I posted a thread in the "Introduce Yourself" forum. You can go read it if you wish but anyway.
I'm a dreamer so I came hear to ask a few questions. See what's plausible, and what not.
I've been a huge fan of the Bronco for years. Eventually I want to do a custom build on a Bronco. Right now my focus is the 1992 to 1996 Last Generation Bronco. But the one thing that has held me back, is the engine.
The 4.9 and 5.75 Engines for these beasts are just not plausible with today's gas prices. In fact, my biggest hold back is from an experience I watched my father go through. He had a '95 Bronco with the 5.75 Windsor. The thing rotted before his eyes because he couldn't afford to feed it. It lasted for about 15 months before he gave her away because the brake lines rotted out. He watched her get carried away on a flat bed after dumping more than $1,000 in repairs with more on the horizon.
To counter act that experience and still enjoy the beast that is the Ford Bronco. I was curious if anyone has tried or at least looked in the possibility of dropping one of Ford's new ecoBoost 3.6 drive-train (from the newer F-150s) into one of these girls.

I know I may **** off a few purists, and I do apologize in advance, but to me the style of the older cars matched with newest technology would be the best of all worlds.

 

You might want to look into a 4bt cummins diesel engine swap, way more feasible technically and cost-wise.

 

You can buy ALOT of gas for the cost of any engine swap. And I havent priced 1 but I bet you could buy 2 old Broncos for the price of an Eco-boost. And still have costs associated with wiring, fabbing cross members and making some transfer case bolt up to it.

 

Agreed , not feasible, curious to why you didn't save that truck from the flatbed tow? Most of us in here love working and changing things for our Bronco s, but the truck itself is an icon, since ford started it in the 60s . I can compare it to my Harley its got personality and they do not make them any longer .TR

 

I didn't save it because I was a broke teenager. I may have also had my own B2 at that point. Can't remember the exact timing. I just remember how upset my father was about it.

 

If only money was no object....But I do like your way of thinking. I own an Ecoboost F150 and a Bronco w/ 5.8L and I wish my Bronco had an Ecoboost engine. <just what I need a hotrod on 35" Boggers haha>
But as Encho and gatorfor88 pointed out it would be a difficult and costly swap.

 

So what milage does an EBoost truck get in typical real world driving? High teens is the answer which is good but not that much better than what can be achieved with the old motors so really I don't see how it would be cost effective to transplant the newer powertrain. Would it be a cool project.. YES. but you would need deep pockets to pull it off and you would never recover those costs in gas savings.

 

My tuned Eco F150 averages over 17 with 34.5" mud terrains. That's way more MPGs than my 5.8L gets. They aren't even in the same league when it comes to acceleration and low end grunt either.
But I agree about needing deep pockets. It would be cheaper to keep feeding the old gas hog.

 

A 5.8 F150 averages about 13mpg, if your Bronco can't get that it needs some maintenance.

 

Mine might average 13 if it didn't have 35" mud terrains. But it would look silly so I'll just live with my 10-11 MPGs.

 

Well if you buy a Bronco you shouldn't worry about gas mileage, I'm pretty sure everyone here who owns one will say "what gas mileage?". I haven't re-geared yet but with my 33's and 3.55 stock gears I get about 10-11mpg. 12 or 13 highway. I used to get 13-15 with the stock tires. I'm used to it at this point. When it comes to rot it's really going to depend on where you are. There are still plenty of Bronco's in the south that looks like they are brand new still. Unless your are like me that lives in the North East it may take a year or 2 (that's how long I looked) to find a half way decent on with minor rust. My opinion is if you were to spend the money on an Ecoboost you mine as well spend that money on fixing one up. Engine tune ups, tires, lift and re-gearing. Just my .02$.

 

From what I hear the eco-boost engines don't get much better mpgs than the regular engines. My mom's truck is pushing 16 full stock.

I'd do like everyone else says, save the money and invest in the bronco or go with a 4bt if you want diesel. I met a guy from Wisconsin who put a 2003? 7.3 in a 79 bronco and he says it gets 25 mpgs.

 

So 25 mpg @ .50 a gallon more equates to about 4.10 a gallon around here.Instead of costing me 100.00 per fill up I am now looking at 130.00 fill up. And I honestly doubt it gets 25 mpg. You also have approximately another 400? pounds hanging over front axle. Its too early to do the math but how long will it take to recoup all costs associated with the swap? Think I will stick to my old "boat anchor" It will still go anywhere I have pointed it so far. Of course there is the "Cool factor" to consider. Hell I am too old to be cool anyhow.

 

I don't think you will ever recoup your losses and it can take a while to swap depending on lots of factors. It's all personal preference.

 

I'm kinda like most of the guys here.. I have an 85 with the 5.8 in mine and am really trying to keep mine as "original" as possible for the sake of having a "classic" but I don't believe the costs of changing over would be worth it.