The Ford Bronco

So we bought a bronco, 80s full-size monster, with 6” of lift and 33.5” tires. For $500 it had some issues, we are still working out the kinks. It is about an hour away, so getting to it and remembering all the tools is the biggest pain in the ass. But we are getting closer and closer to having it done.



So far we have tuned it up, and the gas tank leaked so we took it off so I could fix it. We have new brake lines, and other miscellaneous parts, not looking for a beauty pageant winner, but a go anywhere gutted old Bronco.
But this blog is of the gas tank variety. We bought the truck and promptly went to put gas in it, and found out you can only put about half a tank in or it runs all over the place. So we got it to my mom’s and parked it, to do some work. Gave it a fancy camo paint job, put some cab lights on her, did some brake work, got it stuck in the middle of a pond a couple of times, new tires, wiper motor, and so on. So it sat, now we’ve picked up the work on it again. It can be ugly, but it will run, drive, and stop well for me.



So I pulled the tank, it was rusty, and had no visible holes. I brought it to my garage and shined a light down in her with the garage pitch black. The way it leaked I thought I’d have major holes, but instead I had pin sized holes, pretty close together. There was one odd ball all by it’s lonesome.
I blasted the tank off, and shined my light in the top with the garage dark and marked where the holes where. If light can get out, so can gas. I then got the welder out, and took a stick and tapped over each hole sealing it in weldie goodness. To finish it up I put a liberal amount of permatex radiator and gas tank repair over the rough spots over and around the welds, and smoothed it out.
When I could see no light shining out like an odd shaped disco ball I tested for leaks with water. It doesn’t blow bubbles submerged.





So I then primed the hell out of it. To finish the monstrosity I rubberized undercoated the entire tank, with about six passes. I managed to put one good scratch in it when taking the tank to my moms, but other than that it came out fine. And I do have to say, it looks like a new tank. I even fished out five or six tiny rocks that were rolling around in it, and air blasted the inside clean.



So the new tank, well old tank with a makeover, is sitting in the Bronco, waiting for the day it will be put back in. I’ll have it done this summer. Still some work to go, but not too bad. I just hope it fits beside my garage when I get it done.