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Puerto Rico Bronco
By: Fernando Fernandez - 20041210
Fernando Fernandez is a long time EBR member, but only recently have we learned about his Bronco and about life in Puerto Rico. With Fernandos help, we are able to share this with you here. He writes:
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Steve:
Thanks for the opportunity of having my Bronco photos
in your site.
Before I go through the
information you need, I want to give you some brief information about Puerto
Rico so you have a broader idea of our paradise island.
As you know, we are located in the Caribbean with an average temperature of around 83 degrees F, all year round. (Sorry for that. I had to mention it). The island consists of 78 towns and around 4 million habitants, San Juan
being the capital.
We have been attached politically with the continental U.S.A. since early 1900, but we still have our own political sovereignty, as do all other 50 union states, through our unique political status of “The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico”.
As many union states, our economy is based on manufacturing, agriculture, and domestic/international trade. So we keep
ourselves busy as you can see.
Being a professional in Logistics, I am involved in warehouse and traffic management, domestic and international export and imports, procurement, planning and inventory control, mainly within the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.
Now, Back to the Bronco.
As for EB’s, During the late 60’s/early 70’s we saw a boom
in the use of this vehicles around the island by the state and city police,
private companies fleet, and the private sector due to their reliability, and
versatility.
As time went by, they were sold on, and due to our salty environment, most of them ended as recreational vehicles or workhorses
in farms without a hard top or doors, etc…
There are still some in good original shape, but parts are not as available as we would like them to be, so our good friend Jeff Bronco Graveyard gave us the advantage of finding needed part for the project.
Because of professional and family responsibilities, this
Father and son project was scheduled at a slow pace and low budget investing as
of now 16 years in the process, and as you know it never ends.
All the mechanical was done by my son and me, up until “University of Massachusetts” called him for student’s duty, so I ran alone the remaining portion. The bodywork was done by a friend in his body shop.
Being a 1974 model, highlights of the project include:
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The use of a 1976 vehicle to replace front and rear differential to accommodate front power disk brakes, power steering air conditioner, hard top and rear seat into the project.
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Front fenders, grille and fiberglass hood are replacement parts from JBG.
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No lift kit, with American racing wheels, and 31X10.5X15 tires, with double shocks on front.
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302 original engine rebuilt, with plans for an Edelbrock intake manifold to accommodate a Demon 600cfm 4 barrel carburetor.
We have the honor of having our project vehicle classified as “Modified Classic”, and have the official license plate. Being a small island we host as much as 2 “Antique and Classic Car” shows a month, and you can see as many as 1,000 cars in any given occasion, as of now this one is the only E.B. participating. In addition to this we drive around the mountain range and coastlines of
our Paradise Island, putting in around 6,000 miles a year on the Bronco.
Thanks for the interest, and you are more than welcome to visit Puerto Rico anytime.”
Fernando L. Fernandez
E.B. Member # 1493
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You can see Fernandos photos on-line in the photo album.
Captions are:
1. This is how most restorations start - a very stock and tired beast with a
less than perfect body and plenty of work in front of you.
2. Still looking rough, but lot’s of work has been done here. A smashed body is
straightened out or replaced, fenders cut for some serious tires, and an
undercoat of paint has been applied.
3. The bodywork and final paint are now complete. It’s time to get all 100’s of small parts and
all the proper running gear installed.
4.
Here is the final restoration result – a prize
winning gorgeous World Class Early Bronco surrounded by many other classic
vehicles and one of the Antique and Classic Car shows.
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