Ricks Bronco: 1and 1/2

[rookieshooter]

aren't you going to miss out on having bed space back there to throw stuff in?

I can still throw my duffel bag that I use a lot in the back. It goes in front of that horizotal cage bar that the shocks are bolted to and the bulkhead. It's larger then the pic shows. Plus I still have the roof cage on top. I even think I have a pic with a chain saw up there.
Now when I go and need a lot of space like all my camping gear, or when hauling fire wood it now goes into the matching trailer. That's the main reason I built the trailer to haul and camp out of .
When I go hunting even with another hunter in the B2, I have Honda seats that slid forward and we put the gun cases in the cab behind seats. Then slid seats back as far as we need. Even right now I have some soft cases of tools and stuff behind seats.

That space in front of that horizontal bar was never used that much anyway. Too much tire.
Now don't forget that space behind bar has a lift-up lid about 6" deep all the way across that has all kinds of stuff including recovery chains and straps and tools.

 

[rookieshooter]

That was a good question, from the pics alone it looks like there is no room whatsoever.
Went trout fishing a few days ago and put Colman cooler, tackle box and rods behind that bar. May post up some pics of it loaded. Behind meaning between that horizontal bar and back of cab.

 

[rookieshooter]

In my describing the rear bed mod I may have made it sound that I cut the whole bed out. No, it was just the area around the spare tire and coilovers.
Here is the main part still intact. That bottom you see raises up to another compartment underneath that is about 6" deep. I have tools and recovery stuff under that including another lid that is over my recessed battery and fuses that is even further down.

And here is a pic of a large cooler, large rain proof duffel bag and a smaller bag with plenty of more space left. Those rain proof duffel bags are just perfect for this truck and all the camping and outdoor stuff I do. The tire and the horizontal bar keep things from sliding out. Plus have bungy cords laying all over that truck LOL

These Honda seats that my son gave me besides being really comfy slid back where my stock seats did not. On my shooting trips the guns and few other goodie bags fit nice behind the seats. There is a recovery strap laying back there also.
And still have roof rack.
I may at one time put a divider down from the horizontal bar that the coilovers are attached to, to the floor this would make the area where the bags are a little more secure when hauling anything small that may slid through.

 

[not turbo]

That was a good question, from the pics alone it looks like there is no room whatsoever.
Went trout fishing a few days ago and put Colman cooler, tackle box and rods behind that bar. May post up some pics of it loaded. Behind meaning between that horizontal bar and back of cab.

Truck looks great! More and more unthought-of mods happening...

A suggestion, prompted by the quote:

On a certain gun board I'm on, they have what are called "dinner pics". Pic shows a home-made dinner, gun, mag, knife, and some kind of adult beverage.

What'cha think about a dinner pic, with your truck at a campsite, with some trout cookin' up, and etc? I'd love to see some of the country you travel in (the pics of the woods/trails so far have been GREAT!)

:notworthy

 

[rookieshooter]

Truck looks great! More and more unthought-of mods happening...

A suggestion, prompted by the quote:

On a certain gun board I'm on, they have what are called "dinner pics". Pic shows a home-made dinner, gun, mag, knife, and some kind of adult beverage.

What'cha think about a dinner pic, with your truck at a campsite, with some trout cookin' up, and etc? I'd love to see some of the country you travel in (the pics of the woods/trails so far have been GREAT!)

:notworthy

Your a man after my own heart. I'm planning an up coming trout fishing/camping trip in Aug. I'll be fishing the tail waters of a 300' damn that is a bottom discharge, Hence the cold water. In fact the Army Corp of Engineers have a way of discharging the water in a way so the temperature is environmentally sound for the Trout population.
But in the mean time I might be going to some local areas and will post up.
Ya, I like the dinner pic thing. And if it turns out nice I might even make an 8 x 11 out of it so when things get a little hectic I can look back at it and forget the rest of the world. I guess being retired is not all that bad LOL

BTW, I remember when I was a kid and the only thing was the outdoor magazines. No Internet, imagine that. And they would have the old school pics of Trout laying next to a Wicker Creel with ferns laying in the bottom with some nice Rainbows, Browns, or maybe some Brookies laying on top of the ferns.

To this day one of the best classes I ever took in 9th grade was a Fly tieing class after school that one of the teachers taught. He taught us how to tie with all the different type feathers...like hackle feathers from around the neck of the bird and how to tie so they would stand at right angles to the hook shank like on a Royal Coachman and so on and so on. And even went into large flies for Bass using hollow deer hair so they would float. Then trim the fur so it looked like a little mouse floating on the water.

 

[Scott B.]

