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Advice when considering restoration


joeldemeritt

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Hey All,

I've lurked here for a few years for maintenance advice, thanks to all those who post guides and diagrams.

My Truck (89 Bronco II XLT, 5spd, 2WD, 2.9EFI) has 160K on the odo, and I still daily it. It's beginning to act it's age and I have taken a job where I don't have time to maintain it like I used to.

My question is for anyone who has done a in depth restoration: How was it?

I couldn't find a very thorough tread about it, I see a mixture of "its easy" or guys with major reoccurring problems.

I'd need to still daily the truck and would like to address these issues, and am curious of the feasibility of a restoration.
  1. After an engine swap, what speed/rpm do you cruise at on the interstate. Also is it common for people to swap a rear end with it?
  2. How is the reliability of a 4.0 L Engine swap, is this easily compatible with the old '89 engine systems (Heat/AC/Electrics/gauges)
  3. What did the swap cost all in? If you did it yourself what specialized tools/modifications did you need?
  4. Has anyone swapped in a steering column with a airbag?

I am just mainly concerned with reliability, and maybe updating the safety features. Let me know what you think.

Thank you in advance.
 


Shran

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Restoring a daily driver is just a losing proposition unless you have a backup or a bunch of money/time. Swapping axles, engines etc is also a good way to lose the reliability factor... often you have bugs to work out, perhaps end up buying the wrong parts to fix something because other things were swapped around. Speaking from experience.

Not trying to talk you out of it by any means. A true restoration pretty much requires that the vehicle be off the road until you can go through everything. If you're committed to going through with it, find something else to drive in the meantime.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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Are you wanting to restore it as in actually restore it or just swap the powertrain?

As long as you stay with a overdrive trans your hwy speed won't change much if at all. A 4.0 will bolt to what you have now.

It took me a month and more money than I care to know about to put a 302 in mine. A 4.0 into a second gen would be easier because it was an option in 2nd gens.

If you are doing bodywork be forewarned repaired rust areas never hold up to the elements like original steel. You won't get 25 years of winter driving out it again before you have to do it again like you did the first time.

After redoing all the powertrain I am trying to restore mine now, it ain't easy. And it hasn't been a dd since 2003.

It wasn't until well into the third gens they put airbags into these things, I doubt it will be easy to add them.
 

wildbill23c

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If you are wanting to do a restoration great. Swapping in the wrong engine/transmission/axles, etc. is NOT restoration, its modification. Keep that in mind.

Anytime you put the wrong engine, transmission, etc. into a vehicle, you can almost kiss reliability goodbye. Now you've got a vehicle that unless you recall exactly what that engine came out of, you may not be able to just grab an off the shelf part for it and such. You are now at the mercy of your memory and ability to grab the right part. You can no longer say I have an 88 Ford Ranger 2.9L V6, etc. Now you have the wrong engine in it, and gotta remember what engine it is for sure and what year and vehicle it came out of because occasionally they throw in some odd parts changes.

That all being said, its not cheap to do a restoration or modifications at all. Its not only time consuming its very imperative to take your time and do it right...yes that means spending more money sometimes, otherwise I mean why bother if you aren't going to take the time and do the job right.

I bought a 1988 Ford Bronco 2 this past summer. The seller said that the transmission was having issues...duh its an A4LD, pretty common problem area LOL. Anyhow the transmission rebuild alone was $2400...I bought the bronco 2 for $800. Ok, so while its in the shop I have a bunch of work done to it including both drive shafts being rebuilt, and the rear drive shaft actually being replaced to get rid of the CV type joints in it and have standard U-Joints instead. Plus brakes done, new heater blower motor, resistor, front wheel bearings repacked, and the front wiper switch repair, fuel pressure regulator, and tune-up. Altogether with the transmission rebuild, new transmission cooler, and all the other work it was about $4900 in repairs. So...be prepared for a lot of cost in services and repairs, also be prepared for unexpected problems as well. I had all this done at the shop since it was already there and couldn't go anywhere until the drive shafts and transmission was rebuilt. If you do this stuff yourself you'll save a lot...A LOT!!! of money...however if there's something you aren't comfortable doing have someone who does do the work so its done right, even if it means paying a shop to do it right. You don't want to skimp when you doing a restoration.

