Brought tears to my eyes, so glad your girls like the car, keep getting them involved where you can with it, and I love how it looks after its family wash. Nice slow burn project, and awesome content.
Hard to go wrong with BFG KO’s. The look on your daughters face when you asked if they want to go for a ride. …priceless. & that’s a neat shed or “stable” for the bronco
A guy told me once, no matter how poor/rusty/sick a 4x4 is, put decent rims and rubber on, some sap will love it and buy it. Good project, lol the girls jumped when the Bronco roared!
Well said....I have every good intention but my 89 Super Duty dump just sits in field....my 86 Dump was moved over concrete.......but both trucks would spit at the sight of me if they could.
I miss Indiana out there. Had my 400 rebuilt 2 years ago, it reached antique license, added 2 cherry bombs on it, and some mags. All I have to do now is convert the a/c and its good and updated!
That sounds sweet. I gotta lot of work to do on this ole boy but hopefully get some time with it this winter. Mine will have "260 Air Conditioning". 2 windows open at 60 mph! :)
Ford guy, John Deere guy and uses only BFG AT ko... yep you my friend were raised right! Beautiful property you have aswell, the light colored gravel dark green grass and bright red/white barns make for a great picture! BUCK the BRONCO!
Neil… I’m gonna lay down a bet right now… Beast Pony is gonna be a fun ride! Those girls will need harnesses to stay in the saddle! You had plenty of help on this one… with the girls rolling you tires and washing it down… dad helping you change tires and advising you…. How could this not have been a success? Well, there is one thing that could spell doom. Let’s just hope you don’t regret leaving off the black tape!!! Watching you change tires brought me back to the summer of 1972… the Cusp of muscle car mania, full service gas stations and burning rubber just because you could. You see that was a year before the OPEC embargo totally changed how the US thought about their cars… because nearly everyone spent the summer of 1973 just staring at the lines of cars at the gas pumps. But, at any rate, one of my high school classmates took over his dad’s corner truck stop in summer ‘72. He’d worked there since he was a kid. I needed a place to hang out where I could pass the evening hours… and meetup with my like minded buddies. You see, all the mayhem of riding around town with the 8 Track fed, Craig Powerplay speaker amplified, rock music blasting out your windows… didn’t start until after sundown. So, his service station oil change bay turned into our evening hangout. There we helped him get the place organized so, that when his dad came in to open up for him the next morning… he wouldn’t catch Hell! Aside form generally horsing around… We patched and plugged tires, crushed all the oil cans, cleaned up the floors with Oil Dry, hung all the tools, etc. But there was one job that only he would do… It involved this Cadillac Sedan DeVille… black, brand spanking new, clean as a whistle & driven by a middle aged woman. She was always dressed in clothes that came from her boutique uptown. Dresses costing $100?or more and high heels that had Italy written all over them. She lived in one of those Victorian Mansions that lined the main residential promenade through town. She came by every other evening at 8 PM to get premium gas. She always pulled up to the pump right in front of the entrance door to the station. My buddy went out, popped the hood and got started. He checked the transmission fluid and gave hear a thumbs up. That was the signal to turn off the engine. Then he checked the engine oil, radiator reservoir and window washer… she seldom needed any of that added. Once he was done with that, he’d close the hood and start checking the tire pressure. He always did that starting at the front left tire. Then he proceeded clockwise to end up at the left rear tire. You see, that was where the fuel filler lid was located. And, on the 1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille it was unlatched from inside. As soon as he put the valve stem cap back on, he’d look at her in the drivers