Hello and Thank You

I love the internet and more specifically The Ranger Station. The wealth of knowledge I've gained here over the last year has been a huge help. It has helped me make decisions with the direction I want to go with my 1985 Bronco II and with the technical assistance to get it there. So thanks!

Here is some back ground on my BII. My dad ordered it new in late 1984. He drove it home from the dealership and with only 4 miles on it got the sawzall out and cut the fenders for fender flares. A few salesmen from the Ford dealership followed him home to witness the ordeal because they couldn't believe someone would cut up a brand new car. He later cut the front of the frame off and extended it for a winch, modifying the stock bumper.

I bought the BII from my dad sometime in 1986. I added a 2" body lift, Monroe load leveler shocks on all corners, installed Hooker long tube headers, dual exaust, Offenhauser 4 barrel aluminum intake, Holley 390 cfm 4bbl carb, Mallory Unilite distributer and coil, 4.56 gears with Auburn Sure grip posi and Mickey Thompson 32" tires on 10" chrome steel wheels.

It was my daily driver. I also took it over the Rubicon trail and Fordyce Creek trail multiple times.

Here is a photo of it circa 1987

View attachment 21646

Trying to keep a long story short, I drove and owned the BII for several years, even driving it on my first date with my wife in 1992. Then due to smog laws and no place to store it I sold it in 2003. Fast forward to 2015, when someone asked my wife what car we were going to buy next (we have several old fords) she casually said she would like to have the Bronco back. I laughed at the time and did not give anymore thought. Then after a few weeks I wondered if the guy I sold it to still had it. Long story shortened again....i found his number and called him. He still had it, it was for sale and two guys were supposed to come get it the day before but did not show. I told him I would be there tomorrow and pick it up for $400. He has used it as a ranch rig all these years but it had been sitting for the last 3 years or so. I put gas in it, topped off the radiator, the clutch, checked the oil, put a battery in it and it fired up first crank. It still needed lots of work but I was encouraged.

Since then I have changed the fuel pump, ignittion switch, fuel tank and sender, carb, wires, plugs, cap rotor, valve cover gaskets, a couple of bent push rods, adjusted the valves, replaced the heater core, found, rebuilt and installed the same winch the bumber was cut for. (no small feat since this winch company went out of business in the late 80's), put some used 33-12.50x15 MTR's on.

Sorry for being so long winded here. I have aquired and am in the process of installing a Ford 9" rear with 5.14 gears, 31 spline axles and detroit locker and a Dana 35 from 1997 ranger with 5.13 gears and detroit locker.

Eventually I want to install a fuel injected 331 or 347 with np435 and 205 transfer case with an ORD magnum box. This wll have to wait for some $$, in the mean time I will work on the interior (the seats are shot, the headliner is gone and the dash cover is toast.

My wife has driven to work a few times and we went on another date in it the other day. Good times. Thanks for listening and thanks for all the help!

Rubicon trail circa 1986 or 1987

View attachment 21647

hello and welcome to TRS~!

I tried the links but they didn't work...maybe file type or something else going on but just wanted to let you know...

Most of the people on here use a hosting site like Photobucket and provide links to that site...but Photobucket has been a bit slow over the years even though it has gotten better the last few times I was on there...

The other attachments are uploaded to TRS but can have problems if they are too big or the format is not correct...I think JPG and bitmaps work best...