To this day one of the best classes I ever took in 9th grade was a Fly tieing class after school that one of the teachers taught. He taught us how to tie with all the different type feathers...like hackle feathers from around the neck of the bird and how to tie so they would stand at right angles to the hook shank like on a Royal Coachman and so on and so on. And even went into large flies for Bass using hollow deer hair so they would float. Then trim the fur so it looked like a little mouse floating on the water.

Imagine that - an education rather than the indoctrination of today's schools.

I like that "dinner picture" idea, too!

 

[rookieshooter]

I agree Scott. That little class taught more then just fly tieing, it set the stage for a little self reliance and making something out next to nothing. Something that has stayed with me all my life.

Might as well add a propane bottle to the micro camper. Again I used my friends sheet metal shop to shear, roll and bend the ends. I also went I got some hoses that I can run to my stove that will set on the fold out table/bed extender.

Of course need some rod holders so they don't get banged up.

Might just go ahead and paint the rest of the plywood.

Here are some Rainbows that would have made up part of that upcoming dinner pic. These were caught back in the Spring.
I'd like to get a pick of the truck, camper, cooking of trout and a few other things in one pick. Including a late evening pic with only light coming from a camp fire. Can't wait.

 

[rookieshooter]

Slapped some paint in there. I was going to carpet over the bare wood but decided that it would be easier to clean this way, could always get some carpet to lay over if need be.
I just got another "un-thought of mod" as not turbo most eloquently stated.
Did you coin that phrase, not turbo? I like tha style of thinking LOL
Going to find me some of those generic type telescoping tent/tarp poles and make some snap fasteners on the side and back. Then I'll have a slick way of erecting some shade/rain protection. On one of my hunting/camping trips I use some long ropes, but some times there no trees that close by.

 

[SVTmountianeer]

dude thats awesome

 

[not turbo]

I just got another "un-thought of mod" as not turbo most eloquently stated.
Did you coin that phrase, not turbo? I like tha style of thinking LOL

Al original, that one. "Un-thought of" because it wasn't part of some grand mod plan, you just look at your stuff one day and say "Golly, what if...?" and then get the sawz-all out....

 

[rookieshooter]

Hope you don't mind...but I just had to add that to my signature.

Wife and I are going to do some wheeling in a 20,000 acre state park today, only about 10 miles from house. It's not a trail park place by no means and no ATVs are even allowed. It's managed for the Deer, Turkeys, Grouse and Bears. All roads are dirt, and mostly has miles and miles of foot travel only, with a spectacular high elevation lake nestled between two mountain ridges. May take some pics.
Also this is a place I wil be taking the matching camper/trailer to do some camping and fishing.

 

[rookieshooter]

Here's a pic of the lake nestled between those two mountain ridges I mentioned.

My wife if busy swatting the nats and checking the Eagle setting on her nest on top of that tree sitting out in the lake. When the Eagle took off you could even hear the little Eaglets making all kinds of squawking.
This was an added bonus to a nice trail ride.
This lake almost produced a new West Virgina state record Largemouth Bass.
It was over 12 pounds and a few ounces, it was the ounces that was not enough. It was like 2 ounces shy. And this was at a time when Berkeley Fishing line was giving $10,000 to any one setting a new State Record catch using their line. And if I caught a new record it would have had that line on my reel at least before I called them LOL.

 

[rookieshooter]

If there was one thing that has given me more problems then any other, it has to be this Holley Truck Avenger. First it was the Primary feed block with all that white ash type powder in it that at first Holley told me was my gas. But was actually due to a poor casting from Holley that had very small cracks in the metering plate. I even posted pics of this on this thread. Eventually Holley shipped me a new one and has remedied that problem.
Now I noticed my jets getting clogged again. Now check this out, I think this whole carburetor was a bad casting. The threads that the fuel screws into seemed just to fall apart. Now I'm no dummy and it was not due to overtightened bolts. So now I've ordered a new Primary fuel bowl.
Next carb will be either Edelbrock or one of those Proform carbs. I heard through the grape vine that Proform was some Ex Holley guys that were dissatisfied with Holley's standards and started their own business. I know that their metering blocks are Billet aluminum to stop the porosity problems Holley had with their cast metering blocks.

Got this from the Ranger Station site. Now just to get some of those Ultra Bling Hummers and Mall Queen pick-ups behind me.

 

[rookieshooter]

While I'm waiting for some Holley parts, a friend of mine called me up and asked If I'd like one of those bed extenders. You would have to make it work for you Chopped top. I said how much and he said if you drive over I'll give it to you. I was gone in a flash. If its free then I'll make it work LOL.
Here it is just setting on the bed. The width is fine but no way will it work with out some serious hinging.

