June 3, 2011
A Boy and his Bronco
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Show Summary
Emotional Closure for Donny, Adam, and Ganz. No more towing or engine swaps as the years of Bronco stories come to a close. On what is nearing the 20th year anniversary of Donny’s original Ford Bronco being taken apart for an odd and badly thought out engine swap, Adam and Sandy rekindle the many story of woe, from towing, to many, many engine installs and removals, to the classic smash up story that happened right in front of Donny’s house. Dr. Carolla (ACE) extolls his wisdom as a healer and master story teller of all the years of Donny’s Bronco squatting in his warehouse. Nothing less then what you might expect when Ace, Ganz and the Weez get together.
Video
Donny’s 1977 Ford Bronco
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeDaBWp7hlA
The Last Ride (Caution this contains highly emotional content)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5PjWsNQmlw
Image Gallery
[nggallery id=167]
Great video Donny. I dig the honesty. Letting go is tough sometimes. The new Bronco looks awesome. You made the right move.
Why don’t I think we’ve seen the last of Donny’s Bronco? : ))
You know what’d cheer you up, Donny? Take that new Bronco out to the desert with the windshield down, Hatari-style, and pretend you’re lassoing giraffe like John Wayne. Works for me every time!
Jim, I can see a special CarCast off road edition, will require the usual characters and numerous cases of beer. Not sure we could get Adam to go, he’s getting soft in his old age 😉
Sandy
Very poignant Carcast. Good lessons for all of us.
Speaking of 4x4s…Sandy, what did you think of Tanner Faust’s HotWheels record jump at Indy? It would be interesting to hear Adam and the Professor’s reaction. You’ve had him on before, even ridden with him I think.
-Shawn
I saw that and it was pretty crazy even for Tanner. I’ll bet, however, he didn’t crack much of a sweat, we was cool as a cucumber when he game me a ride a while back. Still a nutty jump…
Sandy
I understand the pain. I was “rebuilding” a boat for 5 years. Finally I just ripped out as much work as I could, handed it off to an illegal Mexican to do a crappy job on the upholstery for practically free. Did the sloppiest rebuild on earth for a GM 305 and an out-drive, took it to the lake once to make sure it would not sink and would start, and sold it to the first sucker who called me from the craigslist ad. 5 years came down to one frantic week and it out of our warehouse. Tears were shed, blood lost, but I have to say, all that spare room is worth it. Too bad I have another one in my garage at home to do too.
Got a good laugh when Donny said, “let me throw a couple revs for Ganz” and Ganz replies, “just don’t throw a rod cause we don’t want to rebuild it.” hahaha, Donny gets no love, poor guy.
P.S. Taking the cue to finish projects and not have a daily reminder of failure i have begun cleaning out the 3 car garage with no cars in it, and finish off said boat in my previous post. Carcast. Source of all motivational needs once again.
Every situation is different, Donny. For yours, this was the best direction. I feel your pain, as I have a few in work (a FEW!) and with life being what it is, these projects get relegated to the back burner. I am fortunate in that I have the space, and I consider them my therapy.
By the way, your original Bronco color was called Emberglo. I know this because my wife’s 66 Mustang covertible (w/ a 5.0 and AOD, 4 wheel disc) is the same color.
Your new Bronco is beautiful. Congratulations. You are lucky to have Adam and Sandy, even with as much shit as they throw at you. It’s because they care.
The fold-down windshield on our Bronco came in handy several times. For example, we drove several miles up a very narrow fire road (thru a thick forest) and found the trail blocked. Since we could not turn around, we folded the windshield down, had someone sit on it facing the rear of the vehicle with one leg dangling down on each side of the steering column. This person would steer, while the person in the driver seat worked the gas and brakes. It was the quickest way to drive backwards over a long distance.
Somebody (my sister) borrowed my 87 bronco (There were some quality automotive years there) and threw the once again a fore mentioned boat on it and decided to get it stuck down a narrow dirt road and try to back it up hill against the surge brakes that she did not know how to defeat. Boiled it over but did not know, ran it dry, burned up the water pump and got so hot it warped the timing chain cover. I had to winch it out enough to get in front of it to get the thing running. While replacing the cover and pump every single head twisted off the bolts. Fun weekend of cussing. Oh, and came to find it was driven from Fresno to Bass Lake (About 4000 foot gain) in second gear. I was so mad i did not even notice her saying she could only drive about 35!! Two days later I sold it and bought the 97 F150 i had for 13 years but i still miss that bronco. Even if it was a piece of crap.
Garage update
Started last night and have put a good sized dent in it. Already made two trips to the dumpster and have found tools i never even knew I had bought! Also finally liberated my craftsman roll around chest for the first time in over a year. I wish i had done this sooner. Thank you Gans and Ace for getting Donny off his but and ergo getting me off my but.
Nice job!
The Bronco has been a source of motivation for me too, when I looked at it I always jumped on my huge list of unfinished projects. Sad, but it’s in better hands. Jonathan at TLC will do a fantastic job at the resurrection, will be a good follow up to see how it comes out. We all need a kick in the ass now an again, and really happy that Donny picked up the new Bronco, it is really in awesome shape except for the idiot that cut the dash for a DIN mount radio. Other then that is is a piece of history.
Sandy
Most also had holes drilled all over them for CB radios, fire extinguishers, gun racks, etc. That one looks clean. The only thing I might say is since it is a 3 speed I might put lower ratio diff front and back, but with a Marlin type multi range transfer. He will get the lower ratio diff fuel efficiency but also the gearing if he goes out on trail. Since its an auto I think it would make a good all rounder of a vehicle. Marlin does mostly Yota stuff but i am sure there is a Ford equivalent. Unless this is never going to see a rock, which I would kinda understand. You should go raid marlin. They are out here by the Fresno airport. Also Whipple is here in town also.
Garage Mini Update
3rd trip to the dumpster and to lowes for more rubbermaid totes. Why do I own so many 1/2″ 3/8 drive sockets???? None of them deep though.
Is it me or does Donny look like ad-Rock from the Beastie Boys?
No, it’s just you, Nathaniel.
I thought the same thing, Mr. Snake.
Glad to see so much positive feedback on this episode. I have selfishly been waiting to get some sort of back story on this poor Bronco for some time. Now to get that elusive interview with Cal Worthington before we loose him to father time.
Drew
I have heard a few stories about old CAL from friends who lived in south LA in the 60’s and 70’s Things like he at one time had long hair stuffed under that hat and the like. What you saw in those commercials was not what you got in person, etc. We even had those Worthington Ford commercials up here in Fresno at one point. Somewhere I have him riding his “DOG” spot on tape along side a Federated commercial double shot. Ohh… Shadoe Stevens. That would make a good podcast!! So how much coke was going on at those commercial shots?
Ahhh buddy I just about cried as the rollback took her away. Maybe Donny should of been smoking crack all those years, might of got a motor in it. I did the same with a z28 in my bosses shop he wanted to kill me. love the show keep up the good work guys.
Great story and episode of CarCast! Donnie – Congrats on the new Bronco and remember that every time you have the itch to modify it, fire up the bong. 😉
The story about the hydraulic clutch reminded me of my great idea to replace the 4 banger in my 71 Datsun 510 with a Capri V6 motor. The Capri trans had a mechanical clutch but the Datsun had a hydraulic set up. The project sat for a while until my Dad (who’s a mechanical genius) got tired of looking at it. He ended up solving the problem by bolting the slave to a piece of aluminum and made an arm that pivoted so when the hydraulic slave was activated it pulled the cable. That 510 was crazy loud and fast. I sold it to a guy who totaled it two weeks after buying it from me.