When You Start Tearing Through Rust... (Bronco Update)

"Mercedes Streeter" (smart) 07/27/2020 at 15:49 • Filed to: Bronco

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There’s a reason I do not bother to fix rust that’s worse than surface level. Once you start tearing into cancerous rust it’s always worse than you originally expect.

Sheryl wanted to try restoring her new to her Bronco. I advised that we’ll run into far more challenges than we expect, but she was confident in moving forward. Challenge Accepted.

Neither of us have tried bodywork before and the limits of my rust repair have thus far been limited to surface rust or just replacing bolted on rusty panels with new ones. Nothing like this.

This is the driver seatbelt anchor. It was holding on by a thin strip of rusty metal that while I couldn’t remove by hand, very slight prying with a breaker bar completely separated. It wouldn’t have held up in a crash.

Thankfully there’s enough good metal and ample replacement parts to safely repair this, but it’s a very disheartening sight.

Rocker panel and driver side floorboard repair is going well... but far more of it is rotting than we thought. The truck will definitely be more solid when we’re finished, but it’s definitely less of a daily, more of a Gambler and very much a project car.

She is turning in her lease soon and the Bronco was to be the new daily, but the rust repairs will definitely stretch out that timeline a bit. At least the right side doesn’t need floor repair. Right side of the truck is what the kids would say is “mint”.

To fill the role of a daily I will probably give her a car. She loves American trucks and would love to learn manual with the Ranger. That works with me! Better than me jumping it and splitting it in half. Daily the cross country proven Ranger and have a Bronco project. Worst case, she could sell the Ranger and buy something with the GM 3800 engine she loves or her other dream car, a Chevy HHR.

Update: She’s changed her mind. This will only be an offroad truck and she’ll find something without rust as a daily. Probably start off with the Ranger, then sell it when she gets bored for a Pontiac or the HHR.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Mercedes Streeter 07/27/2020 at 16:03

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That’s...... a lot of rust.

Probably better to just buy a floor pan and weld it in.

VincentMalamute-Kim > Mercedes Streeter 07/27/2020 at 16:07

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oh boy. I hope the frame is OK. If that were a unibody vehicle, it’s time for the junkyard.

Dream car is an HHR?? uh.... ok... Everyone is an individual.

Sovande > Mercedes Streeter 07/27/2020 at 16:10

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Um. Uh. Ah. Um

I would get rid of that thing right now before you figure out what else is wrong with it. That looks like way way way way too m uch rust.

wafflesnfalafel > Mercedes Streeter 07/27/2020 at 16:10

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yikes.... but better to find that now..

Mercedes Streeter > VincentMalamute-Kim 07/27/2020 at 16:16

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The frame is the only reason she decided to take the chance on it, along with it being (a rough) example of her dream truck . Someone long ago opted for an underbody coating. It worked pretty well on the frame but didn’t do jack for the body.

Thankfully the driver side floor pan/rocker is the only really bad part. It’s as if the coating stuff accelerated the corrosion  in that area. The previous owner removed the coating to see what was hidden underneath. 

And yes, the two of us have odd dream cars. I still own three smart cars xD

Mercedes Streeter > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI 07/27/2020 at 16:17

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That's exactly what we're working on! She's ordered a ton of body parts and floor parts from Bronco Graveyard. Cut out the bad, replace with good!

VincentMalamute-Kim > Mercedes Streeter 07/27/2020 at 16:19

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oh yeah, Smart cars - heheh. OTOH, I like minivans. Although I wouldn’t call any of them my dream car. Maybe that race Honda Odyssey.

Mercedes Streeter > Sovande 07/27/2020 at 16:21

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Her plan as of a minute ago is to send it out as a Gambler, find something in better shape as a daily.

UserNotFound > Mercedes Streeter 07/27/2020 at 17:07

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Oof, that must have been a heart dropping moment when that ripped out.

gmanmtb > Mercedes Streeter 07/27/2020 at 17:40

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If you’re already doing the floor, check the shifter boot in the drivers footwell too, that’s where we finally found rust on our no-rust car

zipfuel > Mercedes Streeter 07/27/2020 at 22:30

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Gotta find her an HHR SS, those things are all the right kind of nuts. Stickshift turbo wagon , brembos, LSD, track tuned suspension and nearly 300hp with OEM bolt-ons. Wonder if it came in brown

Mercedes Streeter > zipfuel 07/28/2020 at 08:33

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Her dream HHR is actually the SS panel v an... because stickshift turbo panel wagon! From there it’s the normal SS down to a fully loaded non SS.

Mercedes Streeter > UserNotFound 07/28/2020 at 08:37

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I couldn’t stop laughing. lol She was (and still is) less amused.

She’s definitely lowered her expectations. The Bronco is now a Gambler and project with a maybe hopes of restoration if she gets the gig she wants. There's just too much rust to fix ourselves.

It looks like she’ll learn manual the Ranger then sell it , split the cash with me, then get something with a supercharged 3800 or a HHR if she can find the one she wants.