The Beater Bronco

My 1992 Ford Bronco XLT Build

History

My family moved up to Reno, NV from Orange County, CA in June of 2016. The day before we picked up the Uhaul, our car died and it was left in California. We moved to Reno without a family car! We aren't rich, and couldn't just go buy a new car, so I took advantage of the opportunity to get back into a 4x4. Enter the Beater Bronco. The PO (previous owner) sold it to me for $1500! It ran strong, had  202K on the original everything. He had Plasti-dipped the entire thing and it looked pretty good.

I preceded to do what I always do, namely: Clean! I repaired basic stuff like the coolant overflow and windshield washer stuff. I replaced all the interior lighting and under hood lighting with LEDs, steam cleaned the interior, and began detailing the engine compartment. I also polished the OEM wheels. Then we drove it as a daily driver for about a year.

Going Forward

I am in the process of restoring a 1968 FJ40 and that build is consuming most of my time and money. The Bronco is free and clear and I have the title in hand. So, the plan for now is to keep it healthy and perhaps use it for my kids to drive over the next couple of years.

My plan is to eventually purchase an F250 with a Power Stroke and move the engine, transmission, transfer case, and the front and rear axle assemblies to the Bronco. I will be putting on 3" bulge fenders and bedsides as well as a fiberglass hood and tailgate. The interior will be replaced with MIP flooring, Corbeau suspension seats front and rear. A family roll cage will be fitted and the the hard top replaced with a Softtopper soft top.

I'll replace both bumpers with offroad winch bumper up front and a spare tire carrier and rack system in the rear. I am undecided on what I'll do for a lift, but It'll be 2 - 4 inch lift, probably BDS with Atlas springs That combined with the bulge fenders and a fairly aggressive negative offset on the wheels should allow me to fit 35-38 inch tires.