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Tonka Bronco Restoration

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  • #31

    I found my first Tonka Bronco, it's in better shape than I remembered. The photos are small, but hopefully you can see how the chips in the paint will be an indication of how beat up the decals were.
    It doesn't have the rust on the fenders that I recalled, and looking underneath there doesn't appear to be any rust.

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    Also, mine didn't come with the back rack to hold the spare and gas tank. The back seems to include "jump seats," although I'm not sure how you
    would ge a Joe in there.

    Daryl

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    • #32

      Looks great Daryl! Sad to say but I started this thread two years ago and am not really any farther along in my restoration than the last time I posted pictures of it. Too many other distractions.

      I'm actually thinking of using the interior in another custom vehicle project.

      Steve

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      • #33

        Thanks Steve! I was kinda surprised when I dug it out, it was in better shape than I remembered. I didn't realize your thread was two years old!

        I haven't had a chance to photograph my Chevron Bronco yet, it's in a bit of better shape than this one. The decals are good and it has the back rack with the spare and gas can.

        I understand about other distractions, 1/1 life keeps me busy. I'm sorry to hear that you are giving up on your restoration of the Bronco.

        Daryl

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        • #34

          Curse you, Steve! You infected me with the TonkaVirus!!! Just scored a tan "Chevron" 1/6 Tonka Bronco on eBay. It should arrive in a couple of days. I'll post a pic.

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          • #35

            Originally posted by ATC View Post
            Curse you, Steve! You infected me with the TonkaVirus!!! Just scored a tan "Chevron" 1/6 Tonka Bronco on eBay. It should arrive in a couple of days. I'll post a pic.
            Congrats! Can't wait to see it. Hope it's in better condition than mine was when I found it. The Chevron version is a cool variation from the classic "hard top" model. I had thought about using the interior for use in some other vehicle but now I'm inspired to revisit the Bronco restoration.

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            • #36

              The Chevron version (tan with a roll bar) is pretty cool. It has adventure team spirit for sure! the one that's coming is going to need the Retro bright Restoration in a big way. Unless I just hit it with some spray paint...

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              • #37

                Hey Steve, hopefully this will give you more inspiration to finish your Bronco. I think it would look great in AT yellow!

                I got this Chevron Bronco some years ago on ebay. As I recall, one person made a bid besides me, and I got it for $15. I'm glad it has the rear rack with the spare and gas can, unfortunately it doesn't have the jack.

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                I got really lucky that no one else bid on it, besides the one bidder that only made one bid. I didn't think I would get it for the price I paid. I need to clean it up. But it's in great shape. My suggestion, if you decide to restore yours, is to paint the rollbar
                with Krylon fusion paint. It is made for plastic. If I had one like you have, I would paint it AT yellow and use Krylon Black for the roll bar. It would look great! Especially with a big AT sticker on the front hood. If I were to find one in rougher shape, that's
                exactly what I would do with it. Especially since I recently got a big AT sticker from another Steve from the KY show off the Trenches FB page.

                Daryl

                PS: I hope this gives you inspiration on finishing your Bronco restoration!!

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                • #38

                  Originally posted by TNshooter View Post

                  PS: I hope this gives you inspiration on finishing your Bronco restoration!!
                  Definitely Daryl! Yours looks to be in great shape for it's age. Especially lucky to have the tire rack, spare tire and gas can.

                  I've decided that I need to separate the two sides from each other by drilling out the rivets that hold them together in the middle of the tailgate. It will be easier to dip them in paint stripper that way.

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                  • #39

                    That Chevron Bronco is in fantastic condition, Daryl! It Must have spent its whole life indoors because the white interior hasn't yellowed! Color me Green with envy!

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                    • #40

                      Thanks guys! I have to admit I was very surprised to get it for the price I did. It seems to have very light playwear. I was expecting it to go to $50 or more, at which point it would have been too expensive for me.

                      Steve, before you drill the rivets, look for a product called Tal-Strip. I used it years ago, it comes in an aerosol can. I sprayed it on the paint I wanted to remove, waited a bit. The paint bubbled up, then I just rinsed it off.
                      Very easy to use. I haven't had a reason to do so in a while, but I'm guessing it may still be around. If it is still available, you wouldn't have to drill out the rivets. I would think that would make it easier for re-assembly.

                      Daryl

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                      • #41

                        Oh, by the way, you probably would not want to hit the plastic grill with the Tal-Strip. It also will remove any decals.

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                        • #42

                          Originally posted by TNshooter View Post
                          Oh, by the way, you probably would not want to hit the plastic grill with the Tal-Strip. It also will remove any decals.
                          Mine is too far gone to preserve the Chevron markings on the side. It will need to be stripped to bare metal. I have an aerosol can of Citristrip, which I bought to remove the paint from die-cast cars that need restoring (I've only dabbled in this, but have a pile of vintage Matchbox cars in need of restoration). the Citristrip worked quite well on the die-cast car bodies but didn't seem as effective on the pressed steel Bronco. Perhaps I didn't leave it on long enough. I'll give it another try before doing further disassembly.

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                          • #43

                            Maybe the Tonka has a different type of paint? Or a thicker coat? If that's the case, maybe it might take multiple treatments?

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                            • #44

                              Chevron Tonka arrived (eBay). Here are some pics. I found a Blue Angels jumpsuit in the junk box that looked like it might be something a Chevron employee might wear, and stuffed it with a Mike Power.
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                              Mike is undercover in the Chevron Corpotation, to see if he can figure out what evil forces are trying to destroy the petroleum industry and the American economy...

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                              This is a job for the Adventure Team!

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                              You can see the UV damage to the interior. It's nowhere near the bright white that it's supposed to be. I think I prefer it off-white anyway, though. Maybe I will hit it with some light tan spray paint to make the interior's color more uniform. We'll see.

                              I still think this looks like a GI Joe size Suzuki Samurai!

                              - ATC

                              Last edited by ATC; 10-12-2020, 04:28 AM.

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                              • #45

                                Nice Tonka Bronco ATC!! It looks to be in great shape!! I don't think the interior color is too far off, it seems to go well with the vehicle. Mine also didn't come with the jack. Curious how that one part seems to disappear?

                                The antenna on yours seems to be a bit straighter than on mine. You now have two Broncos equipped with the rear rack! My black Bronco doesn't have the rear rack. Color ME with envy!

                                And considering vintage Bronco's, it's bigger than a Suzuki Samurai. I once worked with a guy that had one, it wasn't much bigger than a Volkswagen Bug. Vintage Bronco's were about the size of a Jeep of the same era.
                                When I rode with my co-worker in his Samurai, he scared the absolute crap out of me. I thought that little vehicle would flip at any moment. He would just slap my leg and say "Don't worry, everything's okay." Until he
                                spun out of control on a wet road and slammed into another car. Luckily, he didn't have a passenger and didn't get hurt himself. Except he was in between insurance companies and wasn't covered for that ONE day.
                                His father had to bail him out money-wise. Kids. They think they are invincible. I was 26 at the time and I knew better.

                                But I'm guessing that Steve's Bronco, once finished, will have both of us wishing we had one. In AT yellow, with an AT sticker on the hood, it's going to be awesome! It will want me to find a Tonka Bronco in rough shape
                                to do the same. In fact, I may start looking now!

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