Keep the good work. Hope you get it running soon without many more hassles.

Found the perfect accessory today to put on the new Bronco.

From the Colorado DMV website:
"The Year of Manufacture license plate is an original plate for motor vehicles valued principally because of the vehicle's early date of manufacture, design, or historical interest or value as collectors' items. Motor vehicles using such plates may be used exclusively for:

*Driving such vehicle to and from assemblies, conventions, or other meetings where such vehicles and their ownership are the primary interest.
*Demonstrations, parades, and when their operation on the street and highway will not constitute a traffic hazard.
*Traveling to and from and while on local, state, or national tours held primarily for exhibition and enjoyment."

Very cool you found 1972 plates. I just got 1973 Plates for my Bronco - cannot wait to mount them up!

Finally got my Marti report back on the '72 today. No real surprises in the report. Options ordered on the truck included:
Skid Plates
Dana 44 Limited Slip Front Axle
Mud and Snow Tires
Left Hand Remote Control Mirror
Body Side Mouldings
Reduced Noise Exhaust System
Extra Cooling Radiator
Hand Control Throttle
Auxiliary Fuel Tank with Skid Plate
Sport Bronco Package
9.15 x 15-B Black Sidewall Tires
Swing-Away Spare Tire Carrier
Right Hand Chrome Mirror
Rocker Panel Mouldings
Manual AM Radio
Heavy Duty 70 Amp Battery
Convenience Group
California Emission System

Also found out the truck was ordered for and delivered to LJ Snow Ford in Colton, CA. LJ Ford was sold in to Moss Brothers Ford some time after '72 and then bought out by FoMoCo in 2008 as a part of their downsizing.

I did find this little gem on the interwebs I will be purchasing to put on the truck.

This just keeps getting better and I keep getting surprised by Bronco people.

A member on CB.com posted in a thread a few years ago that he knew the service manager from LJ Snow Ford in Colton. I sent him a PM last night to see if he still had contact with the guy. Unfortunately, he doesn't.

He did tell me that he has an LJ Snow Ford key chain that he got back in the 70s and asked me for my address so he could send it to me! Bronco karma pays off in spades.

Also, found the owner from 1999-2000 on Facebook last night. He's in Nashville now and is going to give me a call tonight to talk over Bronco stuff.

So, a few updates on the 72.

Nothing much has happened with it since the BWB. Driven it to work a few times and it has performed admirably. The drive to Denver was a risky but excellent test of its road-worthiness.

A few things I have noted:
Power steering ROCKS! This is my first Bronco, of the 3, with PS. The GM Saginaw box has a pretty decent ratio, lock to lock, with no difficulty in turning the 33s. That being said, I need to throw a steering stabilizer on the front. 60-65MPH and the wheel is a little too responsive.

Need to do some work to quiet the interior. Sounds like a dryer full of cinder blocks in there. Ordered just about everything I could to quiet the tailgate down. I'm on the lookout for some foam insulating sheet I can slide in between the bows on the hard top to help out there. Quiet truck = happy wife = Bronco money.

Brakes. I need a brake job. Like a mad man. I get about 75% peddle before it starts to slow/stop. At stop lights I get a leg workout keeping the truck from rolling. On a couple of occasions, I've caught myself slacking and rolled back a bit. As luck would have it, the rear drums I bought from Advanced several months back that didn't fit the rear on the 69 are actually front drums. 50% of the drums already on hand! Also, I happen to have a complete hydroboost set up, with dual return Saginaw, from a Lincoln in the garage. So, the 72 is going hydro soon. I just need to check the Sag PS gear box for the appropriate fittings to the Lincoln lines, modify the push rod, if necessary, and then throw everything in one weekend. Sbolt, expect a phone call or two that day. Or just be prepared to come on over and take a 6 pack home with you for your trouble.

Tires=Bad. Working on that.

Heater is nice and toasty. Although I do lack the ability to change from defrost to other settings. Need to fix those cables. Also, someone put a vacuum initiated coolant gate on the lines running to the heater. No idea what that is all about. Cable gate is going back in.

On the history side of the truck, I spoke with the 1999-2000 owner last week on the phone. My hood cracks date back to when he was selling the truck. Some potential buyer managed to put the hood pins in under the hood resulting in some custom fiberglass work around the riser and two nice creases in the roof.

