Bronco II value opinions needed

[Bird76Mojo]

I've located a stupid clean 1990 Bronco II for sale. Pushbutton 4x4, manual trans, auto locking hubs, zero rust with very nice original paint and a very clean interior. A very nice truck overall. It appears to have a lift installed a long time ago, but has factory wheels and tires on it, with the tires appearing new but possibly aged. The previous owner stated it wouldn't start one day so he parked it in his concrete floor pole barn and it sat there for 25 years. His mechanic son stated that the 2.9 had no compression so it just sat.

The new owner stated that he planned to oil down the cylinders and unhook the fuel lines to drain the tank, but never got around to it. He's now looking to sell. Knowing that it sat for 25 years, there's no way a guy could go up there and spend a day working on it to get it drivable. Even with my knowledge on the Ranger platform. It's just sat too long for that. The entire fuel system is likely corroded very bad internally. Not to mention the other unknown engine problem..

It's 4 hours from me, so I'd have to find someone with a trustworthy tow rig to haul my 20ft car trailer to go get it, adding to my total expense..

My plans for it would be to pick up a used 4.0ohv engine and all harnesses, etc from a local guy that has a wrecked 94 Explorer, which seems like it's the easiest swap where wiring is concerned. Apparently the 90 BII to 94 Expo 4.0 is nearly plug and play, and if not, I have multiple other BII's and Rangers for parts.


With what I've described, what do you guys think a fair price might be? The seller is asking an insane $4000 for it, and stated that he's had offers of like $3000 but losing a grand off the price is not acceptable for him. I plan to give him some time to realize he'll have to be realistic here.. It's a non-running BII that will likely never run again without a super dedicated mechanic and a lot of money thrown at it. He seems to be one of those guys that are common these days that state "these things are bringing like 10 to 15 grand in good condition, but he fails to realize that his BII will never run again without hours upon hours of work and a good amount of money. Yes, I realize that this thing might be worth a lot to someone that restores cars for a living...

 

[bobbywalter]

That is a 4k truck in this market if it is zero rust.


You need to buy it and gift it to me

 

[bobbywalter]

My wife wants it

 

[bobbywalter]

Where is it?

 

[Bird76Mojo]

This is why I'm hesitant to post things like this here. Everyone wants to buy things that you found. I'm playing the waiting game with this one. See if he'll come down to what I see as reasonable.. Until then, I won't post where it's at. Maybe once I see if he declines my offer in the near future..

 

[Uncle Gump]

Let me flip the script on you Bird...

If it was yours... and was going to sell it... what would you ask for it. My guess is more then 4k.

If it really as clean as he says... and it's what you really want... I think you should probably just offer up the 4k and bring it home. I think there are many people out there that would gladly pay the price of admission to have a really clean Bronco II.

EDIT... These clean ones just aren't around much for sale and becoming rarer everyday.

 

[Bird76Mojo]

With it being a non-runner, and probably never being a daily ever again due to the entire fuel system, as well as the internal engine problems, I'd probably be asking about $2500 for the clean roller.

People fail to realize just how much money it will take to make this thing trustworthy again. Probably in the neighborhood of $5000 and that's IF it doesn't have cracked heads. He thought that maybe the timing chain had let go. I just think some people are on a really high horse...

I never would have thought it possible, but I've invested over $30,000 in my V8 truck, and it still hasn't had paint and body work. I paid a premium for it from a younger kid that used it as a class project in automotive college, and I gave too much because I was wanting one ASAP. It's basically a bondo bucket. I'll have another $2000 in body and paint work easily, and that's a DIY job with a buddy at his shop. That's also not counting the replacement panels I've already purchased.

This BII is just the opposite of my V8 truck. Sure, it may not need paint and body work (it might for all I know) but it certainly needs a LOT of drivetrain work.

 

[Shran]

If you are wanting to 4.0 swap it then the drivetrain issues are a moot point. A gas tank and sending unit is relatively cheap... the rest you are replacing anyway. And if you have a donor, a D35 and 8.8 swap would be the second thing in my mind...clean those up and put fresh brakes on em.

I don't think $4000 is unreasonable at all IF it's as nice as you say... big IF. I am thinking of mice and stuff getting into it, if there's any evidence of that, in my mind the value drops into the hundreds of dollars. Having owned and cleaned up a really nice B2 that had mice in it, I can say that it would be a hard pass to do that again. You never get the smell out.

Also kinda depends on your parts stash. I am willing to spend more on a nice truck because I have a huge parts stash that really cost me nothing. If you're buying new everything then it would be worth less in my mind since I'm buying new parts.

 

[bobbywalter]

This is why I'm hesitant to post things like this here. Everyone wants to buy things that you found. I'm playing the waiting game with this one. See if he'll come down to what I see as reasonable.. Until then, I won't post where it's at. Maybe once I see if he declines my offer in the near future..

To be absofawkinglutely clear....

I asked because I would have picked it up for you tomorrow as I may need to go to Chicago area for an engine.

 

[bobbywalter]

I just left Champaign Illinois.

 

[bobbywalter]

1000 bux and a few days... I would drive it across the country worry free....

4.0.....5 speed....and off and running....

 

[Bird76Mojo]

To be absofawkinglutely clear....

I asked because I would have picked it up for you tomorrow as I may need to go to Chicago area for an engine.

You said your wife wanted it though. lol

So you're from MI, needed to go to Chitown for an engine, but just left Champaign? WTF?

 

[Bird76Mojo]

1000 bux and a few days... I would drive it across the country worry free....

4.0.....5 speed....and off and running....

I can get a hot-shot to haul it for around half of that. I'd just have to post it to one of their boards.

 

[Bird76Mojo]

Speaking of this BII, what manual trans would be in a 1990 model? I'm thinking it's the same one that's in my 89 Ranger parts truck that has the twin sticks.

 

[bobbywalter]

I can get a hot-shot to haul it for around half of that. I'd just have to post it to one of their boards.

I meant I can put a 4.0 and 5 speed in for 1k and drive it anywhere trouble free. So even if I had to pay 2 or 3k for such a fine vehicle it's not horrible..but I would rather stay under 1k.

Though I would likely put a 5.3 and 4l80 in it. Or an eb 2.3 and an r1. All cheap to do.

I will drive my b2 anywhere on radials.


So it was not a hot shot offer...but....i now see how it reads that way.....lolz.

I would tow it for free...because of going over to pick up stuff in the area. And to check out what 30g gets in a rbv.


Yes....I moved (drove) a rig to our crews out near Champaign....went back to new philly....then back to Detroit for chores before I go back to my rig( oil/gas ).


...got a call about some engines that may become available that I have been hunting for quite some time.


Before that I was in Moab...

Based in what we pay for hotshotting....and what it cost me to drive to Moab...especially fuel costs....500 for a 4 hr 1 way is close to free. For sure take that.


R1 would be a 2wd..if oem. 146 generally 4wd...but I have seen r1 in 4x4 too