I'm not new to Ford trucks, but I've never had a Bronco II. I'm looking at an '86 with the 2.9 V6, looks pretty clean. Are there particular things I should look for if I go to see it in person?

 

Welcome to our little corner of FTE.

The 2.9L is a good engine but in rare cases the heads can crack if overheated, so checking the coolant for traces of oil is especially important.

Are you in a rust prone climate? I hate to say it but 1st generation Bronco II's are prone to rust problems. Aside from the body check the leaf spring supports and also the core support near the body mounts as these are usually first to go. I was surprised to find as much rust as I did in my firewall (see link). You won't be able to see the higher up rust but you should be able to see the lower stuff like along the passenger flange and around the driver side parking brake cable from underneath. Hopefully there isn't any.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...st-damage.html

Other than that, it's a 28 year old vehicle so there's a lot of 'normal stuff' to check. I find that talking to the owner to get an idea of their integrity can actually be a really good indicator of a vehicle's condition. If they list off a bunch of problems it has they're probably being honest and you might not find many other issues. If they say there's nothing wrong with it, they're not being truthful (again, 28 year old vehicle!). In my case the seller seemed a little shady and sure enough I found some problems (mostly minor) after a short time of ownership.

I wish you luck with the potential purchase. If it's a craigslist/ebay add post it up. And keep us posted.

Josh

 

Thanks for the info. I am in the northeast, but I'm looking for something to use in the winter in place of my restored F150 or Mustang so it doesn't have to be primo.

It's about 60 miles away from me right now and I'm going to talk to the owner tonight. The only thing I noticed was a rust hole on the passenger side quarter in front of the wheel at the bottom, aftermarket running boards probably didn't help that.

I'll be sure to check it out in those spots too if/when I go to look at it. I'll see if I can find pictures or a link to post. Other than that he said it shows 93k but who knows what's on it. I'm no stranger to owning old cars, so checking the regular stuff shouldn't be an issue for me. He says it gets over 20 mpg, is that realistic?

 

"He said it shows 93k". "He says it get's over 20 mpg". These comments by the seller would be possible red flags for me. If he has a title it should list the total mileage (at least from when he bought it). Why wouldn't he just say it has 93K? Mine has 180k but shows 80k you know what I mean? 20-21 mpg is realistic. But saying it gets over 20 is vague and overly optimistic. In reality mine gets 18, but I do have 30" tires, sun visor, and luggage rack that together could be dragging it down a bit.

Your '86 looks great. My dad had a black '85 for years and I still remember going to the dealership with him to buy it. I really like the old flare/stepsides.

 

Thanks, I'm proud of that truck. After this salt is off the roads I'll take it to get detailed and post more pictures after it's finished up.

Tried calling the guy last night when he told me to and he didn't answer. Oh well, here's the add: delaware.craigslist.org/cto/4273690355.html

 

What did Dellawear? = a New Jersey!

Look at underneith engine for oil leak, hose conditions also tell if its been treated with care. These need injectors at thisage, so I use :
www.fuelinjectorman.com cheap and quick turn-a-round.

add transmedic, this helps tranny's internals - solenoids - stator ect.

Get his story of mechanical repair history, brakes put it up on a lift to inspect the joints, in other words = due diligence.

 

Funny you mention the transmission, he said it shifts good forward but it can be slow going into reverse. Is this a red flag?

 

No, not.

Most really bad thing is the rear hatch door body rusts where the two door bolts protrude into body. The top is a catch-all for leaves, dirt, and debris.
If you use the rear door alot for tools, I'd mostly worry about this.

Bills86e

 

I'll second Bill's comment to check above the liftgate. Rust can be hard on these old trucks.


Here's the core support issue that was mentioned before.

 

I would say automatic transmissions. The A4LD is a terrible trans long term. They have so many problems. A 5 speed would be my suggestion or check the auto very very carefully.