1999-2000 was ALSO under the impression the motor was a 351W which I thought was entertaining. That means from 1999 until last month when I bought it, all the POs thought they were running a 351W. I have to laugh when I imagine the last PO going in to have the motor rebuilt and likely insisting to the shop he had a 351W. I need to check the paperwork on that rebuild and see what the shop noted the motor as.

The paint that is on it now is the same paint that was on it when 1999-2000 owned it.

No luck as of yet in tracking down anyone from prior to 1999. Hopefully SBolt can lend a hand with that. Also found a guy on CB.com who is from that area who is looking for clues. Bill of sale from that time only has a name, which I have had no luck with finding any information on. I have friends in California I am trying to leverage to find out how I do a historical VIN search in that state. Virginia was very easy when I was researching the 66, but they had no records for earlier than 72.

Give the steering rack some time. A stabilizer probably isn't a bad idea, but you'll likely get used to it. I bought my DD (2008 Mazdaspeed3) and it has about a 3 turn lock to lock setup, if that. Almost drove it into a tree a few times. Now everything else feels too slow and the bronco is almost scary.

Installed a bunch of parts in the rear of the Bronco tonight to quiet it down.
Parts included:
Silencer Tailgate hinges
Tailgate Lower Support Arm Bumpers
Tailgate Upper & Lower Bumpers

All bought through WH. Surprised to see the bumpers, a Dennis Carpenter product, arrived in small bags labeled "Made in China".

Figured out where most of the noise was coming from. The reinforcing plate inside the tailgate for the spare tire latch had come loose and was bouncing around inside the tailgate. Additionally, about 5 pounds of what I assume is bondo came out as well. Someone had filled the holes where the spare tire latch mounted to the tailgate. The errant reinforcing plate had been bouncing around trimming off the excess bondo for a few year. Also, my lift gate is missing the hardware for the right side, so only the left side latches. Explains why I often find the liftgate open when I get to work or get home.

Aside from the remaining repairs required, the noise level has dropped significantly. I would say it has been downgraded from dryer full of cinder blocks to dishwasher.

Whilst poking around in the glovebox, I came across this sticker:



Turns out my paint has been on there since 1978! Paint tag says the customer was one El Monte Ford. Good news for me is El Monte Ford still exists.

I'm still trying to get in touch with my family down around Rogers for you, I know that they are on a cruise through the Bahamas right now, so I will let you know as soon as I hear something.

Well, looks like that cherry 1978 paint job has finally had enough. It held up well enough when it sat in a garage for 4 years, but Colorado just ain't treating it right. Today when I pulled in to work I noticed what looked like a dent in the PS rear upper quarter. Walked over to find a fist size chunk of paint had flaked right off. Was still hanging by one side so I snapped it off to find primer and the original green underneath. I guess a new paint job is in order! Now I need to confer with Mrs. Castle to see what color it will be next or if it will remain grey.

The Bronco did get a name. I'm calling it GEB (pronounced "Jeb"). The wife actually named it. GEB is the acronym for Good Enough Bronco. Maybe a sign she's tired of me trading up?

Hydroboost install is on hold. Fastenal never got back to me on my parts order, so Friday I'll be stopping by to wring necks. Also, figured out my PS pump bracket is incorrect. My mounting holes are about .75" too narrow to fit in the 302 bracket.

"New" tires have not been mounted yet. Went by the auto shop the other night after work only to find out they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Should knock those out on Friday. Then all Bronco projects go on hold for a few days while my dad visits. Maybe I can give him the Bronco bug. Doubt it. He's always wanted a 66 Chevelle SS 396.

Jeb as in Jeb Clampet or Jeb Bush? A Rich Hillbilly or a Rich Hillbilly?

I left the color choice to my interior designer (wife) and really helped her get excited about the truck. My other interior designer (Zilla) helped too :).

Either works.

I'll likely see what she would like for the color. The original green is calling to me, but the grey/silver does look pretty good. I'm thinking black interior, grey/silver dash, and possibly some durable (albeit easily removable) carpet.

I missed your thread originally. So I am now subscribed!

It's a little early to celebrate, but...

I think I might have found another previous owner of the kit Baja. If this hunch plays out right, the person in question might currently be in the military, we might have been stationed at the same place at the same time, and I might have actually worked with his crew in the past.

Keeping fingers crossed.

How's this for an almost 10 year old update: my first Bronco, the 66 U13 is a few hours north of me in Des Moines. Turns out it sold to a guy who is on the Facebook Bronco drivers group.

That is cool