Naughty Bad Fun Time---AKA opened a can of worms

[HIX]

So I was out half heartedly looking at F150s that were being parted out trying to find a decent m5od to swap into the green machine and stumbled across an interesting tranny in a F150.


Needless to say I snatched it up for an obscenely low price and now that I have a tranny, and the mythical small block zf5 to boot, I now need to deal with all the stuff I have been putting off for the last year because I have been too busy at work and with the two new kids.

I always said I would do efi or repower with diesel when I did the five speed swap since my 302 is a bit leaky... But in looking at what I really feel is essential and the funds in the momma don't know fund it appears that was a bit amitious. Here is the revised priority list I have come up with to do before summer:

5speed swap
engine reseal
power steering
disc brakes
Tank repair/replace

Part of me says when you have it out go all out and do the efi/diesel, fix all the rust, put that spare frame to use. The other part reminds me that I barely have the time to go pick up the parts and besides I just love to drive the damn thing and doing just the priority list and some rust repair here and there will keep me happy for a few years till the kids get old enough and some time frees up.

So what do you think? Just the essentials to get by for a while or find a way to do it all the first time?

[Shawns Fords]

I need to find a ZF for my F250 also. I prefer to do one thing at a time. This allows you to make sure each thing was done right and allows you to work the bugs out, one at a time. When you slam several things in all at once it causes kaos and confusion and frustration.

[kchaser]

I need to find a ZF for my F250 also. I prefer to do one thing at a time. This allows you to make sure each thing was done right and allows you to work the bugs out, one at a time. When you slam several things in all at once it causes kaos and confusion and frustration.

If your serious about getting a ZF I am picking up some axles on Sat or Sun of next week and the guy I get all my stuff from has a ZF in a truck he is junking. I can call get the price. Thought about this for my rig but I don't go fast enough for 5 gears, 4 is plenty. Not sure what they are worth.

[Shawns Fords]

I need to find a ZF for my F250 also. I prefer to do one thing at a time. This allows you to make sure each thing was done right and allows you to work the bugs out, one at a time. When you slam several things in all at once it causes kaos and confusion and frustration.

If your serious about getting a ZF I am picking up some axles on Sat or Sun of next week and the guy I get all my stuff from has a ZF in a truck he is junking. I can call get the price. Thought about this for my rig but I don't go fast enough for 5 gears, 4 is plenty. Not sure what they are worth.

Thanks, I am serious about swapping it, but there is absolutely no cash for for anything like this for now. I want to swap it fopr the RPM ranges after the 460 swap is complete. I dont like using first as it is (really low but it gets it moving with that tired ol 400M for now) My 85 had the same trans with the 7.5l and I never used first and woulda shoulda coulda just fixed my oil leaks and did the swap in that truck instead of trading in for a later model 7.3l. I am back where I started lol

[akaFrankCastle]

So what do you think? Just the essentials to get by for a while or find a way to do it all the first time?

Were it me, I would piecemeal it. I also have a shortage of spare time, about too become an extreme deficit. I tried doing the "knock it all out at once" plan once before and only wound up with most of a Bronco scattered between my garage and a storage unit. Now when I try and tackle projects, I try to plan for what I can confidently tackle in the time I have available, which is usually 1-2 days a week at about 8 hours total.

Everything on your list, aside from the reseal and ZF swap look like you can knock them out in a day each. I'd tackle those first, one at a time. That makes sure you still get to keep driving the truck between mods (leading to higher Bronco motivation and satisfaction).

As far as your reseal goes, why not try and score a decent used motor (seems to be a metric ton of them floating around on Craiglist) and drop that in why you have your current motor resealed/rebuilt? Or, if originality isn't too much of a factor, take that used block and have it rebuilt/resealed and make it the permanent motor?

[HIX]

alright...so I have been gathering parts and finally set a date to start the work.

I have...

the zf
np205
bcbroncos zf5 xmember
205 frame mounting kit
clutch mc kit
chevy disc brake conversion parts
4x4x2 conversion parts minus the ps pump bracket, anyone know what I should use?
front and rear tanks
a buttload of rust bullet
tailgate repair panel

I took the week of the 23rd offfrom work to give me a block of time to complete it. The plan is to:

pull the motor/tranny/tcase
fix any motor leaks
clean, treat, paint engine bay
install 4x4x2 box while motor is out
install motor
install tranny
install tcase
install clutch mc
measure and drop driveshafts off to be built
while I am waiting for driveshafts:
sell 3speed and hurst shifter
sell d20 and twinstick
disc brake swap
replace tanks and fill tubes
kill a six pack just to watch it die
pick up and install drive shafts
Work out any kinks

Then if any time is left attack any rust spots

ambitious probably but I did back off doing a frame swap...I am sure at some point I will toss tools at the wall in frustration, but I did buy many of the parts I would normally fabricate to save time and frustration and I'll be doing all the bs stuuff like tcase shifter fab beforehand

anyone know of a good driveshaft shop that is affordable?