rear view mirror. When her eyes met his, she’d pop the filler lid and put up one finger or two. And, with that signal he knew how big his tip would be for the day. You see, being a single widow and heir to the family legacy, ritual was in her genes! Appearances were everything. Relationships and social structure were her connection to the world outside her business and home. And, my buddy was one of the privileged few that were invited to play a role in making those connections. And for that, she always rewarded him. When she put up one finger that meant he should pump $1.00 of premium gas. Two fingers signaled $2.00. Which my buddy did. He then washed all of her windows, lights and mirrors. Did I mention that window washing had to be done with a clean chamois that he kept in his pocket just for this occasion? Once that was done, he’d approach the drivers door. Through the slit in her window he’d always say the same thing, “Thank you Miss Grace. Will there be anything else?” As she shook her head ever so slightly to signal no, she’d hand him an envelope with her payment. He’d then step back to the gas pump and watch as she pulled away and drove off. Once inside the station, he would open the envelop and deposit the four or eight quarters in the cash register. The remaining one or two quarters went into his pocket. That was his tip! The first time I saw the ritual, I was gob smacked. Here was this top of the heap social icon…. Driving a brand spanking new 1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille… expecting full service… while buying a buck or two of premium gas… paying with quarters… and my buddy was proud to do it for a measly quarter or half dollar tip! I asked him about her and he said, “Miss Grace is a nice lady. She helped my dad get started.” That’s all he would tell me. My other buddies and I learned what Miss Grace’s schedule was and we made it a point to be in the service bay whenever she came. We watched the ritual and speculated on what made her tick. Two years later my buddy and his father were put out of business by OPEC and 7-11. The scarcity of oil brought on shortages that forced independent gas stations to close. The high cost of oil drove the pump price up so high, self service gas stations filled the void. And, Miss Grace? There was this upstart family business from Bentonville Arkansas that located a store in town. It sold cheaper and younger fashions. When Walmart came to town, she closed her family business. By 1975, the economy was so bleak, the fuel crisis so deep that Miss Grace sold her Cadillac Sedan DeVille. Her new ritual was to go to the country club three nights a week. How did she get there? I don’t know the exact ritual but, it involved my station attendant friend chauffeuring her there as a driver in the cab company that she started. Thanks to Miss Grace, he had a job and a certain social acceptance that no other Gas Monkey in town had earned. Neil, please accept my apologies for getting off the subject. I guess I got a bit lost. But here it is… there were hundreds of tire changers on the market when we lost full service gas stations. I wish I’d had the foresight to buy a bunch and warehouse them. Just as we will never see $0.24 per gallon gas wars… we’ll never see $10 pneumatic or $5 manual tire changers again! You are blessed to have access to one. I don’t even have a pair of spoons or a bead breaking hammer. My lack of foresight forces me to rely on the tire store that my former Gas Monkey’s son operates!
"Beast Pony" is a great description of this Bronco. Your story brought back memories of teenage girls pooling their change to buy $1 of gas to cruise Azars on friday night.
@@marykoch5168 it was a thing! You could fill a whole tank for about $5… and get full service doing it! We still have one full service station in town. The owner is about 70. I make it a point to go there and fill up whenever I’m in town. He charges $0.05 pier gallon above the going rate. You have to pick your timing because he’s always backed up at his two pumps. And, us mature folks know that you always add a tip!!! Glad I could give you a pleasant flashback to those simpler days!
