87 B2 restore

[Nelson and Hudson]

My son and I are attempting our first restore project on a 1987 Bronco 2 that has been parked in the Arizona desert for 5+ years. Drained the gas tank, replaced fuel and air filters, put in a battery and turned it over. No fuel. Dropped the tank, pulled the pump, tapped it with a hammer and it’s running! Reassembled tank turned it over using starter fluid and ATF started pouring out the bottom. I guess this is how we proceed... one issue at a time.

 

[ericbphoto]

Education. One mess at a time. Take your time with it.

 

[wildbill23c]

Should be a fun project. I love my 88 Bronco 2, does great in the winter. My 87 Ranger is fun to drive too. I cannot recall what causes the transmission fluid to pour out like that, overfilled, pump failure, or just a blown seal from sitting all that time in the heat.

 

[franklin2]

You will find anything rubber will have to be replaced. Seals and gaskets on the engine. Seals and gaskets on the transmission. Seals/wheel cylinders and master cylinder in the brake system. Hoses, belts. Ones that are easy to get to you can just wait till they leak and then replace. Ones that are hard to get to you are better off going ahead and replacing the whole group while you have it apart.

 

[Nelson and Hudson]

I’m curious, at what point does someone say, “This vehicle isn’t worth what I’m putting into it”? We are nowhere near that right now, I was just wondering.

 

[Dirtman]

I’m curious, at what point does someone say, “This vehicle isn’t worth what I’m putting into it”? We are nowhere near that right now, I was just wondering.

Sitting in Arizona the thing is probably in pristine condition compared to what we deal with in the northeast...

 

[franklin2]

I’m curious, at what point does someone say, “This vehicle isn’t worth what I’m putting into it”? We are nowhere near that right now, I was just wondering.

That would be totally up to you and your reasons for buying it. If you want it strictly for transportation, 4 wheels to get you somewhere and back, then you can look up the blue book value and somewhere close to that would be your limit. If it has some sort of sentimental value or it's a vehicle that "you just want" then you can stretch beyond that and lose a little bit of money if you sell.

One thing I would stress; If you can't work on it and do most of the work yourself, I would not buy it. If you have to take it to a shop everytime something breaks or needs work, it would be a very very poor investment and cost a lot of money. Shop labor rates are high.

 

[JerryC]

I have roughly 13K in my BII that might be worth 4K to anybody else. But I look at it as the thing I play/tinker with for fun. In terms of fun it has paid for itself. For example I spent a little over a grand to redo the AC, I'd never done that before so it was worth more than double what I paid for the education and fun of doing it.

It's really the only vehicle I drive that I enjoy driving and that's worth something.

I'm not much good at saving so I would have pissed away that extra 9k on something else regardless. It's that same with my PC's, I build them for fun and upgrade them too often and they lose value even faster than vehicles do.

 

[wildbill23c]

I’m curious, at what point does someone say, “This vehicle isn’t worth what I’m putting into it”? We are nowhere near that right now, I was just wondering.

Look up the blue book value as it currently sits. Calculate the amount of money you are going to spend to restore it properly, not a 1/2 ass weekend warrior type of job, but a whole restore top to bottom. Now, re-look at the blue book value. That's when you know its time to call it quits when the cost to repair/restore is 100x+ more than the vehicle is worth.

Now, onto what most people do, they go all out and do a complete restore on a $200 vehicle. New engine, new transmission, new interior, new paint, etc. Easily $20-30k to have a shop do the work. So how long do you plan on keeping the vehicle after all that money is dumped into it? Chances are you'll run out of money long before the "Project" is done, so no it'll sit in the yard for 20+ more years before you think about it again. By that time, everything you had already done will have to be re-done again, so starting back at square one. This is how 99% of "Project" vehicles are, and continue to be. They buy a vehicle cheap, or someone gives it to them because well its just junk in the first place. They park it in their yard as a "Project", well 20 years go by, its still sitting in the same spot LOL.

Here's pretty much my story with my 88 Eddie Bauer Bronco 2. Purchased for $800 July 20, 2020 (almost 4 years ago). The seller said overdrive was out...yep, drove it home 30 miles in drive did great. Shortly thereafter it was blowing smoke. So, I already have it, they don't make them anymore, and I love driving it and want to keep it as long as I possibly can....

$4800 later from a newly rebuilt transmission with upgraded parts to prevent future failures, windshield wiper repair only 2 speed now, lost intermittent and park as a result of a short somewhere in the system but at least the wipers work, a complete engine tune-up, front, rear differentials, transfer case service, new drive shafts with U-Joints instead of the CV joint crap, axle bearings greased, new brakes front/rear, new starter, 2nd set of keys (there wasn't a single door key, but somehow the rear hatch has no lock mechanism, lock cylinder is there, but no actual mechanism to lock anything with)
$4600 later a fresh re-manufactured engine, new water pump, new fuel injectors, fuel filter, fuel pump in frame rail, new starter, upgraded alternator, new exhaust headers, and upgraded valve cover gaskets.
$650 for new tires that match and have tread on them to move in snow, at least better than the mismatched disaster that was on it.
$75 for a spare tire & matching wheel
$49 for a spare tire cover with Bronco 2 logo and bucking bronco emblem
$125 for title, registration, and sales tax
$2200 to have the hood and lower tan repainted
_________________
$12,499 (not counting break in oil changes and services since)

All that and its still not restored, and not repainted completely. Going to tackle the paint myself, probably this next spring, have to finish my 87 Ranger first, got about 1/4 of it done with the lower blue stripe and front and rear bumpers. Then there's the interior that needs gutted and either new carpet installed or vinyl or something, plus the driver's seat needs replaced its a different color because that was all I could find at the pick a part, put seat covers on so nobody can tell LOL.

