410Fortune 1988 Ford Bronco II Eddie Bauer 4x4

[410Fortune]

inner fenders, rad support, cargo floor, rear inner bedsides
the cage will be gusseted to the body similar to mcneil trucks of late, so much of the inner pillar supports, etc will go bye bye

I am BII dash, maybe save some of the plastics if possible, keep it nice
Shes such a pretty truck inside I hate to chop it up, but I also am sick of taking the bypass because I dont have a cage and I want long travel to keep up with the big dawgs
The Explorer can take over as my IFS truck

Suspension will likely one day be solid axle front with coilovers (moved forward) and long travel rear leafs with bypass shocks...
you know the drill man! Things may change along the way, they always do!

 

[CopyKat]

Dayum who did that???? I love it, exactly what I was thinking except quick release top portion

been talking about it for years LOL looks like I am not the first (too humble to think I would be anyways, its a natural fit)

:
That was one of my parts trucks. I was experimenting. I just need to fill the top of the tailgate and fill the bottom of the cut hatch.

Everyone talks about doing stuff bla bla bla. I not only talk I DO.

 

[CopyKat]

http://broncoiipopoutsidewindow.homestead.com/index.html

I've got solme 1/2" aluminum offcuts laying around that would make perfect hinges and wouldn't be hard to duplicate what the factory had intended.
Damnit now I'm thinking of new projects. I need to complete the ones I have going now. Before starting new ones.

I'd like to get my split tailgate thing done before I paint.

 

[410Fortune]

why do you need a hinge? I would just use the nuts ans studs that came with the windows....simple

I talk alot and then DO LOL
Not too many BII's running around with a 98 5.0L GT-40p drivetrain AND obdII

Your fiberglass and hatch project are awesome, keep up the great work and idea's

 

[CopyKat]

why do you need a hinge? I would just use the nuts ans studs that came with the windows....simple

Too much work. If it's raining you want to be sitting there while trying to fish 12 nuts onto studs? Per window??

A two piece hinge/clip like the factory intended wouldn't be hard to make and 2 latches at the bottom. Would take you less than 1 min to put the windows on and secure them.

 

[410Fortune]

No actually if its raining I will have my soft windows installed, the glass would only be used in winter months
either way no windows without chopping the cab = cool

 

[FROADER]

Bambi Killer has a nice set-up with no windows.

The 'roofrack' is part of the inside cage that goes through the roof.

 

[410Fortune]

been a while since the BII got some parts thrown at it:

Finally the day has come! I found a smokin deal on:

Where its going (driving lights get re-located):

Likely be cutting the grill a bit

This is a 9000# Mile Marker, guy used it 3 times then put it on CL
It may not be the best winch but it should do the job the 4-5 times a year I need one

After shes installed we will see about interior controls and dual batteries

 

[rookieshooter]

Great find I'm jealous. Post more pics as you go.

 

[410Fortune]

OKAY after Hurrican IKE things have been nuts, my rents have a house on Galveston, its okay but the first floor was under water so it needs ALOT of work. Still no power down there so we have not even been there to see it ourselves.
Regardless, work on the BII is moving forward, I need to get her ready for another winter and get her out of the garage so I can fix my other two explorer's

Anyways here's the parts I have collected:
1. New Beltech shackles, built for lifting a Ranger/BII 2"..I plan to ditch my 2" block and run these instead.
2. new Mquay Norris Extreme ball joints - Wowee!! Goodbye Moog, you had your day..these suckers are bad ass. I Installed them last night, my 2 year old Moogs were CRAP already.....geesh moog has gone downhill
3. Advance Adapters all aluminum 5.0L conversion radiator, finally ditch my crappy leaking POS radiator for this EBay gem I picked up last year for half price
4. Mile Marker 9000# winch, can you say FINALLY
5. Maintenence: BII needs oil change, trans filter and fluid change (new build broken in), new fluid in the rear diff (crappy Pep boys stuff is puking fluid all the time. Adjust my brake master cylinder (rear brakes are doing too much work, keep eating pads), cooling flush, find out why my heater blower only works on HIGH, fix chip in windshield before it cracks

All this happens this week, ball joints I did yesterday. I will get pictures... oh and I re-did the stereo and gages recently, sounds and looks great now! Rust repair has begun, major body make over this winter...(no doors, no glass, ready for cage time)

 

[rookieshooter]

Thats sounds like a plan. Strange about the Moog parts not holding up. I have some spare Moog ball joints that I bought about 3 years ago. Hope there the good ones.
I thought you said at one time that you were going to chop the top?
Going to check out those shackles you bought. Where did you get them.

