Today was the first time I bought a vehicle sight unseen. Traveling on the Amtrak train on the 1st of January to New York City for what is supposed to be an unusually clean 1980 Bronco craigslist find with an inline 6 and a manual transmission. From the pictures it looks like someone has trimmed the fender wells to fit larger tires. I’m told they’re 33’s. Being that this isn’t the first time I’ve wrenched on an 80-86 Ford platform, inline six, manual transmission, etc, I’m relatively confident that I can get it home in one piece. However, normally I bring a truck full of tools and spare parts for that first ride in an older truck. Today, riding the train, I was limited to a backpack, so I brought only what I considered to be the bare essentials.
I’ve long since lost my Haynes manual, but I brought my “Truck Repair Manual,” it covers all sorts of makes and models, and goes into good detail. I’ve found that on older trucks it’s sometimes best since they have a habit of piecing together bits and pieces from other models and/or makes, and this enables me to work a little easier.
I also included the basic fluids, a pint of DOT3 brake fluid, a quart of 10W-30 motor oil, engine stop leak, PB Blaster, starting fluid, windshield wiper fluid additive, and a Tire Inflator/Sealer.
Most are self explanatory. The PB Blaster is in case something happens, the “oh-****” can. It’ll also fill in for WD-40 to temporarily stop minor squeaks in doors, de-gunk door locks, etc. The windshield additive is from lessons learned after I had a full reservoir freeze, and another contaminated with some petroleum product. It’s the concentrate and it’ll help until the old stuff flushes out, and has an extremely low freezing point. It’s small and helpful. The tire inflator sealer is part of my E-kit for my Lincoln, and while it won’t fully inflate the 33’s on the new truck, it should help make it to a service station. Normally with more space I’d bring a 12V pump, but I ran out of space.
I would normally pack jumper cables (duh), but recently melted them down starting another truck off my old super duty, and haven’t replaced them. Instead I brought my battery charger and an inverter. It’ll jump in a pinch.
I also brought along a small assortment of tools. Two pocket knives and a Gerber/Leatherman are always with me. I also packed an 8 bit screwdriver (the hardware store style), a pair of heavy lineman’s pliers, an extra multi-tool, a large and a small crescent wrench, and a small pair of vise-grips. A multi-meter and two flashlights (one on a headband) round out the tools. This will enable me to diagnose and repair most small problems I’ve normally encountered on this style of truck. A pen lets me write down what the problem is.
The only repair parts I brought with me were a u-joint, duct tape, and electrical tape.
Normally, were I traveling by vehicle to pick up a new purchase, I’d also bring a socket set, lug wrench, spare battery and battery cables, a 12V tire pump, my electrical repair kit with spare fittings, fuses, shrink tubing, a butane soldering iron, and a spare solenoid, common sized bulbs are also in my kit. I’d also bring pre-diluted antifreeze, windshield wiper fluid, power steering fluid, and a larger assortment of stop leaks (power steering, radiator, etc.) as well as a coolant check bulb (to see what temp the coolant is good to, if it isn’t good to at least 5 degrees below the recent low temps, there is the risk of a cracked block/head).
My kit fit nicely into a small sized backpack, and wasn’t uncomfortable to carry. It wouldn’t raise too many alarms if it was misplaced either. I tend to keep it close to my side and closed. Seeing that many chemicals, fluids, and electrical accessories would probably raise the eyebrows of the cops considering recent bomb scares, so I don’t advertise what it is I’m carrying. Some of the items I normally would have brought with such as coolant check bulb, fuses, bulbs, etc, I left, but getting up early to catch the train after a New Year’s party my mind wasn’t operating at full speed.
Just as importantly, I travel prepared to work on the truck. Gloves, winter boots, good denim jeans, a sweatshirt and a Carhartt, and a stocking cap keep me warm in the cold NY winter while I’m crawling around underneath inspecting it.
Communication with the seller has also been keen. He knows my itinerary so he can pick me up at the station, and as a former mechanic, assures me he has plenty of tools should I want to look at something. I don’t honestly anticipate any problems, but being prepared for the unexpected is a necessary step when traveling to purchase an unseen vehicle. In this case my experience will probably be my greatest tool. I’ve owned an 82 Bronco, 83 F-150, 84 f-150, and my dad has an 80 f-250. All the trucks were equipped with the same inline 6 and manual transmission combination.
When purchasing a vehicle far from home let your knowledge and experience be your guide. The kit I outlined is simple, and easily modified for specific jobs, but serves as a good base.
Good luck, I’ll keep everyone updated on the progress of the Bronco as it comes along.