Got rid of an '81 Mustang project to get the wife to sign off on this one. 1983 Bronco, 300 inline 6, C6, NP208, 8.8 rear end.

Plans are to turn this into a dedicated trail rig. Nothing too crazy though as it will be a budget build. Most of my project are in order to be able to support them all.

Plans (in order):
Carb Rebuild
New Battery
Tune-up and Fluid Changes
15x8 Cragar Soft 8s
33x12.5 Dunlop Mud Rovers
Cheap Bucket Seats
Beat the hell out of it
Half Doors
EFI dual exhaust manifold swap
Eventually a 9" and D44 SAS swap
Then beat the hell out of it some more










I did pull all the smog crap off as well as the carb for a rebuild.







Started pulling it apart


Completely apart, waiting to be cleaned and put back together tomorrow.


More to come tomorrow.
Fred

 

Looks good! My dad has a 1980 bronco 5.8m c6 9" rear and last year he sas'd it with a 1979 bronco Dana 44.

They are good trucks especially with the top off!

I'm jealous, I love the old bronco's. If you want pics let me know I will post pictures !

 

Awesome man. You take that air pump crap off I see?

 

looks like a fun project you got....good luck

 

Yeah, all the emissions crap is gone. I was lucky in that 83 was the last year for non-feedback carburetor so eliminating the smog crap doesn't affect it. Hopefully today I can get the Carb back together and go pick up a new battery.

 

awesome buy, i love old style broncos. looks like you've got some work to do, cant wait to see pictures of it when its done.

 

Thanks. I picked it up on trade for about $500 worth of parts that I was getting rid of with the Mustang project.

 

Carb is all put back together. Hopefully I did it correctly, we will soon see.



Before it goes back on, I have to make an EGR eliminator spacer for the carb to plug the egr port coming up from the intake manifold. You can see it here in this picture next to the blue shop towel covering the intake opening.

 

Got it all back together, swapped the plugs and wires and it fired up and idled great. However, it was spewing a lot of oil out of the rear main seal so the engine will be coming out starting tomorrow for a new seal and new valve cover, oil pan, and lifter cover gaskets. Also gonna take the power washer to it as three cans of engine degreaser barely scratched the surface of this thing. Pics to come tomorrow.

This was my under a buck fix for the egr port in the intake manifold.

Then I used a specialty precision installation tool to get it in place called a hammer.


Fred

 

Stripping the motor down getting ready to pull it out




Also ran one of the EFI exhaust manifolds through the blast cabinet and gave it a quick clean up. Once they are both clean, they will be sprayed with DupliColor high temp header paint.


Not really good progress pics but they will provide something to compare to when the motor is all cleaned up and back in. Will also be looking to clean up the engine bay a bit this week before the motor goes back in. Goal for tomorrow is to get the motor out and on an engine stand and maybe start working on it some.

Fred

 

Got the motor out today and got started cleaning it up before I start replacing the rear main seal and gaskets.

After an hour of cursing, busting knuckles, crying, questioning my manhood, and a snap of a finger, its out.



I wish my wife were this dirty.




Then after round 1 with purple power degreaser, stiff nylon brushes, and dish soap. Still needs more though.





Some of this **** is baked on there pretty damn good!



Round 2 tomorrow

Fred

 

cleaned up pretty good after round 1

 

Looking great man

Subscribed

 

Thanks guys. I have never put this much elbow grease into cleaning up an engine before. Usually some Gunk degreaser followed by some Power Purple and the engine is done. Not the case on this one.

 

gotta figure that all that mud and grease and grime has been on there for thirty years.

 

nice rig. that grill guard is too big though.

you plan on boring out he 4.9 at all? from what i hear they can be built up pretty good.

 

Should be a great trail ****.

Good work on the engine too.

 

Went another couple of rounds with cleaning up the engine and ended up making good progress.


Took down the exhaust and intake manifolds, valve cover, pushrod cover, and oil pan. Looks like it has a broken oil pump pickup so it will be replcaed along with a new oil pump.




And most of this stuff will getting cleaned up and powder coated.


Fred

 

Love this project! I'd like to find a FSB with an inline 6 myself. They're such great motors.

 

any updates?

 

Wondering the same ^^

 

Check his thread on www.fullsizebronco.com

 

Sorry guys, gonna try and catch you up on this build. Some of these are from as far back as February:

My projects:

Bronco, outside until I can get back to work on it. Hopefully as soon as Spring Break.


65 Mustang, on hold until I get time to work on it. Don't know when that will be.


Ranger tough truck, also on hold. Don't even know when I will work on this.


Fred

 

Got the intake and exhaust manifolds separated

Saying goodbye to the log style exhaust manifold since it will be replaced with EFI dual exhaust manifolds to exhale better


New oil pump and pick-up


Painted the engine a cast iron color. Nothing fancy



Blast cabinet went down so I was basically at a stand still since the valve cover, timing cover, lifter cover, and oil pan need to be cleaned up for paint.

Fred

 

I was able to get some more work in today. Mostly getting the motor back together with new gaskets.

I did the valve cover, and lifter cover in a wrinkle black finish.




Also did the oil pan to match, and did the timing cover in flat black. The added the distributor, and a new oil filter.


Tomorrow I will install a new water pump and try to figure out manual, non-clutch cooling fan then it goes back into the Bronco.

Fred