Took a trip home and got the ball joints and tie rod ends done last weekend - that was the only thing stopping us from being state inspection ready. I plan on unplugging the BRAKE light under the cluster and fixing it on my own time. Dad ordered new calipers and brake pads for the front - after a brake fluid flush and good bleeding the brake pedal feels firm and easily stops the vehicle. I should note: the BRAKE light is always on but is dimmer - pushing the parking brake will cause the light to illuminate a little more.

No issues starting since the last time - also haven't parked the thing uphill though.

In other news, Andy goes in for his learner's permit at the end of April.... Those who frequent the Northern VA area are advised to steer clear of any red 1988 Broncos, despite how clean they might look......

 

I should be clear of Sterling by then and a few 100 miles south of Andy's hood ......

 

Got the bad boy aligned today. At the shop the alignment guys said the front springs were sagged out and the steering linkage is loose. After 31 years holding the truck up I'd be inclined to believe them. They did say that if we got the springs changed in the next 6 months they would re-align it for free, so I know what I'm gonna have to do when I get home.

the truck is slowly starting to come together. I'm impressed.

 

@vjsimone I unplugged the master cylinder float level sensor today. The BRAKE light went out. The sensor itself must be bad, as the float is not sunk and the fluid level is full. I'm not sure if this sensor can be replaced without replacing the master cylinder, which we don't want to do.

 

Those who are keeping up: got the new 32x11.50x15 tires on, though it's kind of hard to tell a difference in the photo. Got the fullsize BFG spare on too. I went to DMV and got a title, registration, and plates. The truck also (amazingly) passed the VA safety inspection and...... wait for it........ my parents insurance company actually insured the thing.






I bought this BFG All-Terrain for 60 dollars - it has been garage kept and is brand new!

 

What's the date code on that tire ?

 

Sorry - should have said "looks brand new". The date code is 2015. There is no weather cracking nor dry rot on the tire to speak of and it still has the rubber nubs on it. I like the look of these "KO1" type rather than the new "KO2" tires that BFG is making.

Good to hear from you again Vinny.

 

So the truck runs decent, scoots down the road, is licensed, tagged, insured, and now topless. Andy loves it, and so does my mom (which means it gets to stay around). However, there's two issues which need to be solved and I'd like you all's help.

1. The steering. It's got about 1/8th turn worth of play - enough to make it a bit squirrely on the road but not enough to yet be dangerous (to me). The shaft seems tight. There is a boot over the shaft where I assume it goes into the steering box - not sure what is under that or if it could cause the play. I was hoping it would be a joint in the steering shaft but sadly it seems to be down towards the box area. Any ideas on how to proceed - I know absolutely squat when it comes to steering.

2. Electrical system. There is still a very odd flickering when there is any sort of electrical draw on the system. The headlights, dash lights, and dome light have a faint but visible pulsing to them which corresponds with the jumping charge gauge. The jumping gauge seems to be less prevalent at higher RPMs but the flicker is still there. At first I would have figured ground problem but we cleaned all the grounds very well about 3 months ago. What should I check?

 

Got some parts!






Motorcraft 195 deg. thermostat. I listened to everyone's advice and chose Motorcraft when it came to thermostats. Now I can flush out the old nasty coolant and install the new thermostat. Maybe that'll help the truck warm up quicker.

 

I had a GEO Tracker that had a faulty internal voltage regulator in the alternator. It got bad enough that I could actually measure the change in voltage. It would jump up to 15 volts and then drop to 12 volts. It was really expensive to replace the voltage regulator so I found a used one and installed it. Fixed the problem.

 

From my other post in the '87-'96 F-series forum, most people are inclined to believe it might be the bridge rectifier. Either way, a new alternator is in the works.

Here's what we did today:






Quick question: what is up with that square on the roof? It is smooth - doesn't feel like fiberglass and it isn't flaking off like the rest of the fiberglass on the top. Just curious.

 

Yesterday we drained all the transmission fluid as well as the torque converter and added fresh fluid. The bottom of the pan was nasty dirty but there was no metallic goop or large pieces. Took it for a test drive and it drove good, so I guess we didn't mess anything up. No leaks yet!

 

Well everyone - I just wanted to put the final capstone on this project for now. To recap: My little brother had wanted an 8th-gen Bronco for a while, but my parents did not have the money to spend to buy him a car. In a real "pay it forward" move, I found a 1988 XLT with the 351W, not running, for $1000. A little nitpicking and haggling, one smashed Dodge grille (funny story) and $750 later, and "The Red Baron" (that's what Andy calls him, it is apparently a "him" too)

Just a quick look back at when we got the Bronco:


This was after we cut enough foliage away to even see the truck - weeds were almost over the hood!

I had read somewhere that most old cars just want to be run again when they're parked, and some TLC is all they need to run down the road again. Fixing the Red Baron taught my little brother a lot about how old cars work, and taught him some respect for things given to him. Heck, even my "Ford hating" Dad really pitched in to help fix him up and he learned a lot about old Fords too!

So without further adue, this is a picture of RB I took after work today, after Andy had just drove him home from the gas station:


Here he sits after a wash and 2 coats of wax.

After taking the summer to fix up the RB, I can understand the saying that old cars just want to drive again. The Bronco cleaned up very nice and the more we drive him it seems the better he runs. f course, it still has its issues. We need to replace the alternator and steering box, and he leaks a little oil and sometimes ATF (as any teen male's first car should). He's a real head turner at the local saturday night car show - a unique V8 4x4 in a world of blaise Jeeps that all look the same.

So, thanks for everyone who pitched in to help me, Dad, and Andy get the ol' RB to be a fairly reliable daily driver. I'll continue to update every once in a while with any extreme updates but for now, consider this project to be completed!

 

One quick little update, while I take a break from studying for finals. Took Andy driving in his truck the other day.



After replacing all six shocks its a little smoother ride, and a new steering stabilizer keeps it a little straighter until we can get a new steering box. It appears so far that all the little issues were simply related to the truck's sitting in the weeds for 2 + years, now that its driven almost daily we've had no starting issues nor electrical gremlins of any kind.

I think it looks good - a little too much red for my liking but it sure screams '80s.

 

Classic armrest.....