To me a restoration is taking a vehicle back to how it came from the factory, and that means fixing everything that's wrong, and may include updated parts that have been updated from when the vehicle was made. For example newer heads for the 2.9L V6 engines are built better than the original heads prior to 1989. You want the stuff that's been updated, don't get a bunch of used parts you'll quickly end up back where you were before you started or worse.

Take your time, and do it all the right way. Don't swap engines, rebuild the current one, or get a long block and go from there. No need to replace axles, transmissions, etc.

Don't bother with airbags and all that other nonsense either. None of it is needed and you'll create more headaches than any of it is worth.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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If you are wanting to do a restoration great. Swapping in the wrong engine/transmission/axles, etc. is NOT restoration, its modification. Keep that in mind.

Anytime you put the wrong engine, transmission, etc. into a vehicle, you can almost kiss reliability goodbye. Now you've got a vehicle that unless you recall exactly what that engine came out of, you may not be able to just grab an off the shelf part for it and such. You are now at the mercy of your memory and ability to grab the right part. You can no longer say I have an 88 Ford Ranger 2.9L V6, etc. Now you have the wrong engine in it, and gotta remember what engine it is for sure and what year and vehicle it came out of because occasionally they throw in some odd parts changes.
I prefer "restomod"

Having the mutt I pretty much designed myself is kind of fun with a very much more "wrong" engine than a 4.0. Far more reliable than the 2.8 ever was. Oddly easier to work on too.

I have parts on my engine ranging 30 years and a plethora of aftermarket parts... it is not that hard to keep track of what is what 5 years later. Second gen to a 4.0... is no such freak.

I enjoy the heck out of it. But... she ain't my dd.
 

joeldemeritt

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Thanks all,

Everyone is confirming what I was thinking. I don't really want to pump money into it, especially considering how much could go wrong with any of the restomod work. My next post may be in the classifieds :sad:.

WildBill, how did you convert the driveshaft to standard U-Joints? The most major problem with the car is the driveshaft failing.

The airbag was an object of curiosity, as appealing as a hackjob airbag sounds I suppose I'll pass on it.

I have estimated that it would take near $4000 and about a hundred hours to get everything the way I want it (without hiccups).

I'll be thinking on it, and will update soon!
 

wildbill23c

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Thanks all,

Everyone is confirming what I was thinking. I don't really want to pump money into it, especially considering how much could go wrong with any of the restomod work. My next post may be in the classifieds :sad:.

WildBill, how did you convert the driveshaft to standard U-Joints? The most major problem with the car is the driveshaft failing.

The airbag was an object of curiosity, as appealing as a hackjob airbag sounds I suppose I'll pass on it.

I have estimated that it would take near $4000 and about a hundred hours to get everything the way I want it (without hiccups).

I'll be thinking on it, and will update soon!
I'm not sure what they did on the driveshaft, they may have just replaced it, I'm not sure but for the money they charged for it $7xx that thing better last forever. The transmission shop sent the driveshaft to an actual driveline shop so I assume they can tear down a driveshaft and rebuild and convert it. I'd call around and see but that's what I would assume they did for that amount of money, because a replacement shaft is a couple hundred bucks I think.

My 88 Bronco 2 has some engine work that needs to be done as the lifters are rattling like crazy...sounds about as bad as a diesel LOL. Noise goes away after a while but you can tell that at startup and when cold its not getting oil where it should like it should...I really need to do an oil change and put lighter weight oil in it, I think the PO had put 10w-40 in it which I believe is part of the problem. However, I plan on keeping this vehicle for many years so for me to have a really nice daily driver, or whatever I want to do with it, I want it to be mechanically sound of course so if I wanted to get in it and drive cross country (not that I have time to, but in theory) I would want it to be gone through completely. So in my case I plan on pulling the engine and either rebuilding it and putting it back in or getting a long block and putting in then rebuilding the old one.

