1973 Stroppe Baja "Saved from the grave" TWICE

Post by **akaFrankCastle** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 11:21 pm

Current plans are to get it rolling and then get it moving under its own power. Once the job situation starts to solidify I'll make a plan for a full frame off. Of course, this is now the second Bronco I'm planning to frame off. Guess I need to get on top of that.

Post by **Kinder** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:59 am

Put my name on the Meyer junk.

Post by **akaFrankCastle** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 8:48 am

Word.

Post by **akaFrankCastle** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 5:25 pm

Marti came back today. Didn't expect it to be so close to home.

Post by **Entourage** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 10:16 pm

My Bronco was from Phil Long Ford in CO, as well. So when it says Stroppe Conversion, Is it roll bar and cactus pusher or is it a full-blown Stroppe package with all the Stroppe goodies and the Orange, White, and Black paint job?

Post by **akaFrankCastle** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 10:21 pm

Full blown Stroppe Baja Bronco. The paint has been covered a few times. And being a 73 it has no special power steering or auto transmission adapter. But the dual shock mounts are there as is the rollbar. Would be hard to tell if it came with cactus smasher as that is easily removable.

Post by **Colorado75bronc** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 10:23 pm

A stroppe! That's awesome and depressing all at the same time due to its condition.

Post by **akaFrankCastle** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 10:48 pm

Better to have it in this condition that to have it go to the crusher.

Post by **Entourage** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:23 pm

That is great news and congrats! This will be a very cool build and excited to see this unfold.

Post by **Justin** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:48 pm

Sweet!

Post by **landshark** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 8:39 am

nice!

Post by **Moab Mike** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 10:49 am

And a true Stroppe to boot!

Post by **Digger** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 11:11 am

That report is awesome!

Congrats on your find!

Post by **Kinder** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:00 pm

Cool! And congrats.

Post by **TOOLMAN** » Thu Jan 15, 2015 7:49 am

Very nice!

Post by **akaFrankCastle** » Tue Jan 20, 2015 11:46 pm

9 days before the Stroppe was recorded as sold.

Post by **Viperwolf1** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 12:03 am

I want to know about that Baja Pinto.

Post by **akaFrankCastle** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 12:08 am

Viperwolf1 wrote:I want to know about that Baja Pinto.

Another victim of Hollywood.

http://youtu.be/-9GGDOUDLhc

Post by **Rox Crusher** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 1:45 am

akaFrankCastle wrote:
Viperwolf1 wrote:I want to know about that Baja Pinto.

Another victim of Hollywood.

http://youtu.be/-9GGDOUDLhc

Some of Val Kilmer's finest work

Post by **akaFrankCastle** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 6:49 pm

So, a funny thing happened at Don's today...

A few weeks ago while Corey was dropping off parts, he had a look at the Baja and tells me he knows the truck. He also said he knows the former owner, Gene.

Today while I was at Don's, I was introduced to Gene. He hadn't been to Don's in years. Happened to stop in after picking up some windows from a neighboring salvage yard. We spoke for about 45 minutes. Turns out he owned the Bronco for about 20 years, 1988-2009 or so. If my luck holds out, he'll be the last registered owner.

Post by **akaFrankCastle** » Sat Mar 21, 2015 3:24 pm

This followed me home today. Big thanks to Don for hooking me up with this as it very likely came off this Baja. Unless someone else in COS bought a Baja, removed their steering wheel, and dropped it off at Don's place.

Post by **Peter Werlin** » Sat Mar 21, 2015 5:11 pm

You have saved an important part of history! Peter

Post by **Kinder** » Sat Mar 21, 2015 8:54 pm

That's cool and it looks to be in really good condition.

Post by **akaFrankCastle** » Wed May 20, 2015 3:26 pm

Thought I would be sneaky today and see if I could get some info from the Provost Marshal's office regarding the Baja. I know at least one of the previous owners had the truck registered on post. So, I popped in and asked if they could run the VIN to determine who that PO was. Unfortunately, the system returned no information. So, I'll have to rely on the CO DMV.

Post by **akaFrankCastle** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 9:19 pm

Operation Burnout starts planning today. I've been loosely thinking of this for weeks, but today marks the first official planning session.

My house is under contract. Provided everything goes as planned, we will close on 29 February. I will remain in Colorado Springs until 1 April when I will load up and head to Kansas City to join the family and begin the next chapter of our lives.

Operation Burnout is the inspection, rebuilder titling, then mad dash to make roadworthy and title the 1973 Stroppe Baja Bronco I rescued from the scrapper.

I have about 4 weeks to have it inspected by CSP and titled as a rebuilder by the state. I will then have until the end of March to turn it into a running, driving, and most importantly roadworthy vehicle to have the title officially changed over.

I've been collecting parts for some time now (spare me the hoarder comments) and think I have absolutely everything I need. But, it's been many months since I've seen the Baja and have not been able to truly do an assessment.

My current plan is to take a builder 351W I have in the garage, piece together a C4 out of my parts stash, add to that a J shift from the shelf, and then throw my D44 and 9" I got from Don under it. Once done, I need to throw a fuel tank under it, wire up the headlights and engine bay, plumb power steering, brake lines and it should be ready for testing. All of that should take me about...oh, three days in a vacuum. In my case, a few weeks.

What will truly complicate this "build" will be my shuttle runs to KC and the fact that I lose my garage on 26 February.

It should be very interesting!!

Post by **Justin** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 10:58 pm

Wow, you're ambitious. Want to set a build day? My weekends are fairly booked, but if I can sneak away for a bit I will.

Post by **akaFrankCastle** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 11:10 pm

Justin wrote:Wow, you're ambitious. Want to set a build day? My weekends are fairly booked, but if I can sneak away for a bit I will.

I need to get a road map laid out first. Things like reassembling the motor and transmission, collecting steering stuff, etc. if I can get 90% of everything together, maybe I can lay down a day or two to stab it all in.

It only really needs to be able to run, drive and stop. How hard could that be? Hahahhaha

Post by **Justin** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 11:14 pm

No harder than my 6 month project....

Post by **akaFrankCastle** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 11:26 pm

Justin wrote:No harder than my 6 year project....

Fixed it.

Post by **Justin** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 11:27 pm

Lol! Fair enough.

www.ColoradoClassicBroncos.com

1973 Stroppe Baja "Saved from the grave" TWICE

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