1994 Desert Copper Bronco

[nvwiggins]

Time to start a build thread for my Bronco I guess. I found this thing on Facebook marketplace in Oregon for like $2000 bucks or something close to that. My buddy from Reno actually went and bought it for me and I ended up trading him a Willys CJ2A for the Bronco.

How it looked when I got it home. Transmission was toast, would move in second gear and reverse felt like the brakes were being applied. So to marketplae i went and found a used E4OD to swap in. Tailgate was also bashed in but it came with a white replacement. Plan was to build a stock width “sleeper.”


Needed a bumper for the spare and extra fuel because this girl thirsty!



I wanted a tucked away winch lightweight winch so I picked up a Warn 9.0 RC and whipped up this hidden winch mount.


Rear suspension is made up of Desolate front and rear hangers plus shackles, sway bar, and under body shock mounts. Used 3.0 Raptor take-offs for shocks.



For the front end I went with OhhCho radius arms since eventually I had planned on Cho’s +1 beams, Richer Racing towers, 14” King 4.0 IBP shocks with finned resi’s and adjusters.




Other random things include PRP Enduro seats on Solo Motorsports seat mounts, stock D44 beams that I cut and turned using Threat’s lower ball joint receivers, DIY Off-road TTB plate and truss kit, Uniball pivot conversion, Desolate 4130 beam mounts, Walker Evans 17” Beadlocks, Rigid 360 spot and flood lights, Rhino Rack roof rack, Icom Dual Bander radio for comms and many other misc things I’m probably missing.

 

[Giant Geoff]

Very cool! Great job.

 

[nvwiggins]

Very cool! Great job.

Thanks Geoff! It’s been a fun truck so far, I’ve put a ton of Nevada dirt miles on it as well as a trip to Baja in 2023.

Loaded down on our way to 2023 Burning Man


Fall in Northern Nevada


Loaded up for Baja



La Rumorosa, Baja


On our way to Guadalupe Canyon


Obligatory San Ignacio Mission stop.


Jarbidge, Nevada


Cabin under a rock, Nevada

 

[bullnerd]

Perfect all around bronco.

How do those tires work in the sand? See a lot of bronco take offs for sale.

Also, How do you like the Raptor shocks on the back?

 

[nvwiggins]

Perfect all around bronco.

How do those tires work in the sand? See a lot of bronco take offs for sale.

Also, How do you like the Raptor shocks on the back?

The Bronco takeoffs worked well while I ran them, they’re definitely not a 35 though. I did get a puncture in the tread in Mexico but we were on a pretty rocky trail and they were taking a beating. Didn’t use them in the sand a ton but there were some sandy roads in Baja and never had an issue.

Raptor shocks have been good, but they could definitely benefit from some valving adjustments.

 

[nvwiggins]

Some more small details/learning opportunities I’ve encountered throughout my time with the Bronco.

Mounted the winch solenoid behind the grille and the controller plug above the blue oval to keep it accessible but tucked away a bit.

Interior radio mount and auxbeam control pad.

Where I first mounted my ARB compressor…and later found that it was too heavy for the Ford inner fender sheet metal to handle.

Modified scissor jack because beams are awkward to lift out on the trail unless you have a floor jack or one of these guys.

Spare alternator mount…but Baja whoops broke the alternator housing so I’ll have to revisit this design.



The HD steering also was a casualty to those Baja whoops. Now I have a spare because AutoZone in Baja didn’t have the right parts haha.


New location for the ARB compressor. Should stay solid mounted this way.