WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

My Winter Bronco Build

rivermobster

Club Banned
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Messages
56,090
Reaction score
53,028
A 5.3 LS and a Ford 351 are BOTH pushrod motors.

I think the comment about pushrod motors was meant to say you would not be able to get a newer style Ford overhead cam motor in there.

I have a customer with a Ford modular engine in a 63 Ranchero.
 

HB2Havasu

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2015
Messages
4,433
Reaction score
9,631
He said earlier he'll be in it for about as much as people are dumping into SxS's

That's not hard to believe. I'm into a 2015 RXR XP4 1000 for ballpark 32k right now, and will be around 36k when all said & done. The biggest difference is there is a lot of trails you can get into with a RZR, that a Bronco just won't fit into. But having dust free HVAC cabin is a good trade off. Lucky for me my wife loves dirt :thumbsup
 

Kylemenz1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Messages
3,239
Reaction score
1,146
Ok, is it that hard to give a number because some people have 25k into their s or 60k into them. I'm just looking for a number to help decide whether to sell my bronco or build it.

I'm thinking $45k-50k all in. I could be way off though! Hahaa.

I have a 1987 Bronco that I would love to do half this much to. Good coil over front and leaf spring rear with stock interior, and lowest possible ride height. Richer Racing would be where I'd take it to also. Johnny Richer has a very good relationship with the Camburg guys also. He'd be the guy id have install parts, even if he's not coustom fabricating parts.
 

philofab

Dirty scum
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
59
Reaction score
13
A LQ4 with LS3 heads is cheaper $ per hp than building a Windsor. Plus you get to run a cheaper T400 or 4L80E vs a C6 or E4OD. If you want overdrive the E4OD is so long that it will limit rear travel due to driveline length and CV angle.

I'm a hardcore Ford guy but it's hard to beat an LS. Especially when you consider how much better the T400 aftermarket is and how much more efficient it is.
 

Backlash

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2011
Messages
13,537
Reaction score
25,427
Unless you have solid connections in the off road industry, having a full-blown quality built truck will set you back $75K+. That's still probably a low estimate and everything hinges on what you are hoping to achieve. A friend of mine has $15K just in the shocks on his rig. Add a set of wheels and tires and you're quickly approaching $18K. Another friend will spend over $1K just on heim joints each time they race-prep their truck. So it all depends on what you want and what you hope to achieve.
 

dezertrider

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
3,167
Reaction score
1,683
What is the budget for this build? How do you get the engine in and out? What will the engine be?

Everything is tacked in place for the most part. The cage around the engine will have a few removable bars

Nice. What are you repowering with? LS?

He won't be putting a Chevy motor in a ford. [emoji6]


The budget is like a snow ball running down hill. I keep adding good parts. The latest was the Howe Hydraulic steering. I have a good friend that is getting me a killer deal on a few of the parts. It will be back on the road with stock power for under 50k.

An LS would be the easy thing to do but Im a HUGE ford fan. I want modern power in it and that Coyote motor looks pretty good. We are gonna play with it a little with stock power and the repower is going to be another project by itself. Im hoping someone does some kewl shit with the Eco Boost Engines
 

Cole Trickle

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
23,477
Reaction score
15,822
I imagine Brian is getting a fair deal because of his connections.....Based on the craftsmanship I bet the average guy walking into the shop with no connections or buddy hooks up's on parts is going to be 75K pretty easy.

Figure another 10-15K+ for a coyote swap and this could be a 100K Bronco pretty quick.
 

dezertrider

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
3,167
Reaction score
1,683
I imagine Brian is getting a fair deal because of his connections.....Based on the craftsmanship I bet the average guy walking into the shop with no connections or buddy hooks up's on parts is going to be 75K pretty easy.

Figure another 10-15K+ for a coyote swap and this could be a 100K Bronco pretty quick.

Dont tell my wife! LOL. She wanted a RZR with a windshield
 

LargeOrangeFont

We aren't happy until you aren't happy
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Messages
49,690
Reaction score
76,151
Pretty easy to get 425-450hp out of 351. Not to mention 500 ft lbs. A similar 5.3 would take a little more coin thrown at it. I like LS motors but a properly built 351 can still win out vs an LS or Modular platform. Unless boost is involved!!!!

Correct.. An aluminium LS will drop 100 lbs off the front end though. A built 351 is about as much as a crate LS3, no? It just all depends on how crazy you want to get I'd imagine. The 351s do make lots of torque though.

I have only done the similar yet different 5.0 Ford stuff in the past and LS stuff.
 

dezertrider

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
3,167
Reaction score
1,683
Looks like this is it for this week. Next week there going to be busy

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1450396131.059488.jpg
 

bk2drvr

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2015
Messages
1,659
Reaction score
2,099
Nice build. I would love to do this one day. I'm curious, do you retain the 4wd in this build or does it go to 2wd? How much wheel travel do you expect to have front and rear in the finished vehicle?
 

dezertrider

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
3,167
Reaction score
1,683
Nice build. I would love to do this one day. I'm curious, do you retain the 4wd in this build or does it go to 2wd? How much wheel travel do you expect to have front and rear in the finished vehicle?

