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1984 Bronco 2 - Sat for 15 years


jjfugler

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Any updates or new pics of how it is going? I am about to tackle my project B2, 1990 and in pretty good shape. Probably paid to much for it but I am happy so that's whats important right...? lol I am procuring "spare" parts now so when the tear down starts I have replacement parts already on hand. That seems to be what stops rebuilds on these is procuring parts.
 


wildbill23c

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1988
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Ford Bronco II
Engine Size
2.9L V6
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4wd
My credo
19K, 19D, 92Y, 91F
Any updates or new pics of how it is going? I am about to tackle my project B2, 1990 and in pretty good shape. Probably paid to much for it but I am happy so that's whats important right...? lol I am procuring "spare" parts now so when the tear down starts I have replacement parts already on hand. That seems to be what stops rebuilds on these is procuring parts.
Not having parts is what has stopped a lot of progress on my Bronco 2, and Ranger, and well pretty much every vehicle I've ever wanted to work on. If you have them on hand and are starting to work on it, you are more apt to actually finish the project than if you have to wait for parts, or go pull parts, etc. Right now my Bronco 2 is doing pretty well, need to find my horrendous exhaust leak, sounds like on the driver's side maybe around the header where it connects to that y-pipe, as well as rear hatch seal, and reseal around the drip rails or whatever they're called above the doors, seatbelts get wet when its raining...so must be leaking from those drip rails down into the seatbelt housing area. Also need to repair the wiring to the trailer light receptacle (PO used those stupid Scotch Lock crimp connectors and spliced into the wiring).

Its a project, but once you get it done you'll be very happy and proud of it. I've sunk a lot of money into my Bronco 2....about $13k as a matter of fact, but not like you can run to the dealership and buy a new one...other than cosmetic stuff now mine is pretty good....replacement engine, rebuilt transmission, brakes replaced, etc. I've had mine for about 4 years, and still slowly getting things done on it as I find time, and find the parts and figure out what I want to do. Getting ready to paint the lower blue strip on my Ranger then probably do a repaint on the Bronco 2 as well, hoping to do this year before winter.
 

ErinBronco2

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4wd
The Bronco II is still alive and well boys. I'll post an update soon. I've had some issues related to the cold weather, but she is still chugging along.
Soooooo it's only been like 6 months since my last post. The truck is still alive and kicking which I think is a win in itself. I'm trying to remember what I've all done with the truck since last fall and find the pictures I took at the time. Unfortunately everything is scattered so what is below is what I have. Not a lot of detail lol.

From when I changed the (driver side only) weatherstripping on the door. Must have been from sometime in the 90's lol.
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Here's what the passenger side weatherstripping looks like. Real dry and cracked up. Scratches the window when you roll it up. FOR SOME REASON I didn't take any pictures of the completed driver side window. It looks great, works great. Never got around to doing the other side....
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ErinBronco2

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I mentioned having some issues related to cold weather. My drive to work is about 8 miles, so in cold weather my truck is just getting warmed up by the time I'm parking. I THINK (still not really sure) that my short trips are creating a lot of condensation issues. My air filter is getting nice and wet and I'm getting a lot of foam in the breather. This is during cold months only.

Oil looks fine when I changed it, mostly just buildup on the top side. Not sure what I'm gonna do about it moving forward, but it seems okay for now. Famous last words probably.

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ErinBronco2

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Of course when you start driving your POS every day, you notice the quality of life items a little bit more. My front two speakers were both blown and sounded reallll bad. So I got some speakers (free) but they were unfortunately the wrong size. So a little redneck engineering, built a quick and easy adapter/bracket with a router and some extra wood I had laying around. Works great! Looks like shit but you can't see it anyway lol.

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(SIDE NOTE) I pulled my gauges out to do this. It was a bitch to get my speedometer cable back on. Noticed this winter when it's real cold out that the cable makes a nice loud whine sound. Think I need to replace it and/or grease it.

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ErinBronco2

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Very Nice

Dennis
Looking good!
Thanks!

