- Joined
- May 6, 2019
- Messages
- 31
- Reaction score
- 16
- Points
- 8
- Location
- Mountain Top, PA
- Vehicle Year
- 1986
- Make / Model
- Ford Bronco II
- Engine Type
- 2.9 V6
- Transmission
- Manual
- 2WD / 4WD
- 4WD
- Total Lift
- Stock
- Total Drop
- Stock
- Tire Size
- 235/75R15
So I'm a huge car nut, with a 16-year-old son. I had been planning all along to teach him to drive on my '76 Triumph TR6, because 1. the boy will learn to drive a stick and 2. I can't afford to insure him on my Audi S5. I've had him out in the garage with me working on the TR6, but it was always kind of "dad's" car, and he wouldn't be able to drive it in the rain, or in the winter, or anything. So when a buddy offered me a free '86 BII Eddie Bauer, I jumped at it. Now, this truck is pretty much emblematic of a free truck - the exhaust has fallen off, needs tires, lots of rust, interior not horrible but needs a good cleaning and all the vinyl needs painting. But, it's a 4x4 and a 5-speed with a new clutch. Runs and drives great, just loud. The body is rotten, however, oddly, the floors and rockers are solid. If we ever get to the point we want to do bodywork on it, it'll only need a RF fender, RR quarter panel, and the handful of lower-body patch panels on the left side. The body is actually not as bad as it looks.
So next weekend we're driving down to Joisey to pick the free Bronco up. The boy can then write the best "how I spent my summer vacation" story ever. Since parts for these trucks are so cheap (sorry, I'm used to European stuff) I already have a cart built on Amazon and Rockauto with every part that could ever wear out. I work 4am-noon, so each day the boy will get a homework list, that he can start on in the morning, then I'll be home around lunch to get some real work done with him.
I'm waiting until I physically have the truck in my possession to start buying parts, but one deal I had to jump on. It needs tires, so I have been watching CL for some used deals, or I figured I'd get some cheap knockoff all-terrains. But, after getting frustrated with the prices of pretty much all 15" tires, even the cheap junk, I checked Amazon and the following ad popped up in my "suggestions for you":
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DJXJ8HU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
BFG Mud-Terrains for $117! That's the same price, or less, than what a set of cheap no-name knockoffs would be. I thought it had to be a mistake or something. So, I ordered four and they actually showed shipped! Supposed to be delivered today - we'll see what happens. I told the boy he's going to have tires that are worth more than the truck. Everywhere else I'm seeing $150-$160, in some cases $200 for BFG ATs and MTs so I was pretty excited about that.
I'll probably update this thread periodically to show you guys the boy's progress throughout the summer, and hopefully he'll be driving it by the fall.
Darel
So next weekend we're driving down to Joisey to pick the free Bronco up. The boy can then write the best "how I spent my summer vacation" story ever. Since parts for these trucks are so cheap (sorry, I'm used to European stuff) I already have a cart built on Amazon and Rockauto with every part that could ever wear out. I work 4am-noon, so each day the boy will get a homework list, that he can start on in the morning, then I'll be home around lunch to get some real work done with him.
I'm waiting until I physically have the truck in my possession to start buying parts, but one deal I had to jump on. It needs tires, so I have been watching CL for some used deals, or I figured I'd get some cheap knockoff all-terrains. But, after getting frustrated with the prices of pretty much all 15" tires, even the cheap junk, I checked Amazon and the following ad popped up in my "suggestions for you":
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DJXJ8HU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
BFG Mud-Terrains for $117! That's the same price, or less, than what a set of cheap no-name knockoffs would be. I thought it had to be a mistake or something. So, I ordered four and they actually showed shipped! Supposed to be delivered today - we'll see what happens. I told the boy he's going to have tires that are worth more than the truck. Everywhere else I'm seeing $150-$160, in some cases $200 for BFG ATs and MTs so I was pretty excited about that.
I'll probably update this thread periodically to show you guys the boy's progress throughout the summer, and hopefully he'll be driving it by the fall.
Darel