I love stories like this. I can picture it perfectly, even though I've never experienced it. You tell it so well that it evokess a feeling of nostalgia for a time period I've never known. I usually think of the 70's in that way and even though I was born in 76, I didn't really experience them, but yet I still feel like I did. Maybe I absorbed more than I realize? Anemoia (noun): Nostalgia for a time you've never known. Imagine stepping through the frame into a sepia-tinted haze, where you could sit on the side of the road and watch the locals passing by. I knew someone had coined a term for that feeling, although I remember there being a German word that was even more descriptive. I googled for a couple minutes to find the German word and couldn't find it. Anyway, I'm glad that the tire changer stirred up those memories for you cause in turn, you've shared them with us. So interesting about Miss Grace and her routine and her connection to wealth and business... Sounds like a movie script. Sincerely thanks for sharing. That is great stuff. That tire changer has been a life saver. It has worked all hours of the day and night on any day of the week. Without the assistance of a mechanical balancer (we have a bubble balancer, but...) our little tire center isn't meant for full service. But, for the occasional trailer tire, or lawnmower, or UTV, or 4x4 vehicle, or taking rims to the junkyard without the rubber... It works just fine! I've used it a ton and I know that Dad has used it off the books for a bunch of locals in need of service as well! When I bought that I never would have guessed how often or how long we'd be using it. I'm sure there's a harbor freight version out there though. Again, thanks for the trip down memory lane. There are many folks that enjoy reading them as I've been asked about your terrific comments on multiple occasions. Beast Pony is on the list now and in the running. I had hoped that people would comment with suggestions. This is gonna be a long term project and if I know me, most of the work on this will get done the month before any scheduled trip to the dunes! But nevertheless, I still think it could be a great story. See ya next time1
@@digdrivediy Yeah, I agree,. As I age it seems I’m finding my nostalgia wax is turning more sepia everyday! Sitting down to write about old memories make them more vivid for me. Trying to tell them in video takes longer and isn’t as satisfying. I have a theory about those simpler times… it has to do with small towns adopting change much slower than the outside world. Remnants of previous decades still make up daily life years later. Customs and relationships change slowly. Instead of being caught up in the daily news cycle… small town folks tend to recycle old news that mattered to them. I mean after all, the same folks still know each other… the same buildings and locations are still where they were and the good comes to mind more readily than the bad. At least that is the way it happens around here. I’m working on a video about a couple of changes that have been taking place here. To the outsider they just look like progress. To those of us who’ve driven the same streets since before central air conditioning (when residents sat on shady porches) and smart stop lights (when they changed on a timer, regardless how congested)… it looks like we’re severing connections in exchange for shaving a few minutes of commute. If I could get that point across as well as you explain yours… I’d go ahead and post it. And that tire changer… think of all the memories your dad, you and friends have shared because it has been in your life. I’ll bet you remember those better than the sweat, aggravation and injuries you got from using it. Put that one little connection together with the land, the old vehicles, the tractors, the family and friends and you have to agree… although you can’t share memories to times before you were born… you share connections to them and the memories of others who did actually live them!
Dang you like John Deere and the right kind of vehicles lol. My wife and I are still going through your playlist watching old videos. My first vehicle was a 79 F150 my dad gave me. I still have it. The first vehicle I bought myself was a 79 Bronco. I've had 2 79s and a 78. Now I just have my 79 F150 and a 97 F350.
I have an 89' blazer with the removable top I've been meaning to clean up one of these days. Taught my wife how to change oil on it awhile back. Its big and ugly, but man is it fun.
Good work very glad to see your girls like it as well that will be the most value I sold my very rough 78 several years back I replaced ti with a mint 96 Eddie Bauer my wife and daughters still miss the rumble of the 78 they liked it better than the newer nice one. Keep it take them out often in it often. Glad that you are putting the time in it and your girls
I had a 1980 Scout II that I bought brand new. I ordered it with the options I wanted and it was a real beauty. Over time it rusted out from just about every body panel on it. There were no patch panels available at that time and I didn't have time to work on it so I sold to someone who was going to restore it. I wish I still had the old Scout or maybe had the fore thought to try to store it somewhere. Now, you can't even find them and they are crazy money if you do. 1980 was the last year for the Scout II and it had the best running gear they ever used. Thanks for the video!
This brings back memories of me 25-30 yrs ago. I have had 5 different 78-79s in the late 80s and 90s. 1 of them was rusty as bad as that one and the same color silver with black top. But I didn't care, built a stout 400 for it and 38 swamper tires and had a ball in the mud and on trails with it. Patch that bfg and tube it. I've ran around on worse when I was young and fearless. 😄 Edit: I see that's what you did when I finished watching. Have you done any more work on her? She deserves to be brought back to former glory.
Thanks Neil, I used one of those tire changers back in the 70's where I worked we used antifreeze for lube it was cheap then, now elephant snot is better.
That's cool but can't imagine using antifreeze nowadays... although it is pretty slippery. An old jug could go a long ways I suppose. Thanks for watching John!