The next problem was how was I to carry it with or with out the tailgate. It will not lay flat in the bed like their made for. But it did stand straight up at a 90 deg. angle. I thought that looked pretty cool.

Then knowing how it had to lay out to extend the bed and how it had to lay to stow it. The next problem was to make some kind of 2-way pivoting hinge thingy.





First I needed a striker bolt that is on back of a Ranger for the tailgate. That is what this was originally for. But problem I needed it threaded up to the head. I found these B2 bolts that held the seat belts in and found them the right diameter at the head. But was way to thick, so a few minutes at the grinder solved that problem.

And now it's got that slim head thickness just like the striker bolts. On the Bed extender it's made to slip over that bolt and clicks to lock it in.

Here is that modified bolt now locked into the extender latch. This is where one of my hinges will pivot.

I just tapped the end of the hinge and making sure bolt does screw into it.
At this time the bolt head was not grounded down.

Then I made my bottom two hinge points.

Here is one side with the bottom hinge bolted to bed with the hinge arm attached and connected to that modified pivot bolt that is slipped into extender. I had to cut the gas shroud that goes over the rubber fill pipe. No biggie, I'll just make a sheet metal covering.

Next was to make a top locking latch that the push pull pin will slip into.
This was just some flat 16 ga. stock that I cut it out of.

And here is the locking pin pushed through the hole.

And all done except to prime and paint the hardware that I made. To stow in the up-right position all you do is to pull pin and lift up and flold over. This will come in mighty handy hauling the venison home. Or any other large objects.

And here it is in the stowed position with the tailgate up.
Using just scrap metal I had laying around, the only thing I had to buy was some 3/8" bolts. So I don't think this was a bad deal at all. Not to mention it keeps with the built theme.

 

[mynameisaric]

nice work !

 

[rookieshooter]

Thanks aric, the more I look at it the more I like it. Can't wait to pack up some gear and head out to some remote location.

I've primed and painted the hardware. Those self tapping #10 sheet metal screws are fine for mock-up. But they're being replaced with 1/4" bolts. Note how I had to cut out a hole so I could put the nut and washer on. I've built this truck for extremely easy maintenance and have no qualms about modifying anything to make it so. You think this may be utilitarian truck LOL. Also the miles of trails that this truck sees that little tube of Thread Locker Red that laying on the bed will go on these bolts, as about everything else on this truck.

Top two pics are self explanatory. Used this trick for years.

thought you might like to see more on how the hinge works. Here it is folded about half way back. I'm just lifting up while pushing back.
Next will be somekind of reataining thing when folded back. Don't need this bouncing all over the trails.

 

[rookieshooter]

So long Holley, well at least that one. Called up Holley and told them about how the threads started coming loose and more blisters forming on the secondary fuel bowls and how the jets are getting clogged. They told me yes that there is a problem with a certain batch of carbs that had too much lead in the casting, it just took some time to figure it out. He asked me what number was on the choke tower. I told him and he said send the whole carb back. I said do you want me to bolt the bowls and metering blocks in? He said no, when it gets here it will be destroyed cause were trying to get that batch of carbs off the street. And we will send you a brand new Truck Avenger off-road carb that has the new castings.
Sounds great I said, and immediately shipped it to Holley at Bowling Green KY.

Intake runners on that Edelbrock manifold look great. Never had any problem with the carb back firing. Need to clean out some of that sealant in that one port.
I just loved the way this Holley performed when the jets weren't clogged from all that casting problem. Especially on steep and off camber rides.
Again I'm pleased with their customer service.

I also covered over those ports and blocked all hose ends, don't need to have some critter making a home in my manifold or those pesky little bees that love to crawl in the hoses and fill with mud. Don't even ask how I know LOL

 

[rookieshooter]

That hole that I had to cut into the gas filler cowl so the hinge folds down nice and flat looks like crap.

Took some 16 ga. flat metal which is stronger then what was there and re-shaped it to allow for hinge to lay flat.
I'm trying to find some kind of rubber that would slip on the raw edge of where I cut the bed out. Some thing on the lines of a C-shaped one that would slid over the sheet metal.
Just doing some small things while I hopefully receive the new carb sometime late next week.

 

[black91EB]

what about something like this?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PPP-25-540/

That particular product is only in 10" sections, but you might find it longer.

 

[rookieshooter]

what about something like this?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PPP-25-540/

That particular product is only in 10" sections, but you might find it longer.

Yes, that is what I'm looking for, thanks for posting. There are other spots on this truck that I could even use the 10" sections. But like you said, may be able to find some longer pieces. Could call up Pacer. Might be the same people that make the Pacer flairs that I use.