Buying a Ford Bronco 2

[Skippn3ss]

I am considering on buying a 1988 Bronco 2, but I need some help from casual users and people who may know a fair price for this vehicle. I'm only willing to pay what's fair for this vehicle. The guy who I am trying to buy it from had it originally posted for $3500. This in California by the way, if it makes any difference. I tried talking him below $3000, but he wouldn't. Even though he was quick to settle for $3000. I would like some help deciding if this would be a good option for $3000. Here are his words of describing the vehicle: I'm looking to trade my 1988 Ford Bronco 2. I bought this Bronco earlier this year hoping for my significant other to appreciate this vehicle for what it was and to use it as a daily driver. Sadly she would like 4 doors and a more user friendly vehicle. The Bronco itself has approximately 89,000 miles on it and runs very well. It passed SMOG recently and I have the documents to prove it. The interior is in very good shape and I have gone out of my way to replace many pieces that were missing when I got it. This includes new arm rests, panels, and speakers. The exterior is nearly perfect and has great shiny black paint and bull bar. It has electric Windows but the electric locks aren't working (we just treat them as manual locks anyway). The 4x4 works perfectly and the t-case shifts flawlessly. It has new tires on it with lots of tread. The front rotors, pads, calipers, and wheel bearings were just replaced and function well. A word of caution... If you don't already know, Bronco 2's are not speed demons. I must point out that there are a few areas in need of attention. The starter solenoid needs to be replaced as it occasionally will short out. There is a transmission fluid leak that I assume is from the input seal. All in all I believe that this Bronco is a fantastic vehicle for the right owner, but sadly that owner isn't us. For a true fan of Bronco/ Rangers this vehicle will not disappoint.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Hard to say exactly how fair of a price that is, but it may be worth it in your area. I sold a Bronco II a few years back that had somewhere around 220k miles and was mechanically sound but the body wasn't exactly perfect (the passenger door was caved in from a deer, but still worked fine and the one front fender didn't quite match the body in color). I sold it for $1,800 plus $250 for me to complete a few repairs (fixed a couple rust spots in the body, fixed some damaged wires to the transmission and replaced the ABS sensor).

Probably the big thing would be to check the problem areas... Open the hood and check the seam on the firewall at the cowl for signs of splitting, check around the back hatch under the carpet, check the front of the wheel arches, check the bottom of the B pillar inside the door.

I wouldn't worry too much about the supposed transmission leak unless it's a good flow out of the bellhousing. I haven't had one yet that didn't like to leak around the transmission pan, so if the pan is where it's leaking, it's kinda normal. You'll want to drop the pan and replace the filter though if it hasn't been done. And stick a big transmission cooler in front of the radiator.

Starter solenoid is a cheap and easy fix. The power locks not working could be something as simple as a bad relay or fuse.

 

[Skippn3ss]

Hard to say exactly how fair of a price that is, but it may be worth it in your area. I sold a Bronco II a few years back that had somewhere around 220k miles and was mechanically sound but the body wasn't exactly perfect (the passenger door was caved in from a deer, but still worked fine and the one front fender didn't quite match the body in color). I sold it for $1,800 plus $250 for me to complete a few repairs (fixed a couple rust spots in the body, fixed some damaged wires to the transmission and replaced the ABS sensor).

Probably the big thing would be to check the problem areas... Open the hood and check the seam on the firewall at the cowl for signs of splitting, check around the back hatch under the carpet, check the front of the wheel arches, check the bottom of the B pillar inside the door.

I wouldn't worry too much about the supposed transmission leak unless it's a good flow out of the bell housing. I haven't had one yet that didn't like to leak around the transmission pan, so if the pan is where it's leaking, it's kinda normal. You'll want to drop the pan and replace the filter though if it hasn't been done. And stick a big transmission cooler in front of the radiator.

Starter solenoid is a cheap and easy fix. The power locks not working could be something as simple as a bad relay or fuse.

Thank you! means a lot. I appreciate your awareness and I will definitely look at those things you have listed. I just hope $3,000 is a fair price for this beauty. $2,500 was the deal I was really looking for

 

[Shoddy Cologne]

California prices idk. Ship it to PA and ill pay 3k for it lol that things cherry.

Sent from my LGL16C using Tapatalk

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Thank you! means a lot. I appreciate your awareness and I will definitely look at those things you have listed. I just hope $3,000 is a fair price for this beauty. $2,500 was the deal I was really looking for

No problem.

I should be fairly knowledgeable on Bronco IIs.... I've only owned 5 of them so far... lol. Two were scrapped after being gutted (they were pretty much beyond repair but they were used to fix my other ones and give me a ready supply of spare parts). None of the 5 were able to be driven home from purchasing them. One was actually stripped where it sat when I bought it (badly wrecked). One was fixed to be drivable from the place I got it from (when I was off at college, long story, fixed it, drove it for two or three years and sold it). The other three were towed home with various mechanical issues.

 

[Skippn3ss]

No problem.

I should be fairly knowledgeable on Bronco IIs.... I've only owned 5 of them so far... lol. Two were scrapped after being gutted (they were pretty much beyond repair but they were used to fix my other ones and give me a ready supply of spare parts). None of the 5 were able to be driven home from purchasing them. One was actually stripped where it sat when I bought it (badly wrecked). One was fixed to be drivable from the place I got it from (when I was off at college, long story, fixed it, drove it for two or three years and sold it). The other three were towed home with various mechanical issues.

