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Josh's Bronco II Body Restoration Thread


88B2EB

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Joined
Mar 26, 2012
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175
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Location
Detroit, MI
Vehicle Year
1988, 1994
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.9L, 2.3L
Transmission
Manual
Thanks everybody for the positive comments on the B2. I wish I could have met Dennis more than just the 1 time, and I really wish he could have seen it finished. He knew it would get finished though and would be taken care of for many years to come. I know that meant a lot to him.

Josh
 


88B2EB

New Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2012
Messages
175
Reaction score
6
Points
0
Location
Detroit, MI
Vehicle Year
1988, 1994
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.9L, 2.3L
Transmission
Manual
Just stumbled back into your build thread and found this post. So sad to hear that Dennis passed away, but at least you got to know some history of your B2.

My B2 is still in the same condition. Seems every time I turn around something happens and money I have saved ends up going someplace else. However, until this past weekend I'd been driving my B2 daily and loving it. Now its sitting again till payday as it needs new rear brakes...holy crap something I can actually do myself :icon_rofl:.

Got my 2 major oil leaks fixed, so I can drive it for at least a month without having to add a quart of oil every 2-3 days :sad:. Only issue now is I have to actually change the oil in it LOL. The more I drive my B2 the more and more I really like it. The body panel issue would be about $1200 to have the local body shop repair, and that's just materials and labor, doesn't even include primering or painting for that matter. My water leak from the roof wasn't the roof after all the whole cowling around the base of the windshield and firewall is rusted through, so every time it rains or snows the water just leaks right into the cab and onto the floor. Hense the lack of carpeting issue is now solved. Drilled holes in the floorboard so the water will drain out LOL. Its a daily driver for me, and will continue to be until it dies which I'm not sure if it will die first or if I'll get in it one day and fall through the floor.

I got new tires for it around the end of last summer, and they did awesome through our several snow storms this winter.

I've seen several other B2's for sale on craigslist but just don't have the money and time to go get them, problem would be I'd have a collection of them LOL. I still like the older 80's B2's and the Rangers as well. Someday there may be another 1st gen Ranger back in my driveway, kind of miss the pickup bed quite often.
Bill, I agree with you. Cars reach a point with mileage and wear that it's no longer an 'investment' to restore them. The cost just gets to be higher than the end value. Better to drive yours into the ground doing only the repairs necessary to keep it safe and dependable. Save the money you would have spent on paint and other cosmetic issues for your B2's eventual replacement. Then, if you want to restore your B2 to it's former glory after that you will have a good daily driver to use while the Bronco's apart. I really hate saying to do that with any B2 but I know how hard you work for your money.

If someday you do decide to restore yours, based on the extensive rust you've been posting about, I would definitely recommend finding a donor body and swapping it onto your chasis. Even if you had to repaint the donor it would be far less expensive and time consuming than repairing all your rust holes.

I've actually been battling some firewall rust too. You saw how mild the rust was on the rest of my body was when I started this restoration so the extent of damage on the firewall really caught me off guard a few months ago. I think I'm winning the battle though.:icon_thumby: After all the work that went into the body I wasn't going to tolerate any more rust.

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1286950-repairing-firewall-rust-damage.html
 
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