Direct answer: early Bronco restoration follows the same floor-up sequence as any classic 4x4 — structure, then panels, then paint — with one decision unique to Broncos: what to do about cut rear arches. Uncut quarters restore the factory line and most of the value; complete cabs and reproduction chassis rescue trucks too far gone for panel repair.
The cut-arch question
In the 70s and 80s nearly every Bronco had its rear arches cut for bigger tyres, which is why uncut originals command the prices they do. Reproduction uncut quarters and rear fenders put the factory arch back — the single highest-value repair on these trucks. Building a trail truck instead? Keep the cut and spend the money on structure.
Assessment: the Bronco checklist
Floor pans front and rear, rockers, inner and outer wheel housings, fender aprons, radiator support, door bottoms, tailgate — and the frame: check rear rails and the steering box area for rot and cracks. Broncos hide frame problems that make perfect bodywork pointless.
Structure first, always
Floors and rockers before quarters; wheel housings together with the quarters above them — they fail as a pair. Brace the door apertures before cutting, plug-weld at factory spacing, seal both faces. Every one of those pressings is in the Bronco range, from single patch sections to complete floor sets.
The nuclear options
When a tub has more rot than metal, a complete cab with doors — jig-welded, in primer or paint — replaces hundreds of repair hours with one crate. When the frame is cracked or bent beyond datum, the reproduction chassis in OEM style gives a frame-off build a verified-straight foundation. Price both against your labour estimate honestly; assemblies win more often than restorers expect.
Gaps, paint, assembly
Hang everything loose — hood, fenders, doors, tailgate — and gap the whole truck as one before colour. New hardware on every hinge point; new seals on every glass channel. First-generation sheet metal is largely common across 1966–77 (1966–68 trim details differ), so panels fit across years unless the listing notes otherwise.
Start here: all early Bronco panels · panel buying guide