“BlueSky GONE”1974 Ford Bronco

The story

Acquired in TX by a neighbor who travels. He got it with bald TSL Super Swampers, fresh blue paint & bedliner everywhere else to hide some of the sheet metal problems, and REALLY-nicely upholstered original seats. No front suspension bushings to speak of; no door panels; no PS fluid; body seals in a box; slanted (but parallel) track bar & drag link; a floppy headlight; a floppier battery; droopy headliner; stuck hub lock knobs; spoiled gas in the front tank venting into the cab; RatNest brand wiring (thoroughly bedlined); and the heaviest but worst-built front & rear receivers conceivable. The engine ran OK when it ran, but it was hard to start cold, and it stalled briefly under hard acceleration. That has mostly been fixed by cleaning & tuning the carb, and replacing the fuel pump. One of the mufflers was exploded & rubbing the driveshaft, but the exhaust has been replaced closer to original. There were several slow fluid leaks, but not very active while parked. Rain hits the driver's Left foot through the vent, and there were at least a dozen open holes in the firewall & floor allowing engine air in (now plugged). But it blows out through all the body gaps just as quickly. It would be a helluva trail truck if the paint wasn't so nice. — Steve83