Awesome! I have a 78 Bronco XLT I've had for 42 years! Black w red interior. Factory quad shocks up front. 33 BFG inch tires. Bench seat (kinda rare). Truck was beautiful for a long time. Always had people wanting to buy it from me. Michigan weather taking a toll on it now though. Even now, I get people wanting to buy it for restore projects. Almost sold it last year to a Father and young son who were looking for a Bronco to restore together. Couldnt do it. Too much sentimental value. I'm planning a complete restore in the near future with a nice 500 inch BBF under the hood.
Paint it pink! Haha! Put some diamond plate over the rust, sure there’s tons of it at a junk yard to salvage. That thing is awesome. Glad y’all are going to have some memories with it again!
@@digdrivediy I bet! She will look good and be fun though! Ha ha ha & no pink 😉 lol. I need to send you a picture of the project truck I have waiting for me when I get back home. If I can post a picture I will. Do you have a Facebook page? Is email the best way to reach you? Thanks for always checking the comments and replying back.
I'm the only guy I know that never owned a vehicle that I wish I had back 😂 I would probably try to glue that hole shut and then put a tube in that tire.
Bronco brings back great memories growing up! You can put a tube in that tire with the patch for additional strength since your not going on the highway. Also use degreaser instead of liquid soap. The degreaser is slippery at 1st but, sticky when dry for a better seal. Enjoy your channel
@@digdrivediy a little soap in some water in a spray bottle or squirt bottle would be better than straight soap, but I get you had limited time and maybe resources at the time.
Funny I didn't see this video before commenting on the last one about getting the girls involved. Way to go Dad... I'm sure Mom don't care. LOL That childs face was Awesome!! when you said going for a ride. Do you have more videos of the Bronco?
I ordered a tube for it. You think on the steer is better? Less stress from the hp you think? Thanks for weighing in. I really don't know what is right for it.
Neil, I bought a nylon duck bill off Amazon for my tire changer, drilled a single hole in my tire iron, used a 5/16ths bolt, and turned my tire iron into a touch less set up. It was like $20 I think. It works really well man.
I've tried to do something similar I think with limited success. I'll have to look into that if I ever get into rims I don't want to get marked up. Thanks Rob!
Unfortunately it was. Too many other unforseen projects have prevented me from working on it. I've been watching for a good body to swap out with it so the dream lives on at least. Hopefully this winter I'll work on it.
Sitting around patiently waiting. I bought a second rust free body to swap out. Now just waiting on the right opportunity to work on it. Hopefully some this winter.
Awesome, you scared me a little in the first video when you were thinking of getting rid of it. They are getting pretty rare and pricey, I found one being parted out last week here in Illinois and cut the cab and inner wheel wells out of it for mine. I didnt like doing it but the guy was getting rid of it whether I got stuff I could use or not I suppose. I can now atleast save some spots on 2 other broncos from that one I guess. I have a 78 and 79 myself currently. Both mine have 460s as well, having a new one built for 1 of them currently as well tho. Its a never ending journey but I suppose it could be worse. Il never have money for drugs with both of these haha I'm excited to see your next video when you get to the body swap!! You know where your vin number is on the frame? You can get new door tags for that new body with a marti report also so it all matches again. I'm no guru but I can help with some info if you need any
@@digdrivediy Waste the time: if that is the way to look at it! Bring it up to full function and reliability. Not so worried what it looks like. We want to avoid mechanical brake downs that would leave us sitting in the bottom of some dune that no one can get you out of. Make sure the girls can be buckled in securely. Sacrifice some power for quiet mufflers to protect young ears and to be a kinda sleeper that can quietly make it to the top of the hill when the noisy whatsit can not. What is the suspension like? In this more modern day there may be a way to make the suspension softer and longer travel which would do more than horse power for driving fast on the dunes or any off road. When rebuilding the transmission, see if it can go just a bit lower in gearing. We do not care about going 90mph we want to go 40mph up dunes that others can not! OOOhhh Start saving for the gas bill! I don't think my way of gearing it would get you more than four miles per gallon. There may be a range shifter so that you could have more road like gearing when on the road. Something like that...