We are keeping the 4wd, 20" in the front and 22" in the rear. I did a Mexico trip with a 2wd ranger last year and one day 4wd would of saved our ass
 

brgrcru

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2010
Messages
6,119
Reaction score
11,709
did you win the lottery and didn't tell anyone? Your bronco is going to be f'n bitchen. :thumbsup
Is it going to be a 3 seater or four ?
 

bk2drvr

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2015
Messages
1,659
Reaction score
2,099
We are keeping the 4wd, 20" in the front and 22" in the rear. I did a Mexico trip with a 2wd ranger last year and one day 4wd would of saved our ass

I can understand why you would want to keep the 4wd. It's invaluable at times.

Awesome rig. Congrats. I will keep a close watch on this thread.
 

dezertrider

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
3,167
Reaction score
1,683
did you win the lottery and didn't tell anyone? Your bronco is going to be f'n bitchen. :thumbsup
Is it going to be a 3 seater or four ?

3 seater, I wanted a 4 seater but I couldn't make the rear work the way I wanted it to with a bench in the rear
 

Kylemenz1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Messages
3,239
Reaction score
1,146
It's going to be a shame to get those beauties dirty and banged up!
 

Hammer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2010
Messages
21,915
Reaction score
12,825
With a desert rig do you powder coat all this stuff or just paint it since it's going to get hammered on? Seems paint would be easier to grind off if you had to weld something back together..
 

dezertrider

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
3,167
Reaction score
1,683
With a desert rig do you powder coat all this stuff or just paint it since it's going to get hammered on? Seems paint would be easier to grind off if you had to weld something back together..

Once it's done you try to break it then fix what doesn't work. Once your happy with it you take it apart and powder coat it.
 

dezertrider

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
3,167
Reaction score
1,683
It's nice seeing all the fenders and major components go on. This is a very fun build. Over the weekend we got to play with my buddies ranger that has a 500 hp LS in it. That was a lot of fun. Now that we got the reared in place they are going to start the rear cage

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452128186.644128.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452128199.212834.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452128212.612254.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452128225.511653.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452128243.848848.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452128257.651734.jpg
 

Kylemenz1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Messages
3,239
Reaction score
1,146
Saw a picture on Instagram of the back half. DAMN! There's a lot of work going into the rear.
 

dezertrider

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
3,167
Reaction score
1,683
You mean this one?

We are stretching it from 105-108 inches. The rear doesn't line up on purpose. The fenders will be customized with a little more flare and centered on the wheel
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452201377.425411.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452201438.413882.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452201450.017562.jpg
 

Kylemenz1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Messages
3,239
Reaction score
1,146
Yes sir that was it! Will you be able to get the 4th seat in the rear now that you've stretched it?
 

philofab

Dirty scum
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
59
Reaction score
13
The backs of Broncos normally have the seat directly above the axle. Most of the time the g-forces you are exposed to sitting there is bad, like brake your back bad. Good shock tuning can get rid of a lot of this, as well as pushing the seat toward the front seats.

I've ridden in the third seat of a race Bronco on a whooped out race course... it's as rough as a 9 car.
 

rivermobster

Club Banned
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Messages
56,090
Reaction score
53,028
The backs of Broncos normally have the seat directly above the axle. Most of the time the g-forces you are exposed to sitting there is bad, like brake your back bad. Good shock tuning can get rid of a lot of this, as well as pushing the seat toward the front seats.

I've ridden in the third seat of a race Bronco on a whooped out race course... it's as rough as a 9 car.
This. ^^^

And I could be wrong, but I don't think he is building this beast to go grab a dozen eggs from the dairy on Sunday mornings!

If that thing is burning gas, it's gonna be going as fast as it can, down some whooped out trail in the desert.

I'd be happy to pay for said gas, and a shotgun seat, anytime...
 

Kylemenz1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Messages
3,239
Reaction score
1,146
Damn that's a lot of travel! I want a ride when it's all said and done[emoji2][emoji106]
 

YoPengo

Inmate #47
Joined
Sep 20, 2007
Messages
13,577
Reaction score
5,514
Bad ass build. Wish I had the coin to do something similar to an old 68-72 K5.
 

brgrcru

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2010
Messages
6,119
Reaction score
11,709
the front end looks killer also. . :thumbsup
 

idk

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2014
Messages
514
Reaction score
354
BAD ASS build, I have a few friends with cool Broncos but this one is over the top. SWEET !!!
 

dezertrider

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
3,167
Reaction score
1,683
Just got back from looking at Bronkzilla, I asked them what bad ass thing are we missing besides a motor package. They couldn't come up with anything. I can't wait until this is done

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452805262.934430.jpg
You can see the removable bar in this pic. That will allow us to remove the motor later
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452805302.805367.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452805349.178764.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452805372.464802.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452805412.653722.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1452805451.442342.jpg
 
Top