Bukin'eer
Growing Member
For those of you that aren't familiar with my yellow '67, here's a brief summary of her past:
I purchased her from the 2nd owner in 1997 without a running motor, and the 3 on the tree tranny and Dana 20 was in the back in pieces. Got her on the trailer by myself after a couple of runs downhill in an alley and got her home safely in my garage.
Restoring was a fun project beginning in '99 because it was a 99% rust free CA Bronco. The first thing I did after putting a rebuilt 302 under the hood was take her to Tim Haight at the old Bronco Alley (in San Pedro CA at the time I believe) for a C-4 conversion. He did a great job. From there it got WH hoops with Rancho 9000 shocks, a D30 - D44 front swap front from West Coast Broncos, 35" tires, a roll cage, highback bucket seats, and tons of other stuff.
Lots of memories and good times. My 1st run with SCB was a late snow run in Big Bear, 2003. Great group of guys I found out!
In 2013, since faster desert runs were more my thing than crawling, and the fact that NORRA had started back up in 2010, I decided to build The Bukin'eer into a racer.
I was already involved in racing, so with the help of La Fortune Race Cars in Upland, she got all fixed up.
Here is a list of what she's got:
General Information
1967 Ford Bronco
MODEL / TRIM
U-15 Sport Wagon
COLOR
'72 Ferrari Yellow paint by MAACO
ENGINE
'92 Mustang 5.0 roller built to 347 Stroker by https://www.vangordonracing.com/, Mahle pistons, AFR heads, Explorer front serp. bracketry, ceramic coated headers with custom 2 into 1 Magnaflow side exit exhaust, MSD Atomic EFI. 423hp, 381tq (chassis dyno - see pic). 220 amp alt., TC steering pump with Howe ram assist. Champion Aluminum radiator.
FACTORY PACKAGES
All unoriginal for the most part.
FACTORY OPTIONS
Some of the optional Sport Package items remain such as the chrome headlight rings, taillight bezels, and the “Bronco Sport” Emblem.
MODS - SUSPENSION / CHASSIS
2.5 King coil overs X 4, 2.5 King 3 stage bypass X 4.
Travel: 14" front, 19" rear
Custom 4 link rear and 3 link front with chromoly reinforced tube links by https://www.lafortuneracecars.com/.
Reinforced frame for the front suspension and engine mounts.
MODS - WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES
35 x 12.5 x15 BFG Km3's on 8" Raceline Monster beadlocks with 5 spares. Wilwood disc & Master. Engine vacuum power brake assist and 12v backup vacuum assist if engine vacuum loss.
MODS - POWERTRAIN / DRIVETRAIN
Built/blueprinnted C-4 to 650hp capable with reverse manual valve body and winters gate shifter on custom tig aluminum console. 14qt tranny cooling system with CBR remote aluminum radiator with fan. Twin stick D-20 built with hi strength gears and extreme duty output, ARB front & rear lockers w/ARB twin compressor, 39 gal total fuel capacity, includes 23 gal tank with baffles and 1/4" integrated skid plate in stock mounting area, 16 gal. Jaz racing fuel cell mounted in the rear of the bed. Switched transfer pump.
Currie trussed 9" rear housing with chromoly 35 spline axles. D44 front housing with 30 spline chromoly axles
.456 Gears
MODS - EXTERIOR
Full .25" wall chromoly cage which was designed to allow installation of a Kayline or similar soft top if desired, Highlander fiberglass hood, Gorilla Wareflares, 50" Rigid LED lightbar. Custom fold away side mirrors mounted on A pillar.
Custom rear swing away tire mount to allow a functioning fold down tailgate.
Custom mounted (lockable) 2 ton aluminum floor jack with skid plate.
MODS - INTERIOR
Custom aluminum dash with Autometer Ford Racing gauges, Tuner FX highback bucket racing seats with Pro Series G Force 5 point harness, PCI 150cfm Parker pumper, Winters gate shifter on custom tig'd aluminum console with beverage holders.
(2) 18 x 6 x 9"d ammo type storage boxes in rear for fluids, emergency kit, flares, spare parts, spare fuel transfer pump and misc.
Replaced the original vacuum wiper system with the electric kit offered at https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/.
MODS - ELECTRONICS
Kenwood 75w race radio with intercom
Dual Lowrance GPS mounted in-dash. HDS 7m touch for Driver and Elite 9 for co-driver.
Go Pro mounts
Anube Stella EVO tracker mount with wiring installed
Dual Optima batteries with marine battery selector and NOCO GENIUS GEN5X2, 2-Bank, 10-Amp onboard smart charger/maintainer
ARB Twin onboard air set up to run lockers and tire inflation
Wet sounds Stealth 10 bluetooth sound bar.
HISTORY, STORY, EXPERIENCE, COMMENTS
It was a rust free California car I bought from the 2nd owner in '97 as a project that has been mutating over the years. It is now a fully capable proven Baja racer that is street legal and CA smog exempt. Raced the NORRA Mexican 1000 in Baja from Ensenada to Cabo in 2014, 15, 16, 17. DNF's in 2013 due to a blown motor (the original 302 I installed in 1999) and 2014 due to a bad D44 seal let silt in and welded the bearings to the hub. 2nd place in 2016 & 17, only losing to Lovell Racing (who are now in the Off Road Motorsports Hall of Fame:
.) so I can hardly complain!
