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Finally after all this time, im actually starting to put parts back on! Rear bumper back on:  Fit the rear flares  ...and then installed the front bumper, and installed/trimmed the front flares as well!  I need to trim the rear flares a bit as they hang down below the bumper, but im not sure yet how i want to trim them, ill look at them again next week. 3/8" gussets for the receiver:  1/4" gussets for the bumper brackets. Probably unnecessary but cant hurt:  ...and she's done!    The fender will require some slight trimming for clearance to bumper:  Fitment w/ flare (flare will get trimmed later down the road):  So now that this is done, im gonna take the rest of the week off to get some stuff done around here plus do some cleaning in the garage (its a mess in there after building this thing!), and then next week ill start brainstorming the front bumper! All seams done being welded and ground:  Time to reinforce the shackle mounts:     First one done:  ...and second one done!  We're getting close now; i need to drill/tap for license plate hardware, then flip it over and add some gussets, and that might be it!   Both corners are done now:
As you can see, i still have a sh*tload of welding/grinding to do!  Im hoping to get out there today for an hour or two, i want to start working on the receiver hitch. So hopefully more updates this week! Stupid weather delayed me a bit, but ive still managed to get some progress made on the rear bumper. Tapered the corners:   Added another 3" on the bottom, doesnt look like it but the corners taper to 2"    Mock-up on bronco   2x2 box tube, to protect quarter panel:  Mocking up the whole corner:     Hopefully tomorrow i can make that small piece for the corner, and then start duplicating everything for the other side. Ok, update time. Started on the doors:
Door #2
This is where my inexperience with sheetmetal repair shows. I took my time, but both doors sunk when i welded them. Cant have any filler since the mirror bolts up here, it would just crack. Its gotta be fixed, but im not sure how. Thus far ive only made it worse, which is disappointing.  In my frustration, i decided to abandon the doors for now and start designing a rear bumper. Gutted the original tailgate, so i could easily install it.  Back in place, with the green bronco's bumper still installed. I wanted the 'gate there for mockup of the rear bumper, and its nice & easy to move empty.  Once i got some free time, i went over to the scrap steel yard and found some goodies: 3½x6 angle iron (oddball size but IMO perfect for a bumper). Also got some 2½x1/4" flat stock, and some cool lookin panels with speed holes in them:
...and some 3/8" plate:  I expect to use the angle & plate, i doubt i have a use for that stuff with the holes in it, but they had a ton of em and they looked cool so i bought two. I spent ~ $75 for all of it, so i figure im into the bumper for about $50 as of right now. With the corners cut, the angle will fit up roughly here:  Bumper brackets built out of the 3/8" plate:  ...and installed. My shackle hangars are forward on the frame to correct shackle angle, which gives me 5 existing holes in the frame to bolt to.  ...and the angle iron slotted to fit over the brackets   The tabs sticking thru will get reinforced at a later date and become shackle mounts. This way theyll pull directly on the frame as opposed to just the face of the bumper. Thats all i got; i have a rough idea for what i want the rear bumper to look like, but nothing is set in stone yet so im kind of designing it as i go. I know i want a centered lisc plate, a 2" receiver in the middle (either behind or below plate), i want to taper the corners, and i want to wrap around under the rear quarters to protect them. So ive got a bit of design work to do yet. |
