All trail-built 4x4s are works in progress, but even so, Ron George's tubed-up, tractor-tired '73 Bronco with 1-ton running gear is a remarkable study in patient truck-building. Ron purchased the vehicle in 1987-"the first vehicle I owned," he explains-and over the ensuing years the Ford "has evolved into this." Twenty years into his project, the Osceola, Iowa, native has been rewarded for his efforts with an invitation to TTC XV.
 Minus the grille and headlamps,...  Minus the grille and headlamps, it would hard to recognize this Safety Orange Bronco's DNA from the outside. But with its ample clearance and coil/link suspension, it looks to be equally capable on Hollister rocks as in Iowa mud. A Superwinch 9000 and 2-inch receiver hitch reside on (and in) the front bumper, and all chassis mods and tubework were fabbed by its owner. |  The heart of Ron's steed is...  The heart of Ron's steed is a stroker 420 Windsor V-8 topped with Trick Flow twisted-wedge heads, stuffed with 10.0:1 SRP forged pistons and Crane rocker arms, and propane-injected via an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake manifold. A pair of JBA 5.0 Mustang shorty headers expel the exhaust, and an MSD Digital 6+ ignition, Optima Red Top, ACCEL coil and wires, and a "cobbled" harness handle electrical chores. At 6,000 rpm, Ron claims 500 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque are on hand to be transferred to the NP435 transmission backing the block. |  Out back, power flows from...  Out back, power flows from the (stock? yep) Borg-Warner 13-45 transfer case to a Dana 70 rearend, spinning 5.86:1 gears. Iowa being next door to the Land of Lincoln, it should come as no surprise that the 70 runs welded spiders instead of a locker, though the presence of USA Alloy shafts and 1410 Yukon joints should help to prolong the lifespan of the axle's innards. Chevy calipers and Ford rotors pull stoppage duties, and a single long-stroke Pro Comp shock at each corner provides damping for the coil/'bone rear suspension. |
 The Bronco's suspension comprises...  The Bronco's suspension comprises a torque-arm-style single-link/Deaver coil arrangement that's tied together by a trick "sliding" triangulated wishbone that runs off a custom transfer-case skidplate. Beneath the setup rests a Dana 70 taken from a 1-ton Dodge truck that's engaged via a square driveshaft and fortified with a Detroit Locker, 5.86:1 ring-and-pinions, and Alloy USA axleshafts running Longfield U-joints. The stock Dodge disc brakes have been retained, all the better to stop the fully hydro-steered 380/85R24 (49-inch-tall) Mitas radial RDs mounted on 24x10 steel rims. |  Befitting a truck that sees...  Befitting a truck that sees frequent mud, the Bronco's interior is built to get wet-and hosed out afterward. The RCI plastic seats are obviously impervious to water, and all onboard gauges and CB are, according to Ron, "parts-store cheapies." | |
Owner name/city: Ron George/Osceola, Iowa
Occupation: N/A
Vehicle model: '73 Ford Bronco
Estimated value: "60 a ton"
Engine/aspiration: 420ci stroker Windsor V-8, Trick Flow heads, SRP pistons, Crane rocker arms/Propane injection, Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake, JBA Mustang 5.0 shorties
Transmission: NP435
Transfer case: B-W 13-45
Suspension (f/r): Single-link coil-on-wishbone, Pro Comp shocks/Single-link coil-on-wishbone, Pro Comp shocks
Axles (f/r): Detroit-Locked Dana 60/Welded Dana 70
Axle ratio: 5.86:1
Wheels: 24x10 steel
Tires: 380/85R24 Mitas RD-01s