66 'restoration'

[Gunnibronco]

I just came to the disappointing realization that my bench seat is not a 66. It has a slider adjustment.

This most likely means the bulkhead was added as well.

The build tag & interior code both indicate the truck had bucket seats & a rear seat. I was certain there was a mistake, but I now know I was wrong, and the tags were right. Shocking, I know.

So I now have to decide to keep the bench seat/bulkhead or try to find front seats & the rare rear seat.

Are the front seats 66 specific too?

I lean towards keeping the bulk head & recover the current seat with the 66 silver vinyl. I just offered my bench as a trade on CB.com for a 66 bench. I'd be happy to make that trade.

[Eck]

and down the rabbit hole you go!

[Gunnibronco]

This is why I have to be reasonable about this & why I put 'restoration', in the title. Its stupid to try to do this 100% original. I never intended on finding hoses, battery, etc. When I got the truck, I thought it was a low optioned stripper. Now I know it was fairly highly optioned with hard to find, expensive stuff (chrome bumpers, horn ring, radio, buckets & rear seats) that has now been removed. One good thing, is these options are easily swapped out if found in the future.

I'd feel fine putting new correct silver upholstry on the bench seat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3flv5nWZgII

[akaFrankCastle]

My opinion is keep the bench and bulkhead. Patiently stalk the rest and buy for a steal.

[hockeydad4-22]

I agree with the venerable Mr. Castle

[Gunnibronco]

I do too. As much as I like the bench/bulkhead design, I won't be putting any effort into making that set up 66 specific. So I'll plan to seek out the proper front & rear seats, and run the bench & bulkhead until then.

[JGZ]

Does the bench seat fold forward?I picked up a 69 a couple weeks ago with the bench seat and bulkhead and don't know.Haven't really had to much time to mess with it.

[Gunnibronco]

My bench doesn't seem to fold forward. I don't know if it is from a Bronco, or retro fitted from another vehicle. It is bolted through factory holes, and the bracketry doesn't look too homemade. I realized it wasn't a 66 bench when I saw pics of a 66 bench for sale on CB.com. Mine can slide forward & back, the 66 bench is fixed.

[Gunnibronco]

I pulled the aftermarket wipers & box off tonight. It appears this truck never had visors or a window frame mounted mirror.

Does anyone know what a 66 glass mount mirror looks like? I've read rumors they exist. Its probably more rare than the super rare window frame mount mirror.

I'm guessing that 66 wiper arms are special too.

If anyone ever asks what's different on an early 66 than others. The answer is easy: EVERYTHING. Seriously.

P1030205.JPG

There are 2 dimples to drill where the visors would mount

P1030206.JPG

EDIT: There are 4 dimples in the center. The visor rods mount in the center & at the outside corner. There don't seem to be locator dimples for the mirror. I believe the single hole was probably done by the owner. Why? I have no idea.

P1030207.JPG

Adjusted wish list accordingly.

[Gunnibronco]

It was a long day, but a good day. It was great catching up with everyone today at breakfast & meeting some new folks. Also got to check out RT9's bench, and know my bench seat is a Bronco bench, just not a 66.

Got a real nice set of 5 stock rims from JGZ at the breakfast, too.

Then went to the Springs and made MAJOR headway on some very hard to find 66 stuff at Don's today.

Found front buckets, rear bench, oil bath air cleaner, vac wipers & arms, jack hold down strap, jack & lug wrench, 2 little tailgate brackets, a pitman arm, and the inside the tailgate spare tire mount hardware.

Basically, if there is ANY stock part you want, its there. It's like Bronco Disneyland. I got to check out a few Budd bodied tubs, and saw some later 66s & 67s. That was good. I also got my eyebrow grill & 66 bumpers there last fall. His prices have all been really fair, to say the least. He's happy getting Bronco parts to Bronco guys.

Finally, I picked up the metal fresh air box, and turnsignal & shift levers that Zac had.

Almost bagged a small bull elk near Hartsel on my way home, but otherwise it was smooth sailing.

Plus my 52/53 Merc hub caps came this week, and I have a somewhat insane plan to try to fake the Bronco centers & replace the Mercury head centers.

Pics tomorrow.

[landshark]

That's great to hear! Nice score. Good seeing you look forward to progress pics.

[Gunnibronco]

Took some time to organize the ever growing hoard of 66 parts.

Pics of the stuff I've been lucky enough to find:

[Gunnibronco]

I checked out the mirrors the PO removed for newer aftermarket ones, and they are in beautiful shape. Most the 66s didn't have 2 outside mirrors, but I'm starting to think this one did. Swivel heads are still even tight. The mirrors & plastic base pad are both stamped "Roberk"

P1030222.JPG

P1030221.JPG

P1030225.JPG

Found this stamp on the passenger side front frame horn, the white overspray makes it easy to read "B 18K"

P1030219.JPG

Zac, I tried to look above my headliner, but I'd have to pull nearly the whole thing down to see the roof bows. And its very brittle, so I want to pull it down carefully, and when I have the space to safely store it.

[rt9]

I pulled the aftermarket wipers & box off tonight. It appears this truck never had visors or a window frame mounted mirror.

Does anyone know what a 66 glass mount mirror looks like? I've read rumors they exist. Its probably more rare than the super rare window frame mount mirror.

I'm guessing that 66 wiper arms are special too.