I see. Very well-rounded in these parts. I really appreciate your insight I'm hoping people can convince me to buy it in the condition that it sits. If so, I'll show my own pictures after purchasing with a closer detailed look. So would you say $3,000 is a fair price to drive it home? Cause I'm going to get it regardless because I love these models, but don't know much on what they are roughly worth in this condition or if I'm getting a great deal or not?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I would say it would greatly hinge on the tranny leak. Both A4LD's I have had in my truck had a constant ooze so I don't know that that would be a huge deal.

Whoever rebuilt my C5 didn't torque the bellhousing tight enough so the bolts backed out and it was more of a gusher... that is a bigger deal.

Go over it with a magnet above and behind the rear wheels and behind the doors to make sure it isn't full of bondo. Check the floor pans and firewall for rust. Look down inside the cowl (grate in front of the windshield with the wipers) and look for lots of leaves or rust.

If you do get it there are galvanized covers on the the firewall, remove those and the blower motor to clean out leaves once a year.

 

[Skippn3ss]

I would say it would greatly hinge on the tranny leak. Both A4LD's I have had in my truck had a constant ooze so I don't know that that would be a huge deal.

Whoever rebuilt my C5 didn't torque the bellhousing tight enough so the bolts backed out and it was more of a gusher... that is a bigger deal.

Go over it with a magnet above and behind the rear wheels and behind the doors to make sure it isn't full of bondo. Check the floor pans and firewall for rust. Look down inside the cowl (grate in front of the windshield with the wipers) and look for lots of leaves or rust.

If you do get it there are galvanized covers on the the firewall, remove those and the blower motor to clean out leaves once a year.

Definitely will check those things out, but my real question is if those problems are minimal with no rust, Is it well worth $3,000?

 

[Skippn3ss]

No problem.

I should be fairly knowledgeable on Bronco IIs.... I've only owned 5 of them so far... lol. Two were scrapped after being gutted (they were pretty much beyond repair but they were used to fix my other ones and give me a ready supply of spare parts). None of the 5 were able to be driven home from purchasing them. One was actually stripped where it sat when I bought it (badly wrecked). One was fixed to be drivable from the place I got it from (when I was off at college, long story, fixed it, drove it for two or three years and sold it). The other three were towed home with various mechanical issues.

Would you be knowledgeable on a price range, if, this Bronco 2 checks out well with no rust? Is $3,000 a fair deal with the condition that it is in? Or if there were livable issues would it still be worth $3,000?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Definitely will check those things out, but my real question is if those problems are minimal with no rust, Is it well worth $3,000?

To me it had better be darn near turn-key perfect for that much money.

If it is puking tranny fluid everywhere and needs the trans gone through it is not turn key perfect.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

It's kind of hard to say if it's exactly worth $3k. Around here, if the body isn't full of bondo, it would probably be worth it because rust is a serious issue and you don't see many good truck bodies. Add to that, I've never spent more than $340 buying a BII around here because I've always bought stuff that needed a lot of work.

Now if BIIs are not all that common around you and the few that you do see for sale are expensive or junk, then it may be worth investigating. If there's no really serious issues and you're willing to spend that kind of money, then it's worth it. But like I said, a lot of that depends on things like how rusty it is and where the transmission is leaking from along with what those sorts of trucks sell for around you.

 

[Skippn3ss]

To me it had better be darn near turn-key perfect for that much money.

If it is puking tranny fluid everywhere and needs the trans gone through it is not turn key perfect.

His wife drives it to work and he does the regular fluid checks on it. So I'm thinking so. Also, since these trucks aren't so fast with a 2.9L V6. What could I add to it to give it an extra umph! in it?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

A 4.0 or 5.0

They are not that bad, nowadays when 200hp is meh they are probably considered poochy but in their day they were not bad.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I've had a couple stock 2.9L BIIs that were slow pokes. (88 and 89 auto) and my choptop was a real slow poke with the 33's (the engine that was in it when I got it liked cracking heads though). I got a junkyard 2.9 out of an 86-88 BII that had been wrapped around a tree and performance proved to be better than the other 2.9's I've had experience with (still appears to be entirely stock). I put a better cap and rotor on it (brass terminals), better plug wires and double platinum plugs, seemed to help a little too.

Last year I pulled the 2.9 out of the choptop and put a 4.0L in it's place (improved plug wires, double platinum plugs, headers on the 4.0). Still nowhere near a rocket, but it scoots along nicely with the 4.0 (I can use O/D now, couldn't with the 35's and the 2.9). I also have planned to do a gasket matched (ported) intake and free-floating rocker arm assemblies on the 4.0. I ported the heads a little while the engine was out of the truck.

That said, I'm doing the same work to the 2.9 I pulled. Heads are getting the valves ground, it's getting gasket matched porting on the heads and intakes, headers, and free-floating rocker arm assemblies, which should give it a little boost in performance. It will never be a 5.0 with what I'm doing, but it should suit my needs just fine. The 2.9 with the freshened top end will be going in my 88.

I tried doing a 4.0 swap in my 88 at one point, but wiring it was an issue as I couldn't find good diagrams and trying to do it myself wasn't working out so well. Easiest way would be to swap the dash with a newer dash out of a donor truck, but I like the old metal dash. I finally gave up on the swap because I needed the 4.0 for the choptop. My 88 is going to be a close-to-stock truck for general running around so I really don't need the 4.0, the 2.9 should work out just fine with the mods.

 

[Skippn3ss]

A 4.0 or 5.0

They are not that bad, nowadays when 200hp is meh they are probably considered poochy but in their day they were not bad.

If going for the stock look, with changing of tires and rims eventually, what should I add to it? Any great "option" off the start.