Ricks Bronco: 1and 1/2

[rookieshooter]

Going to the Truck Nationals at Carlisle Pa. I'll be in the judging field and will see how she does. This is the second event it's been in and it's not even tagged yet or even worse, no mud. This is just not right.
Can't wait until the exhaust is all done.
I love the looks of those guys driving those jeeps when I'm towing this. One guy at a store asked what make jeep is it

 

[rookieshooter]

Well I was a little disappointed when I registered for the judging. There were all kinds of classes for all the makes. The class that I came under was radical 4 x4. But guess what! There was no class for radical B2. This was hand written across my entry form. I'll talk to the event staff about this later.
But since I was up there for the fun of it. I had it judged anyway. The judge was amazed by all the work and lack of "off the shelf stuff".
It did get a lot off attention and I talked to a lot of people. One guy that was in line for the judging said that truck has to be one the most fun things to drive. And driving it around with open headers, it sure was fun.
Even towing up there it got a lot of looks.

I bought a muffler while I was there for $59 dollars shipped to my house. It was a dual in and dual out Magnaflow. Hope it won't stop too much of that thumpin V8 sound.

Added two more LED running lights to each side. One on the B pillar and one at end of truck bed. I also found a tag LED light while I was up there. Just dressing it up a little bit for when I'm cruising around town. That's if I can get it passed. Also ordered a parking brake for it.

 

[410Fortune]

awesome looks great with and without doors

go get exhaust already geesh

that truck is BEGGING for dirt

 

[rookieshooter]

Thanks 410. Since I do not own a trailer as of yet. It is important that I can pass the inspection. I could borrow one like I did for the Carlisle event and go do some trails. But knowing how I am I think it would be prudent to try to pass the inspection in one piece :roll:

 

[410Fortune]

you could pass later today could you not if you spent 4-5 hours on it?
Or is this a $$ thingy.

Heck you can use some exhaust flex pipe and clamps just to pass then come back and do the exhaust correct later?

I am anxious for you

 

[rookieshooter]

The muffler ought to be here in a couple of days. Ordered it at the show. I also ordered U bends. Going to try to make exhaust pipes myself. They want a bundle to bend it up for me. But might have to. Also the parking brake thingy was ordered the same time. Got to come up with an idea for side view mirrors that will stay on body and not doors. This might be a jeep type mirror . It took this long so far, a couple more days or so won't matter now

 

[410Fortune]

have you thought about PC'ing the gas filler cap red?
Might look cool

I am just razzing ya, I know what its like to wait for final parts...heck you might wash that truck 15 times before it ever sees dirt

side mirrors might be tricky since your fenders are quick mount and the doors are too....cowl mounted?
inner fender mounted?

 

[rookieshooter]

have you thought about PC'ing the gas filler cap red?
Might look cool

I am just razzing ya, I know what its like to wait for final parts...heck you might wash that truck 15 times before it ever sees dirt

side mirrors might be tricky since your fenders are quick mount and the doors are too....cowl mounted?
inner fender mounted?

OK 410, here is what I came up with since I don't have too many options .

See that thin piece of metal strip that holds the windshield in. It may be called the A pillar? That's the only thing that is still permanent

Again that shelving support that I grabbed when thrown away is coming in handy.

Bent a small piece of that flat stock and made the mirror support that I welded to the A pillar. Then bent and twisted another piece that one end bolts to mirror and other to support. It should just spin around if hit by branch or just unbolt when doing tight trails.

Just need to grind and paint.

Now for the fun part. Need to take a spin and see if I can see

Wipers?

 

[rookieshooter]

Just received my new Magnaflow dual inlet and dual outlet muffler, 180 deg. U-bend, Park-Lok brake another LED light for tag and tag holder for my hopefully truck tag.

I like the straight thru X-flow construction of this Stainless muffler. This is looking thru the left side. At the end of the initial straight perforated pipe is a crescent shaped piece of metal you can see in the pic that directs the gas pulse to the other side were another wedged shape piece of metal further directs the exhaust pulses.
This even makes my exhaust hook-up even less troublesome. No need for crossover pipe. The muffler itself will even out the exhaust pulses. Won't sound like to loud 4 cylinders.

Here's another shot of looking Thur left side and seeing the right side with that wedge shaped metal between dual outlets.

I could not get a tight enough radius for some bends that I needed to get the driver side exhaust running behind the tranny pan instead of the front like most trucks have. I just cut off the exact radius I need and weld up. I have already cut off a small radius. This way the incoming air while moving will not pick up hot air from exhaust pipe that would further heat up tranny fluid . Also I have that pan that allows cool air to pass thru pan while moving. Why heat up that air that passed thru pan

Starting to fab up exhaust. I'm using flux core wire. Lot of splatter.
The pipe on the left side is coming from driver side header and back around tranny pan and in front of tranny cross member. So now the rush of air that will carry heat off that exhaust is behind tranny pan and won't effect pan.

Here is the front of tranny pan and you can see now that the hot exhaust is running down along side of pan and then it turns behind. Makes no sense to have in front especially with those cooling vents.

I also like the way this lays flat instead of turning vertical like some that I have seen. Mostly when using two mufflers.
I temporally fired it up. Cool mellow sound and gets more aggressive when pushing on the Loud Peddle

Still a lot of work left to get both pipes back behind axel.

Won't be long before I'm down at the DMV and Insurance place getting temp tag and ins. to get this inspected. If it wont pass then, oh well allways wanted a car trailer.