 

[ecgreen]

Look up the blue book value as it currently sits. Calculate the amount of money you are going to spend to restore it properly, not a 1/2 ass weekend warrior type of job, but a whole restore top to bottom. Now, re-look at the blue book value. That's when you know its time to call it quits when the cost to repair/restore is 100x+ more than the vehicle is worth.

Now, onto what most people do, they go all out and do a complete restore on a $200 vehicle. New engine, new transmission, new interior, new paint, etc. Easily $20-30k to have a shop do the work. So how long do you plan on keeping the vehicle after all that money is dumped into it? Chances are you'll run out of money long before the "Project" is done, so no it'll sit in the yard for 20+ more years before you think about it again. By that time, everything you had already done will have to be re-done again, so starting back at square one. This is how 99% of "Project" vehicles are, and continue to be. They buy a vehicle cheap, or someone gives it to them because well its just junk in the first place. They park it in their yard as a "Project", well 20 years go by, its still sitting in the same spot LOL.

Here's pretty much my story with my 88 Eddie Bauer Bronco 2. Purchased for $800 July 20, 2020 (almost 4 years ago). The seller said overdrive was out...yep, drove it home 30 miles in drive did great. Shortly thereafter it was blowing smoke. So, I already have it, they don't make them anymore, and I love driving it and want to keep it as long as I possibly can....

$4800 later from a newly rebuilt transmission with upgraded parts to prevent future failures, windshield wiper repair only 2 speed now, lost intermittent and park as a result of a short somewhere in the system but at least the wipers work, a complete engine tune-up, front, rear differentials, transfer case service, new drive shafts with U-Joints instead of the CV joint crap, axle bearings greased, new brakes front/rear, new starter, 2nd set of keys (there wasn't a single door key, but somehow the rear hatch has no lock mechanism, lock cylinder is there, but no actual mechanism to lock anything with)
$4600 later a fresh re-manufactured engine, new water pump, new fuel injectors, fuel filter, fuel pump in frame rail, new starter, upgraded alternator, new exhaust headers, and upgraded valve cover gaskets.
$650 for new tires that match and have tread on them to move in snow, at least better than the mismatched disaster that was on it.
$75 for a spare tire & matching wheel
$49 for a spare tire cover with Bronco 2 logo and bucking bronco emblem
$125 for title, registration, and sales tax
$2200 to have the hood and lower tan repainted
_________________
$12,499 (not counting break in oil changes and services since)

All that and its still not restored, and not repainted completely. Going to tackle the paint myself, probably this next spring, have to finish my 87 Ranger first, got about 1/4 of it done with the lower blue stripe and front and rear bumpers. Then there's the interior that needs gutted and either new carpet installed or vinyl or something, plus the driver's seat needs replaced its a different color because that was all I could find at the pick a part, put seat covers on so nobody can tell LOL.

OK, I don't feel so bad about what I have spent on my BII! Guess I can spend more now...

 

[wildbill23c]

OK, I don't feel so bad about what I have spent on my BII! Guess I can spend more now...

If you want to keep it for a long time, it would be worth the money to do all the repairs and restoration work that you can afford to have done, it just gives it that much longer of a life.

I love driving my Bronco 2. So it was worth it for me...there's nothing on the market new that interests me so I felt it made more sense spending the money on a vehicle I actually enjoy driving rather than some off the new car lot vehicle I'd never really like.

 

[Nelson and Hudson]

Fantastic feedback. Thanks! I think this next question is relevant to this thread so I will ask here. What is the best way to sort of log our progress and get input as we go? For instance. We are in, “Will it run?” mode. We went through, “Do I want a major project?”, “Can we get it home?”, “How long will your mom (my wife) tolerate this project”, “Will the engine turn over?” So now we are getting fuel to the engine. The low pressure pump in the tank started working after a few taps of the hammer. We replaced the high pressure/volume pump. The fuel line from the engine back to the tank (through the reservoir bypass) is shredded. Can it be just plain ol fuel line or does it need to be a ford part?
Also, as each new issue comes up should I start a new thread?

 

[ericbphoto]

Many of us do a "build thread". That documents your progress, questions and answers all in one place that is easy to refer back to in the future. This thread is in a good place. So you could just use this as your build thread.

You could use regular fuel line, especially for the return line. But I believe the highest pressure in your whole system is probably only about 35psi. So you don't need anything exotic for fuel lines and fittings. Just make sure it doesn't leak.

 

[gaz]

Nelson and Hudson:

Go speak with the Ford dealer about a 2020 4x4 SUV, that's how much money you be saving, putting in a few hours on your BII.

In regards to your fuel line question; use EFI reinforced fuel line, avalible in most auto parts stores and from Lowe's/Home Depot...it will cost a little more than regular rubber hose but it is reliable. Just keep an eye on where you wind up routing it; if it comes near a heat source or even heat shield make sure it is secured/zip-tied with a gap between it and the heat.

Also, they sell special EFI fuel line hose clamps that do a much better job of sealing the hose to fittings and end pieces.

 

[Nelson and Hudson]

So this little device sitting on top of the engine has a fuel line coming out and going back through the reservoir and back to the tank. Those two hose clamps don’t appear to be standard issue. Can I lose that whole setup and just run a regular fuel line back to the reservoir? My hose is broken.