Hella 500 Driving Lights

Slotted Tail Light Covers

Hood Deflector / Vent Visors

Rebuilt Engine 3 times!

This was my very first vehicle, purchased the summer of 1995 as I was getting my drivers license that fall. I was 16 at the time and working at Crappy Tire Topsail Road, Dad and I split all costs and purchased the truck from a Minster at his church.

The truck was rusty looking back probably too rusty, it was rough and needed a lot of work but this rig introduced me to shade tree mechanics.

Even though one brake pad was completely missing, the previous owner was driving it like this! Throughout the summer we installed all new brake components, brake & fuel lines, new U-joints in the drive shafts & front side axels, and a complete tune up.

What I learned from owning this truck gave me the knowledge and encouragement to work on everything else I've owned ever since. We also didn't have a garage at this time so all the work was done in the driveway.

Near the end of summer we had it painted, I wanted all black instead of the 2 tone paint. I also picked up a set of chrome wheels where I worked at Crappy Tire, and a set of tires from the crappy tire tent sale. The enc result was a great looking truck, minimal investment, a true learning experience, and a vehicle not powerful enough to cause a new driver grief with the authorities!

All cleaned up for Graduation class of 1996! 

Later I replaced the stock push button AM/FM Cassette radio with a Sony CD player with help from my uncle Gerry. I also installed a pair of Hella 500's which survived 4 more vehicles!

Following those mods I installed Accell 8.8 blue spark plug wires, a blue point distributor cap, Accell ignition coil, and a new factory rebuilt carburetor.

The following summer I started having motor trouble, some of it due to age, some of it due to my huge lack of experience and not checking the oil level often enough, important on older vehicles as they tend burn and leaks vital fluids.

The fist two engine rebuilds were done by Dad and I at a family friend's garage on Pippy Place, but the following summer the motor lapsed another bearing so it was rebuilt and repainted one last time at Cooks Place over a couple late evenings.

The old Bronco did me well for a couple years, never really reliable, a PITA to drive in the winter as it was carbureted and grossly under powered I put it up for sale in the fall of 1997 when a great deal on a replacement vehicle came along. Dad picked up a 1997 GMC Yukon so I took over payments on his 1994 GMC Jimmy.

Copyright © 2011 Michael Smith