a new problem. the pedal is really hard to press. Now since I installed the engine I've heard a hissing. I figured it was just a vacuum line hanging loose or not hooked up, or broke. WRONG!!! After 30 minutes of checking every hose and tracking the hiss, which isn't that easy when you have an open exhaust system. but I tracked it down and found the Brake Booster is Bad!!
Well it's night and I'm not up to jacking with it anymore that night so I put it off till Sunday. Sunday Morning I go out and take a quick look at the front calipers, figuring if I needed them to I'd get a step ahead and get them also. but they were dry, so I headed to the parts store again. which by now the guy at the counter and I are on a first name basis. I order the Booster and pickup the Front Pads, and head home again. As I tear into the front brakes the first thing I find is the previous owner didn't fix anything till it was beyond simple repair. The front pads are beyond being down to Metal, they have been Metal to Metal so long the Rotor is almost none existent. and not turn able.
Three Guess where I'm Off to again! Back to see my new buddy at the parts store!
Wondering If I'm going to have to get a loan to finish fixing this thing!!
After I get home and start pulling off the Hubs & Rotors, I find they don't come apart very easily. In fact they're a Major Pain! And Of course while I'm tearing off the rotors I notice the Radius Arm Bushing are wore out!!
Like I need to find something else to fix!!!! And I'm not going back to the parts store today! This is another repair that's going to have to wait.
So I resume Pulling off the Front Hubs. In the process of pulling the Hubs, I notice there seems to be a lot of slack in the Front Drive Line. Now I'm really Getting Depressed Over this Whole Thing.
This Deal Of the Century is Costing me a Small Fortune!!
I finally get the Front Rotors off and Of course I find Something Else. The Wheel Bearings are SHOT!!! They're had water get to them and are pitted badly.
At this point I walk Off, Muttering Obscenities and Cussing the Previous Owner!!
The next day I head Back to the parts store, where my New Buddy works, to get MORE Parts. The owner of the store at this point is starting to feel sorry for me, and offers me a discount on my parts. Finally a Break!!
So I get new Bearing and Seals, take them home and install them. Before installing them on the truck I decide to take a closer look at the Front Drive line. and Guess what. ALL the U Joints are Bad!!!
This time I'm Not Muttering Obscenities, I'm Yelling them.
Looks like another trip back to the parts store. And I hope to tell you This Deal of the Century is Really Starting to annoy me! My Wallet hasn't been this empty since I got Divorced!!
As I head back to the parts store I wonder, is this ever going to come to an end! Wrong Question to ask one's self...
As I walk into the parts store, they're standing behind the counter shaking there heads. I get the U Joints and leave.
As I pull in the drive I'm Beginning to Seriously wonder if this was such a Great Deal! As I Pull the front end apart I'm wishing I had a Cutting Torch. Not to loosen the bolts, but to cut this thing into little pieces!! I am So aggravated!! And lets not forget I've still got the Radius Arm Bushing to do!!
It took the rest of the day and half the night to replace the U Joints and put It all back together, But I got it and I'm only slightly eaten by Mosquitoes!
The nest day I started on the Radius Arm bushing. and I didn't do it by the Book! at this point I didn't really care how I got it apart. and you'd be amazed at what you can do with a Port-power!! But I got it apart and back together.
And now it's time to take the beast for a short run. Remember I still don't have any exhaust on it yet. I took it down the street and it ran Great. Only problem is it's shaking and Vibrating and Banging and Clanging.
Well it's time to check more things out. and I find not only are the Rear U Joint Bad. But the Previous owner ran it so long with bad joints it had Destroyed the Cardigan Joint. So back to the parts store. but after hearing the price of a new drive shaft, I decided to try my old friends at the salvage yard. You know them damn shafts aren't Cheep. And after careful consideration I had a short shaft out of a 72 F150 and took it to the Drive line shop and had it refitted to fit the Bronco. and saved about $50.
Maybe things are looking up finally!
I take my new Drive Shaft Home and start putting it in. and of course, as I'm installing it I find the Rear Yoke isn't tight on the Pinion Shaft. Now I've got to ask Myself. I wonder, How long it's been loose and just what shape the Ring and Pinion are in? I torque the nut to specs and hoped for the Best! I did pull the Diff Cover and was amazed to find No Metal!
More of the story to be added later.
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