An '84 BII that's in need of love.

[Hoosierman]

I have a taken pictures and I am left with a few questions for now, it's really just about the aesthetics...

- The steel deflector piece behind the front bumper looks to be a metallic medium blue, would it be reasonable to suspect that was the original color of this truck?

- In the interior shot, around the fuse panel, the metal appears to be blue, but the rest of the dash is black or a very dark gray. Does this seem right? My '88 Ranger is all red on the interior, and I am basically wondering if these had blue and black/gray interior parts.

I intend to negotiate a price tomorrow. I'm hoping I can get this old boy running again and make some positive improvements to it, possibly repainted within the next year or so.

Thanks.

 

[RobbieD]

The interior was originally blue. Black was available in the earliest years, but the dash structure being blue points towards it being blue.

The valence panel panel behind the bumper is probably the original exterior color, but that panel is easily changeable.

Original color codes are on the safety compliance sticker on the driver door, but that may be faded and the door could have been changed.

 

[Hoosierman]

I should just go ahead and ask this, while I'm at it. What others must-do's are there for these trucks beside a Dura spark with a manual carb? Like if there were certain jobs that you have to recommend on these besides the obvious tuneups and other general maintenance things? Are there specific upgrades or mods that would be recommended that are practical?

 

[Hoosierman]

Okay I have the truck finally, had to have it trailered to the house. I have a few questions and some pictures. The fire thing is where can I find accurate and true color codes for the BII? A PO spray painted over the original door sticker, and I managed to remove most of it. I don't think it affected the print on the sticker, and it looks to me like there are two color codes. 32 and 9A? I think maybe the 9A is white but I can't find a listing for 32. Everything on this truck is a metallic medium blue colo, nearing sky blue.

 

[RobbieD]

32 = Bright Blue

9A = Wimbledon White

Oddly, 9A is an original 1983 year model color, but it's not listed in the 1984 shop manuals (dated Sept 1983) for either the Ranger or Bronco II; instead the White (not Wimbledon White) is code 9D by September.

Yours was made in June 1983, so it's a relatively early one. B2 production started in Jan '83 and it was released for sale in March of '83.

Edit: added 1983 Ranger colors brochure.\:

 

[Hoosierman]

No wonder I could not find anything on 32, I was only looking at '84 color swatches. I deeply appreciate that because I would love to get this repainted in the original colors someday if I can. Is this typical to find vehicles with previous model year colors that aren't listed for its model year?

 

[RobbieD]

Even though the B2 went on sale in March of 1983, they were sold as 1984 models; it was an "early release".

The exterior colors seemed to be really inconsistent in the early years. And you've got to look carefully at the color code and Ford's color names. as they'd keep the names for years- I have a '94 Explorer in "Wimbledon White" but the code is "Y0".

 

[Hoosierman]

Thank you for taking the time to explain that. There could be all sorts of reasons for it

I'm happy to report that it will start with a little starting fluid, but it seems to only want to start when the auto transmission is in 'reverse' I only found this out because I tried to start it, nothing at all, moved from park to reverse thinking I was already in Neutral (PRNDL cover is on loose...)

And there are a number of wires and vacuum tubes that seem to go to nothing, have been clipped off, or whatever they connect to is no longer present.

 

[RobbieD]

Sounds like you're getting a good handle on what it needs.

1984s had these two styles of two-tone paint; yours would have looked like one of these originally:

"Regular Tu-Tone"

"Deluxe Tu-Tone"

I like seeing these old ones saved.

Good Luck!

 

[Hoosierman]

Sounds like you're getting a good handle on what it needs.

1984s had these two styles of two-tone paint; yours would have looked like one of these originally:

"Regular Tu-Tone"
View attachment 119259

"Deluxe Tu-Tone"
View attachment 119262


I like seeing these old ones saved.

Good Luck!

Thanks, don't suppose you know of a sure-fire way at all to tell whether my truck has a regular or deluxe, would you. I'm about 80% confident it was a standard tu-tone. A vin search shows that this is an 'XL' but I see nothing in '84 sales media about an 'XL', just an 'XLT' and an 'XL Sport'

 

[JoshT]

Maybe see about getting a Marti Report. They usually list all of the specs and options that the vehicle was shipped with, paint color and style included.

 

[Hoosierman]

Maybe see about getting a Marti Report. They usually list all of the specs and options that the vehicle was shipped with, paint color and style included.

That I can do.

I've been going through the engine bay trying to solve what severed connections go to where and I have this one that is a bit of a mystery to me. Behind the front grille is this sort of twin square containers with a hose that leads to nowhere on this truck. What the heck is this even supposed to be?

 

[RobbieD]

Thanks, don't suppose you know of a sure-fire way at all to tell whether my truck has a regular or deluxe, would you. I'm about 80% confident it was a standard tu-tone.

Not off the top of my head, except just closely examining chips on the rockers to see if there was ever white over the blue.

The official name for the square canister escapes me, evap cannister maybe ?, but it collected fuel vapors that could be vented because of smog laws. The cannister vapors would get dumped into the intake under certain engine conditions, controlled by the PCM.

 

[Hoosierman]

Not off the top of my head, except just closely examining chips on the rockers to see if there was ever white over the blue.

The official name for the square canister escapes me, evap cannister maybe ?, but it collected fuel vapors that could be vented because of smog laws. The cannister vapors would get dumped into the intake under certain engine conditions, controlled by the PCM.

Do these 2.8 engines require these to be connected to anything? Or am I save leaving it as is? It's hose is literally just dangling in the engine bay...

 

[RobbieD]

Just leave it for the time being. Your first focus is to see if you can get the engine to start and run, and see if the truck is drivable.

And there are a number of wires and vacuum tubes that seem to go to nothing, have been clipped off, or whatever they connect to is no longer present.

I seriously doubt that you will be able to get all of the original engine management system restored, and working correctly. The computer-controlled carburetor, the solenoids and sensors it used, barely worked right when these trucks were new. Some of the parts are now almost impossible to find.

I'm hoping that you'll get lucky, and find that it will run, or make what's there run decent enough to make the truck a runner. So that it can at least be driven and enjoyed.

Honestly, the best thing that you can do, is to read up on the Duraspark conversion, and start actively looking for the parts that you'll need, to do just that.

When I first got my '84 Ranger 2.8 in 2004, I was determined to keep it stock, and make the original stuff work. I even bought the Ford training book for the 2.8. That was a fool's errand; it was a crappy management system design to begin with, and with the age and lack of parts I was just jousting windmills.

I Durasparked it, and never looked back. It was like a completely new truck.

But again, I'm hoping that luck is with you, and you can get what's there at least drivable.