If anyone ever asks what's different on an early 66 than others. The answer is easy: EVERYTHING. Seriously.

P1030205.JPG

There are 2 dimples to drill where the visors would mount

P1030206.JPG

EDIT: There are 4 dimples in the center. The visor rods mount in the center & at the outside corner. There don't seem to be locator dimples for the mirror. I believe the single hole was probably done by the owner. Why? I have no idea.

P1030207.JPG

Adjusted wish list accordingly.

Chad, Here's the mirror my 67 had when I bought it. It was built in September 66. So,,,, I have no idea.

Also got to thinking about your bench seat and I remember reading something about non folding bench seats on the national site. If I can find it I'll pass it your way.

Sent from my SM-G860P using Tapatalk

[Gunnibronco]

Thanks for the pic of the mirror. It might not be what came on it, but its something to look for.

I'm interested in any info on the bench. I'm still not clear on what a 66 bench should or shouldn't be.

[Gunnibronco]

I've been reading and looking at lots of pic on CB.com. I think all bench seats all have sliders. I think the first picture I saw, the bench had the sliders removed & I thought it was a fixed seat. I have pics of a verified 66 bench, so I can maybe verify if mine is a 66 or not.

As far as folding forward. It seems all factory benches were fixed. It was law the seat had to be fixed or have a working catch. There may be a bolt or two that can be removed to allow the seat to fold, but there will be no catch, and it will fold forward under hard braking/accidents.

I'm now back to being undecided how my truck was originally outfitted.

66's with front bucket seats had their spare tire mounted to the inside of the tailgate with a large bracket. The bracket bolted through the tailgate with 4 large bolts. I saw some tailgates at Don's with those holes drilled out. My truck does not have those holes, and the tailgate does not look repaired.

66's with bench/bulkhead had the spare mounted to the keyhole slot on the bulkhead with the same hardware used to secure the spare to swing away carriers. The keyhole slot in my bulkhead shows no signs of ever being used, either.

[mickphatmac]

I checked out the mirrors the PO removed for newer aftermarket ones, and they are in beautiful shape. Most the 66s didn't have 2 outside mirrors, but I'm starting to think this one did. Swivel heads are still even tight. The mirrors & plastic base pad are both stamped "Roberk"

I really like all of the little things you are finding out about your Bronco. What a fun project!

I could definitely be wrong, but I doubt that those mirrors are stock Bronco mirrors. I've not seen anything similar on a ford.
They look like old GM or olds to me.

[Aztec77Bronco]

Just throwing it out there, but would a premium MARDI report be of any help?

[Gunnibronco]

I could definitely be wrong, but I doubt that those mirrors are stock Bronco mirrors. I've not seen anything similar on a ford.
They look like old GM or olds to me.

I have absolutely no idea. Nothing would surprise me about a 66 anymore. I'll be posting up on CB.com soon to see if anyone there has more info.

Just throwing it out there, but would a premium MARDI report be of any help?

It would be a huge help. But, apparently there was a fire at some point that destroyed the records for the 66. So there are no Marti reports for 66 Broncos and maybe Mustangs. So the most sought after, restorable, collectible Broncos, have no records available. You just can't make this stuff up.

[Gunnibronco]

Ok, Mr. Castle said the bracket between the bottom & back of the seat is the identifier for a 66 bench.

Here is a pic of a 66 bench (with incorrect upholstery)

12804459_10205739932643619_97417545_n.jpg

12804403_10205739932723621_1055294481_n.jpg

Here is mine

P1030231.JPG

P1030232.JPG

So, is this, in fact a recovered 66 bench, with the mudderfunkin plastic covers, still in tact?

[colby45]

The bench seat in my '66 does not slide, but it does fold. It is a (very early) half cab. I can take pictures of it next time I'm in it for reference.

[akaFrankCastle]

There should be no plastic covers on a '66. I think.

[Gunnibronco]

The bench seat in my '66 does not slide, but it does fold. It is a (very early) half cab. I can take pictures of it next time I'm in it for reference.

Yes please, I'd love to see them.

[mickphatmac]

This picture is listed at Bronco Hut under upholstery for 66ΓÇô67. In the picture it has plastic covers and a front drivers side slide lever.

[Gunnibronco]

There should be no plastic covers on a '66. I think.

The front buckets I grabbed at Don's had plastic trim on the hinges.

Still not sure about the bench. The pics of verified 66 benches, I've seen do not have plastic trim.

[rt9]

Gunni - have you tried starting a thread on the national site? There are a couple of those guys that really know the 66's

[akaFrankCastle]

There should be no plastic covers on a '66. I think.

The front buckets I grabbed at Don's had plastic trim on the hinges.

Still not sure about the bench. The pics of verified 66 benches, I've seen do not have plastic trim.

I stand corrected.

[Gunnibronco]

Gunni - have you tried starting a thread on the national site? There are a couple of those guys that really know the 66's

I have, a similar '66 resto' thread running, and posted up another thread about the bench specifically. Still have no definitive answers.

[Gunnibronco]

Someone just replied that the hinge covers were silver. But I'm pretty sure the hinge covers on the buckets I picked up were black. I'm going to run to storage after work and look again.

[mickphatmac]

Hinge covers...
'66 U14

https://charlottesville.craigslist.org/ ... 96092.html