Have you found a source for a new headliner? Mine is missing all the cloth.
I found the solution......re-cover it. Watched a u-tube video and it looks easy enough. Gonna check on material Thursday.
I'm still looking for a halfway decent headliner foam piece. Mine was not salvageable unfortunately... just the thought of the smell when I pulled it down still gives me the heebie jeebies :bad:

Any updates or new pics of how it is going? I am about to tackle my project B2, 1990 and in pretty good shape. Probably paid to much for it but I am happy so that's whats important right...? lol I am procuring "spare" parts now so when the tear down starts I have replacement parts already on hand. That seems to be what stops rebuilds on these is procuring parts.
Spare parts are always nice! For me, it's usually a mix of money and time. I'll have time for projects but no money. Or I'll have money but no time. That's the struggles of being in college though I suppose lol.

Not having parts is what has stopped a lot of progress on my Bronco 2, and Ranger, and well pretty much every vehicle I've ever wanted to work on. If you have them on hand and are starting to work on it, you are more apt to actually finish the project than if you have to wait for parts, or go pull parts, etc. Right now my Bronco 2 is doing pretty well, need to find my horrendous exhaust leak, sounds like on the driver's side maybe around the header where it connects to that y-pipe, as well as rear hatch seal, and reseal around the drip rails or whatever they're called above the doors, seatbelts get wet when its raining...so must be leaking from those drip rails down into the seatbelt housing area. Also need to repair the wiring to the trailer light receptacle (PO used those stupid Scotch Lock crimp connectors and spliced into the wiring).

Its a project, but once you get it done you'll be very happy and proud of it. I've sunk a lot of money into my Bronco 2....about $13k as a matter of fact, but not like you can run to the dealership and buy a new one...other than cosmetic stuff now mine is pretty good....replacement engine, rebuilt transmission, brakes replaced, etc. I've had mine for about 4 years, and still slowly getting things done on it as I find time, and find the parts and figure out what I want to do. Getting ready to paint the lower blue strip on my Ranger then probably do a repaint on the Bronco 2 as well, hoping to do this year before winter.
Sounds like a fun project. It sounds crazy to say you've spent $13k on a Bronco 2, but I'm sure it's easy to do when it's spread out over 4 years. Especially considering how the small items really add up over a long term project.
 
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ErinBronco2

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Alright, one more post before another 6 months of radio silence from me.

Last Fall I needed to use my heater for the first time. It got warm and worked fine, but I noticed it was pretty stinky. I replaced the heater box earlier in the summer and vacuumed/cleaned out the vents behind it (because it was full of rats nest). But I must have had the fresh air vent in the up position and missed all of this.

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So at this point, 50% of this thread is about how my truck is full of RAT SHIT and RATS NEST. Great. Honestly I should probably burn this truck to the ground before I get the plague.

Okay, that's all for now. I still haven't replaced my tie rod ends (RISKY BUSINESS), but my dad is trying to talk me into replacing the whole front axle so I've been hesitant to spend money if it's all for nothing.

To-Do List:
  • Replace the weatherstripping on the passenger side door
  • Replace tie rods and tie rod ends
  • Pull the 2.8L , re-gasket it, and fix the transmission leaks (a whole new can of worms)
  • Find a new headliner so it doesn't sound like a tin can anymore
 

ErinBronco2

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Finally got around to painting the wheels... don't mind the Snapchat text - my millennial is showing lol.

Washed, wire wheeled, wiped down with alcohol, primed, and painted all four wheels. They didn't come out perfect, but these wheels were really too rusty to be ever be brought back 100%. I think they look great for the $30 in supplies!

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ErinBronco2

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Also - the Bronco II is sort of on hold for a while... I'm getting close to getting the Mustang running again.

Pulled the 289 out in 2018.
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Dropped in the 302 in 2019
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302 with 289 water pump
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302 with '84 LTD Crown Vic water pump, new belt, hoses, radiator and fan.
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So this weekend I'm hoping to get the bottom radiator hose hooked up, install the fan relay/switch and get her up and running again. It's been about 3 years since I've even driven the dang thing.
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wildbill23c

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Emmett, Idaho
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Ford Bronco II
Engine Size
2.9L V6
Suspension Style
4wd
My credo
19K, 19D, 92Y, 91F
Thanks!