 

[Nick26]

Starting to fab up exhaust. I'm using flux core wire. Lot of splatter.

oh man put a bottle on that welder... flux core welding exhaust pipes sucks... it's a pain to make sure they seal all the way around with no leaks and the flux burns through really easily and can leave a lot of thin spots which will rust through much quicker. A mig that doesn't penetrate all the way is a much better way to go. Also make sure you spray paint those welds with some high heat spray paint when you are done, because they will start rusting right away .

Won't be long before I'm down at the DMV and Insurance place getting temp tag and ins. to get this inspected. If it wont pass then, oh well allways wanted a car trailer.

No cats and you'll still possibly pass inspection? Is that part of the special modified vehicle inspection?

 

[rookieshooter]

That's what they say. We don't have an emissions test just a mechanical. So if they don't test for it how can it fail?
Your right about that mig flux wire. I just kept holding each piece up to the sun and looked inside. A few pin holes had to be touched up. Once it's all made up the way I want it. I will take down to have bent up in pipe bender at some point in time.
guess I could use some kind of header paint on the welds? Needs to be painted today becuse like you said.........Rust.

My regulator for my tank is up at my buddies house where were doing a lot of welding on his show truck.......41 Willys.
But this will be replaced with as much bends that can be made with a pipe bender later anyway on my truck. Going to test what I'll eventually make up, like of trails where it can be tested in flexing situations before it's taken to the guy who will make it up in a bender.

 

[rookieshooter]

Wouldn't you know, as soon as I temporally hooked up the muffler and started it up I heard a noise I could not hear with open headers. But then again I have hearing aids for both ears, but lost both on a hunting trip Nearly 40 years in the Sheet metal trade and around 1/4 million rounds of Trap shooting I wonder why? At any rate when I revved it up I heard a loud squeal . Seems like the power steering pump had a bad bearing. So down to Auto Zone and they checked their computer when I bought it. Are you ready for this. 393 days ago . Two more days and no free pump. So I took it home and installed it. I read a warning that said this pump makes noise until broken in . And this may take about 500 miles. It still has a faint squeal to it when revved up, but not anything like the last one. I really don't like this at all. May have to check out other year models. The one I asked for was for the exact year B2 which is an 84. It has a plastic reservoir.

The heat and humidity takes it's toll while working on this thing. When i used to drink alcohol I would sweat like crazy, no more of that ever happening again. I keep a cooler with iced down water with me while I'm out in the sun. Most of the time I'm in the shade, but still the humidity is worse then the heat.
I know I'm not alone out there woking in this weather. Take it easy you guys.

 

[410Fortune]

84 BII power steering pump = whine whine squeel sqeel

see if you can fit a metal bodied pump from another year, perhaps mustang?
or live with the infamous ford pump whine...

Note to self wear ear plugs when shooting

 

[Curtis]

Fantastic thread... probably the longest one I ever read!
great job!

 

[rookieshooter]

Fantastic thread... probably the longest one I ever read!
great job!

Curtis, you must have a lot of time on your hands to read this thread

There were so many things that I wanted to do on it with so little money HA HA . Not making excuses, but living on a Social Security disability check from month to month I had to do it myself or no truckie. Could have put it on a plastic card but decided that good Ole cash would be better in the long run
But have to admit that since I've got married a little over a year ago things are %100 better, including the $$$. Of course an understanding wife who has a great job and can't wait to wheel with me helps more then anything.
I sold my ATV 700 Polaris and that really helped with some much needed parts. The little that I drive this truck, it was way more enjoyable then the ATV. Really not that much bigger LOL.

Hey 410, as usual you come up with some ideas I'm going to check on a mustang. The length is very critica. I had to grind down about 1/6" off a small part of my aluminum valve cover for the 84 pump to work.

 

[rookieshooter]

Running the dual exhaust with all the stuff I've got under this truck is becoming a major PITA. I'm about 20" from terminating both exhausts along each frame rail. Ran out of tubing. Should be here today. She purrs like a kitten when running.
May have to install Cat. converters if it fails in that area. But since I'm using an old 302 engine that did not come with any it may pass. But if not, Flow masters makes a real small one that I have room for in front of muffler. One for right and left side. In just a couple more years it won't have to be inspected since it will be 25 years old.

Also about half done on the parking brake. It's just a valve that you pull up on when you apply the brakes. It opens back up when the brakes are pushed on again. I've got it installed on the tranny hump.

 

[410Fortune]

picture time! lets see the mirrors and the exhaust

Duals under a 4x4 BII = tight fit!

 

[rookieshooter]

picture time! lets see the mirrors and the exhaust

Duals under a 4x4 BII = tight fit!

There's the driver side mirror.

Here's my parking brake. Just step on brake and push down on knob. Push on brake pedal to release. I'll center lines in holes and then RTVum up.

I'll finish this up tomorrow. The one on the left goes back along frame rails where the original exhaust went. The one on the right goes up over drive shaft, in front of battery box and then between gas filter and battery box. Then I have a piece that kicks it over to the other frame rail and then they both will exit along the ends of frames. That 3" BL came in more handy then I thought.
I'll post more pics when exhaust is all done and also where they come out at. Used a mix of pre-bent tube like the ones that are generic 90 deg. and then some cut from 180 deg. U-bends. The one in front of battery box you can see both type of ells.

 

[rookieshooter]

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v81/honda2nr4life/swamp spider/?action=view&current=MVI_5190-1.flv

Sounds of the dual exhaust with one Magnaflow muffler. Two inlets and two out lets. Both exhaust pipes terminate below each frame rail.
I don't think this muffler is as loud as Flowmaster, but that's what I wanted.
Check out the leaves on the trees when I rev it up.

 

[FROADER]

Magnaflow is smoother and deeper the way I like it. Sounds wicked!!