This Bronco has been a large part of my life for the last 25 years. See Dirt Sports & Off Road write up here: https://www.vangordonracing.com/dirt-sports-off-roadpg1
I purchased her from the 2nd owner in 1997 without a running motor, and the 3 on the tree tranny and Dana 20 was in the back in pieces. Got her on the trailer by myself after a couple of runs downhill in an alley and got her home safely in my garage.
Restoring was a fun project beginning in '99 because it was a 99% rust free CA Bronco. The first thing I did after putting a rebuilt 302 under the hood was take her to Tim Haight at the old Bronco Alley (in San Pedro CA at the time I believe) for a C-4 conversion. He did a great job. From there it got WH hoops with Rancho 9000 shocks, a D30 - D44 front swap front from West Coast Broncos, 35" tires, a roll cage, highback bucket seats, and tons of other stuff.
Lots of memories and good times. My 1st run with SCB was a late snow run in Big Bear, 2003. Great group of guys I found out!
In 2013, since faster desert runs were more my thing than crawling, and the fact that NORRA had started back up in 2010, I decided to build The Bukin'eer into a racer.
I was already involved in racing, so with the help of La Fortune Race Cars in Upland, she got all fixed up.
Here is a list of what she's got:
General Information
1967 Ford Bronco
MODEL / TRIM
U-15 Sport Wagon
COLOR
'72 Ferrari Yellow paint by MAACO
ENGINE
'92 Mustang 5.0 roller built to 347 Stroker by https://www.vangordonracing.com/, Mahle pistons, AFR heads, Explorer front serp. bracketry, ceramic coated headers with custom 2 into 1 Magnaflow side exit exhaust, MSD Atomic EFI. 423hp, 381tq (chassis dyno - see pic). 220 amp alt., TC steering pump with Howe ram assist. Champion Aluminum radiator.
FACTORY PACKAGES
All unoriginal for the most part.
FACTORY OPTIONS
Some of the optional Sport Package items remain such as the chrome headlight rings, taillight bezels, and the “Bronco Sport” Emblem.
MODS - SUSPENSION / CHASSIS
2.5 King coil overs X 4, 2.5 King 3 stage bypass X 4.
Travel: 14" front, 19" rear
Custom 4 link rear and 3 link front with chromoly reinforced tube links by https://www.lafortuneracecars.com/.
Reinforced frame for the front suspension and engine mounts.
MODS - WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES
35 x 12.5 x15 BFG Km3's on 8" Raceline Monster beadlocks with 5 spares. Wilwood disc & Master. Engine vacuum power brake assist and 12v backup vacuum assist if engine vacuum loss.
MODS - POWERTRAIN / DRIVETRAIN
Built/blueprinnted C-4 to 650hp capable with reverse manual valve body and winters gate shifter on custom tig aluminum console. 14qt tranny cooling system with CBR remote aluminum radiator with fan. Twin stick D-20 built with hi strength gears and extreme duty output, ARB front & rear lockers w/ARB twin compressor, 39 gal total fuel capacity, includes 23 gal tank with baffles and 1/4" integrated skid plate in stock mounting area, 16 gal. Jaz racing fuel cell mounted in the rear of the bed. Switched transfer pump.
Currie trussed 9" rear housing with chromoly 35 spline axles. D44 front housing with 30 spline chromoly axles
.456 Gears
MODS - EXTERIOR
Full .25" wall chromoly cage which was designed to allow installation of a Kayline or similar soft top if desired, Highlander fiberglass hood, Gorilla Wareflares, 50" Rigid LED lightbar. Custom fold away side mirrors mounted on A pillar.
Custom rear swing away tire mount to allow a functioning fold down tailgate.
Custom mounted (lockable) 2 ton aluminum floor jack with skid plate.
MODS - INTERIOR
Custom aluminum dash with Autometer Ford Racing gauges, Tuner FX highback bucket racing seats with Pro Series G Force 5 point harness, PCI 150cfm Parker pumper, Winters gate shifter on custom tig'd aluminum console with beverage holders.
(2) 18 x 6 x 9"d ammo type storage boxes in rear for fluids, emergency kit, flares, spare parts, spare fuel transfer pump and misc.
Replaced the original vacuum wiper system with the electric kit offered at https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/.
MODS - ELECTRONICS
Kenwood 75w race radio with intercom
Dual Lowrance GPS mounted in-dash. HDS 7m touch for Driver and Elite 9 for co-driver.
Go Pro mounts
Anube Stella EVO tracker mount with wiring installed
Dual Optima batteries with marine battery selector and NOCO GENIUS GEN5X2, 2-Bank, 10-Amp onboard smart charger/maintainer
ARB Twin onboard air set up to run lockers and tire inflation
Wet sounds Stealth 10 bluetooth sound bar.
HISTORY, STORY, EXPERIENCE, COMMENTS
It was a rust free California car I bought from the 2nd owner in '97 as a project that has been mutating over the years. It is now a fully capable proven Baja racer that is street legal and CA smog exempt. Raced the NORRA Mexican 1000 in Baja from Ensenada to Cabo in 2014, 15, 16, 17. DNF's in 2013 due to a blown motor (the original 302 I installed in 1999) and 2014 due to a bad D44 seal let silt in and welded the bearings to the hub. 2nd place in 2016 & 17, only losing to Lovell Racing (who are now in the Off Road Motorsports Hall of Fame:
This Bronco has been a large part of my life for the last 25 years. See Dirt Sports & Off Road write up here: https://www.vangordonracing.com/dirt-sports-off-roadpg1
