Josh's Bronco II Body Restoration Thread

[88B2EB]

Amazing job. How long did it take you start to finish? I have one BII the same color that needs paint. Just bought another that's clean. Now I'm thinking I should keep red and paint her myself. Did have zero dents but my son put in a few wheeling.

That looks to be a really clean truck you just picked up. Great price too. Body/paintwork can be very time consuming and expensive. How long start to finish? Will have to get back to you when it's done (eyes rolling). I started back in March but nights and weekends are all I've been able to do so it's taken a while. Taking it on myself has been a great learning experience but truth is places like Maaco could have done it for me cheaper so just keep that in mind. Let me know if you decide to paint yours. Happy to answer whatever questions I can.

Josh

 

[Ultraspontane]

Looks great! I'm glad people people are investing time into restoring these trucks. I've fallen in love with my BII in the one week that I've owned it so far. I'm holding on to mine, and perhaps I'll be doing something similar down the road when I've got a garage. Thanks for taking pictures along the way.

 

[88B2EB]

Looks great! I'm glad people people are investing time into restoring these trucks. I've fallen in love with my BII in the one week that I've owned it so far. I'm holding on to mine, and perhaps I'll be doing something similar down the road when I've got a garage. Thanks for taking pictures along the way.

You're welcome Personally I wish a few more people were into restoring them. Everybody seems to want to lift theirs or throw in a bigger engine but I think there's value in keeping a few the way Ford intended. It's all personal preference I guess. If they go the way of most other classics 10 years from now it will be the original examples that are worth the most. So if when I'm done no one knows I did anything then I'm happy. Congratulations on your recent B2 purchase, hope it serves you well.

 

[88B2EB]

100 posts so I'm a real member now!

 

[Shran]

They are neat trucks, trucks being the key word...most have been used as such and are rusted out and beat up beyond repair or broken due to design flaws. Which makes it cool to see nice original ones.

 

[wildbill23c]

Picking up an 84 B2 in a week that I've been making small payments on. Can't wait to get it home and plan on leaving it bone stock, well except maybe replacing the tires in a year or 2 as they're at about 50% right now.

 

[CarsonChris]

After I get my new BII running a little better I'm going to park red in my garage and start sanding her down. I'm going to have furlough time this winter and need something to do.

 

[88B2EB]

Picking up an 84 B2 in a week that I've been making small payments on. Can't wait to get it home and plan on leaving it bone stock, well except maybe replacing the tires in a year or 2 as they're at about 50% right now.[/IMG]

That's a very original looking B2 you got there Maybe it's the mountain backdrop but I really like that color scheme. You just don't see it anymore. My B2 will be used for light towing too, although that's moving up from my current '94 2.3L that's been an absolute letdown when towing. 60-65 on the expressway with a snowmobile trailer isn't fun until recently when I swallowed my pride and put a trailer package on the wife's '97 Taurus. Something about using the family grocery getter to do what an RBV can't just seems wrong but that'll change as soon as the Bronco's finished

 

[88B2EB]

After I get my new BII running a little better I'm going to park red in my garage and start sanding her down. I'm going to have furlough time this winter and need something to do.

Very glad to hear you'll be taking it on! Be forwarned though you will come to hate everything sanding related and will wake up in the middle of the night in a puddle of sweat from nightmares about it. Seriously though just set goals like, I'm gonna do the hood tonight, and you will get through it. Just takes a lot of time.

 

[88B2EB]

They are neat trucks, trucks being the key word...most have been used as such and are rusted out and beat up beyond repair or broken due to design flaws. Which makes it cool to see nice original ones.

Well said Shran. Here in Michigan it's the rust that kills em and trying to find one without any is next to impossible.

 

[wildbill23c]

That's a very original looking B2 you got there Maybe it's the mountain backdrop but I really like that color scheme. You just don't see it anymore. My B2 will be used for light towing too, although that's moving up from my current '94 2.3L that's been an absolute letdown when towing. 60-65 on the expressway with a snowmobile trailer isn't fun until recently when I swallowed my pride and put a trailer package on the wife's '97 Taurus. Something about using the family grocery getter to do what an RBV can't just seems wrong but that'll change as soon as the Bronco's finished

I found it for sale on Craigslist by accident one day about the middle of August. I had been kind of looking for a smaller vehicle, found this one, called the lady and asked about it, she told me to come on over and look it over. Drove 47 miles to see it, looked at it, drove it around for a good 45 minutes on all sorts of road conditions. Absolutely loved it. Then came my big issue. I don't make much money each paycheck, but I knew that I could make payments and be ok. Well I asked her about payments and she runs in the house with a blanket contract filled in all my info and she's like absolutely no problem except vehicle stays with her till its paid off. I was like I don't care, I'll take it. I was going to haggle with her about the $975 price since the whole stereo system, A/C, and exhaust has been torn out, but after she completely agreed to do the payment thing and no interest and was very willing to work around any payment issues which I've had none, I was no going to argue with the price. At $975 for a 4WD SUV I'm happy, considering once I get it put back together slowly its going to be worth far more than what I paid for it.

This was my first vehicle, I bought it from my grandparents for $1. Same year same engine as the B2, different color and a ranger instead of the B2. I loved that truck and it was a good truck until the local ford garage idiots messed with the carburetor on it, after that it never ran right. That truck was a california model so it had all the california emissions crap on it.

 

[88B2EB]

Thanks Bill for posting the vintage photo and backstory. Rangers run deep for a lot of us here. Back in 1990 my grandpa bought a new model and used to let me work the shifter when we went places. As a 6 year old I felt like I was on top of the world doing that. I've since had an '86, '88, '94, and this Bronco II makes my second '88. It sounds like you got a steal of a deal on your new one.

 

[88B2EB]

It's been too long since posting any progress so I better throw some stuff up so you guys don't think I'm slackin or something. Nothing too exciting but here goes:

Was able to get the front all back together with the new bumper. Aint it shiny?

I read somewhere that cleaning the seatbelts helps them recoil so thought I'd give it a try using water and laundry detergent. I don't know if a previous owner had a thing against shirts but MAN those seat belts were dirty. The water turned so brown and murky with the first belt I had to completly change the water before starting the second. The belts are reinstalled now and seem to recoil slightly better but overall not much change from the experiment.

I am proud to announce the entire interior aside from the dash is back together. Before the dash can get reinstalled the Ranger will be donating its deck with all its modern amenities but since I'm still driving the ranger that step will need to wait a little longer.

 

[88B2EB]

In the middle of a warm weather weekend

 

[88B2EB]

Well I'd been intending to wait till Spring to do this stuff but with the warm weather I just couldn't resist.

All the black trim and accessories were cleaned and sanded for refinishing:

Epoxy primer:

Single Stage:

While the sprayer was all set up I lifted up the B2's rear end for some final spraying in the wheelwells:

I was also able to get about 75% of the pinstriping on.