 

[mjones97]

You will like the BellTech shackles. I need to recommend you get a set of at least 2* pinion shims. I need to get a set of them for mine so it recorrects the pinion angle.

 

[Premier]

just got an alignment the other day on the x, and they said moog was garbage now. they use spicer now.

 

[410Fortune]

ALMOST LOST HER THIS AM

I have been driving the BII to work and back for a month or so now, the Explorer is in the garage getting new header gaskets, a bolt broke off, we are remodeling our house, yadda yadda its taking forever..but
this morning on my way to work we almost lost the BII

This is the 3rd time the BII has saved my ass, not including almost rolling off road, etc I am talking TWO INCHES from totalled.

A 16-17 year old girl in a 01ish 4 runner pulled RIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF ME, actually head on.. the road I bring to work sometimes is a mountain canyon, there is a T with a stop sign, she went right through the sign and came straight at me! I was doing about 35, windy mountain road....I pointed to the left lane, hard on the brakes, BII did perfectly, went right where I pointed her, front brakes locked up, slid to a stop with 6" to spare before going over the edge into the ditch....she stopped her 4 runner 2" (no kidding) 2" from my passenger door

Thank goodness for dana 35 and 8.8 disc 4 door Explorer brakes on a BII with 35" tires.....
She saved my butt again!
Its ironic because this holiday weekend the BII is getting parked for a while, I'm gutting it and building a bumper to bumper cage and new suspension


Luckily I dont have to also fix frame damage or sheet metal too

Be careful people, and young'ens, please look both ways!
drive within your abilities/trucks abilities, road conditions!
If there was Ice this AM I would have kissed a tree nose down into a ditch and the 4 runner would be in my passenger seat.....

 

[MoabB2]

Glad to her she is still alive, that could have been BAD!

Funniest thing with my BII?....the air horns saved me! An old grandma started to merge into my lane and pushed me almost into a telephone pole. If it wasn't for my air horn screaming right in her passenger window, the BII would have been toast.

I'm looking forward to your cage project, should be sweet!

 

[zjrog]

Glad all turned out. Hmmm, I got some airhorns off a deuce and a half, need to get them in my ZJ soon... Just need a 12v solenoid valve for it.

 

[97sprt4x4]

Shot you a pm if you didn't get it.

Justin

 

[410Fortune]

BII is waiting for parts
BIG NEWS

My new JD2 BENDER will be here tomorrow!

I ordered a JD3 bender with stand, comes with free handle and degree ring
I got 1.25" and 1.75" 180 dyes
I also picked up Argon gas for my Hobart welder
HF chop saw and HF tube notcher
For x mas I got a HF plasma cutter and new compressor
Julee surprised me with a KOBALT 16 drawer tool box with fridge and stereo! LOL

Tlak about saving space! I re-designed the entire garage to fit this sucker, I put all my tools in it and now I have a complete wall of peg board with nothingon it, everything is in the tool box! And there is still MORE ROOM, I even have 1 empty drawer left!

Needless to say the "shop" is coming along quite nicely! I have the best wife ever! She came home from Lowes with a smokin deal on a floor model tool box, it has a large dent in the very top so she got it for less then HALF the asking price, they had to deliver it with a FORKLIFT I am in love...I keep my beer in my tool box now



Need to get a big ol drill press and to mount 4 anchors in my garage conctrete for the new JD bender

Been collecting tools for this stuff for YEARS now, its all finally coming together!

First project is a light rack for the FJ Cruiser, then the BII is getting fully caged

 

[rookieshooter]

Can't wait to see pics of it bending thos tubes.

 

[Premier]

damn, what a toolbox..