I'm still looking for a halfway decent headliner foam piece. Mine was not salvageable unfortunately... just the thought of the smell when I pulled it down still gives me the heebie jeebies :bad:



Spare parts are always nice! For me, it's usually a mix of money and time. I'll have time for projects but no money. Or I'll have money but no time. That's the struggles of being in college though I suppose lol.



Sounds like a fun project. It sounds crazy to say you've spent $13k on a Bronco 2, but I'm sure it's easy to do when it's spread out over 4 years. Especially considering how the small items really add up over a long term project.
Most of that $13k was spent on the transmission rebuild and engine replacement. Managed to limp it along for about a year after the transmission rebuild before I had enough of the oil burning problems and replaced the engine....Course if I had the tools, a nice shop, and patience to do this type of stuff I could have done it myself and spent maybe about 1/2 that $13k, but when you pay someone with a shop full of fancy tools and vehicle lifts it gets expensive, but its done and its moving on its own. I did convert the AC and replace the compressor and flush the system myself about 2-1/2 years ago, so the AC is operational, just haven't got the nerve to try and tackle the vent/recirc issue, I assume the cable is probably seized as pushing on the lever on the dash doesn't move the re-circulation door at all, like the whole thing is bound up. Everything else seems to work....I do need to get it repainted, and do a bit of interior work but other than that its a daily driver, not a showroom car...I bought it to drive not to show off....the paint just needs sanded down and repainted, its pretty faded on the roof and rear hatch. It'll get a Rustoleum paint job probably this fall or next spring, kind of spray painted the really bad areas to at least keep paint on them till I can get around to sanding and repainting.
 

ErinBronco2

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Finally got around to replacing all of my tie rods - can't believe I waited this long! It drives like a dream now, smooth as butter turning and driving in a straight line has never been easier. :icon-cheers:

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Before shot - from last year sometime.

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On the lift with the old tie rods removed. Took measurements from the inner to outer driver side, inner to outer passenger side, and inner driver to inner passenger side before removing them.

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Old passenger side inner

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Old driver side inner - looking completely terrible.

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All done - took about an hour and a half to complete. Pumped her full of grease and took her for a spin!
 

GerikM

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Hey, just read through all this, looks like you've done quite a bit of work so far! How is everything coming along? Any updates? Thanks!
 

jjfugler

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I have a spare headliner board out of a 90. Need it gone.
 

ErinBronco2

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It's been a while since I've posted.... life's been busy. Bought a new house (100 years old is new right?) this summer, have been working full time, and I'm taking the final two courses to finally finish my EE degree this fall. Haven't had a whole lotta time for the Bronco 2 :nopitya:


There are a few things I have managed to squeeze in though:
  • Replaced the muffler and exhaust from the cat back.... because the muffler broke off last winter and the easy fix while it was below zero was just to sawzall it out... little did I know the struggles I would have finding the replacement pieces lol.
  • Recently replaced the starter, now she zips right up (though I still don't have the choke set quite right :buttkick:)
  • Replaced the "vent" tube from the top of the transfer case. I was poking around down there, trying to figure out what was leaking (spoiler alert: everything, everything is leaking) and I just happened to look at the vent hose too aggressively. There wasn't enough affection in my eyes I guess. It crumbled into a hundred pieces and leaked even more transmission fluid onto the driveway. So that was fun.

The wife is on my case about getting rid of this thing and, if I'm being honest, this isn't my forever Bronco 2. As soon as I can afford the 2021 Bronco, I might jump ship. But that's gonna be a while! :headbang:


Fun picture from March 2021 - how many deer can you find? There's 5.
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Uncle Gump

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Three under the window... one on your sidewalk... one in the driveway across the street.
 
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Uncle Gump

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Ahhh now I see the one behind the BII... yep... 6 tasty deer.
 

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