Body swap

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:55 am

if you need to know more just let me know before the weekend so i can make sure to get pic's. i have some of the hanger placement, and the drive shaft which will need to be shortened and if your not worried about balance it's a do it yourself job. if i was doing the hangers over i would make my own hander in front of the rear wheel i dont like the way it hang's down and im gonna be changing it. just a heads up.

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 8:33 pm

judging from the last post, you moved the rearend forward a little?

I know the wheel base for the BII is 94" do you recall what the wheel base for the big Bronco was?

I was thinking of leaving the WB from the 79 the same, and just hoging out the fenders kinda like what you did on yours. I just like the idea that if I break something I can run to the parts store and get a part for a 79 Bronco and be done with it. I have also toyed with the idea of running a rear mounted radiator to make more room in the dog house, and pushing the gas tank up over the rear frame to get it out of the way of stuff on the trail.
on the 79 I have, I have spent the last few months going threw everything to get it mechanicly sound and would just hate to change anything. it runs too good to start changing this to drastic right now. the good thing is I got such a good deal on the 76 P/U I now have a worhty tow rig, so I guess I am ready to start tearing the body apart. I just want to make sure I don't toss any thing I might need to do the cab swap.

also, did you use the stock break boster from the BII on the big Bronco breaks? how do they feel with that set up?

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 3:18 am

1. the stock wheel base on a 78-79 bronco is 104.7". i moved the rear end up about 5" (it's easier than it look's). i did it by myself in about 2-3 day's dew to all the drinding of rivet's. i wanted to keep the 104.7" wheel base it came with but i did'nt have the time to strech the rear end of the b2 (lot's of freak'n cutting/welding). also i thought it would take away from the over all b2 look and i did'nt want it to look like a ranger.

2. i mounted the a 19 gallon gas tank from a 77 Ford pick up in the bed of the b2. when money allow's im gonna swap it for a fuel cell. there is plenty of room to run the tank between the frame with the way the b2 step's up twice in the rear if you need/want to go that route.

3. i was gonna run a rear mounted radiator but i came across a nice 3 core. it's a mini of the original but for the cost of having it recored i could have bought a aluminum radiator like (Nobody). make sure to use a 3 core cross flow if you rear mount the radiator. at idle my rig will stay cool with the electrical fan but i need to run a mechanical fan to keep it cool when im in the pedal. i plan to change the thermistat from 190* to 170*-180*.

4. yah i used the stock b2 break booster it stop's pretty good but i need to rebleed my breaks becuz the pedal was kinda mushy. the weight loss make's a big difference. that '79 tub is heavy as hell. it make the b2 tub with chop top seem like a feather. power!!!! oh my goodness!!! i can smoke the 35/15/15 tires in 4h.

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 3:19 am

a shot of the temp gas tank i mounted.

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 3:24 am

here is a shot of the room i have under the bed of the b2. it's not that good of a pic but it'll give you some kind of idea of the room you'll have. i did'nt go home this weekend so i dont have any new pic's sorry about that money got tight.

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 4:25 am

don't worry about it, the project is probably not going to get started for a while. I had planned on starting to cut up the body here in the next few weeks, and basicly just start measuring everything. some parts of the cab are going to get used on the 76 to patch some of the rust. I will probably be back with more questions as I cut up the body. thanks for all the info so far!

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 6:03 am

no problem...

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Wed Aug 25, 2004 4:04 pm

did you have your driveshaft altered or did you set it up to use the BII driveshaft?

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 5:43 pm

the drive sahft i used was the 79 shaft there not hard to cut down took me about a 1hr or so total time. if you decide to go that route i believe i cut it 3". just ground the weld on the slip yoke side and pulled the yoke off took a chop saw and cut 3" out of the tube section. then i rewelded not perfect but damn close for my first time.

im having trouble posting a pic so i'll try to load one later.
need anything else let me know im going to San Diego tommarrow and L.A after that to take the lift off the b2 getting it ready for the eb coil's and shackle flip rear.

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:01 am

that will probably be all I need for now. I fliped the body off yesterday, so I am now ready to start the tear down of the BII. hopefuly I will get the body setting on the frame by thursday.

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Sat Aug 28, 2004 6:16 pm

hey DBrown what are you gonna for suspension?

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Sat Aug 28, 2004 8:56 pm

I was planning on keeping the same setup in the front and then doing the same to the back. radius arms and a track bar. the wristed arms are a must also. the leafs would do ok, but I would like to push the axles out as far as possible to get better angles and maybe clime a little better.

for now I will probably use the leafs untill I get the rest of the stuff I need. basicly all I need are a set of coil buckets, some weld on C-wedges, and radius arm brackets. my friend has a grave yard of old 70's f100's so digging around at his house for an afternoon should hook me up.

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Sun Aug 29, 2004 11:40 am

you gonna run the stock coil's front and back?

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Sun Aug 29, 2004 8:31 pm

no, I planned on getting a set of duff coils. but I am going to run the stock style 3 link. radius arms and track bar. I am just going to get rid of the leafs in the back.

I am going to try to get the BII down to an empty body on tues. and swap it over on thurs. I really wanted to set up the rear while the body was off but it looks like I will have to do it later. man, doing all this between class and work sucks!

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Mon Aug 30, 2004 8:28 pm

right-on!! have you thought about extend'n and reinforce'n the radius arm's for the rear? ohh and more pic's im getting excited