Doing a restoration is one thing and usually turns out good as long as you aren't cutting corners. Its when you try and put stuff in that wasn't supposed to be in it...i.e. different engine, different transmission, axles, etc...is when most problems arise. I'm not saying TRS members haven't done that stuff and had great success but for me I'm not one of them, everything would go wrong for me, and I do not have the time or money to mess around with guessing and trying things out. I know the 2.9L V6 is the engine for the B2 and that's how it will remain for me, sure if I get a bunch of money and another B2 or Ranger I may play around with different engines but now with my current B2 LOL.
 
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85_Ranger4x4

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Doing a restoration is one thing and usually turns out good as long as you aren't cutting corners.
To loosely quote the infamous adsm08: "things are never really fixed, just less broken"

By the time you think you are done it is time to move on to something else, then something else and then something else...

I finally have a good powertrain in mine and after the D35 swap I want to redo the body. Well an overdrive transmission would be nice... so there goes the driveshafts and t-case. Well you know it just has a takeout 5.0 in it so a new engine would be nice too. Whoops, time for tires. Exhaust... it goes on and on and on...
 

wildbill23c

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To loosely quote the infamous adsm08: "things are never really fixed, just less broken"

By the time you think you are done it is time to move on to something else, then something else and then something else...

I finally have a good powertrain in mine and after the D35 swap I want to redo the body. Well an overdrive transmission would be nice... so there goes the driveshafts and t-case. Well you know it just has a takeout 5.0 in it so a new engine would be nice too. Whoops, time for tires. Exhaust... it goes on and on and on...
If you do it right it will be fixed, not less broken. The trouble is not many have $10k+ laying around their house for a restoration...then you get that done and realize you want to change or do something else so...its more or less a never ending project, not less broken, just never complete HAHA!!!
 

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If you do it right it will be fixed, not less broken.
Not really.

It was perfect (more or less) when it was originally built... but they don't stay that way.
 

wildbill23c

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Not really.

It was perfect (more or less) when it was originally built... but they don't stay that way.
Occasionally you find one that's still original sitting in a garage that someone bought and drove a couple months and never drove out of the garage afterwards.

I don't mind the money to have a vehicle restored, but it needs to be done properly, otherwise you'll end up with something in worse condition than before LOL.

I really don't think a "project" car is ever done, but a restoration at some point would be done, that is if the owner doesn't give up or run out of money, or all the above HAHA!!
 

85_Ranger4x4

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Occasionally you find one that's still original sitting in a garage that someone bought and drove a couple months and never drove out of the garage afterwards.
Nobody will be jumping in and taking off in said vehicle either.
 

wildbill23c

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Nobody will be jumping in and taking off in said vehicle either.
Al bet someone would try though LOL. My 84 Ranger got to where I'd leave my keys in it, nobody ever bothered it but figured if they could get it started and keep it running long enough to get out of my driveway they could have it LOL.
Only wish I knew back then about the duraspark conversion and the TFI issues I would probably still have that truck.
 

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Shran

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I remember hearing the story about how great vehicles that were owned by older people are, since they have such low miles, etc etc etc! Bet you've heard it too, probably multiple times.

I got my grandpa's 1986 F150 in 2005. It had 55,000 miles on it at that point. I still have it and it now has just a hair over 100k, but those miles I put on it were rough - there were a lot of things I fixed that should never have gone bad on a 100k mile vehicle! Stuff like rear axle bearings, ball joints, etc.......

...and that is what reinforces my belief that the "old guy's car" story is absolute BS. I'd rather inherit an old truck with a million miles on it than one with very few, at least you know it had some maintenance done instead of rotting for years.
 

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