My 1989 build

I don't have a clever name for my newest project truck. I'll just go with the 89'er.

Ever since I sold my 87 Bronco II there has been a giant hole in my soul. I was convinced I needed to fill it with another Bronco II. My project started out as a 1990 2x4. I was collecting parts and couldn't find a 5-Speed transmission to put under the truck. I found a 1986 Bronco in the neighborhood behind my apartment complex. It was an automatic with the auto hubs and that stupid electric transfercase. I walked to the guys house and he told me it was his wife's and it needed a fuel pump. I told my friend about it and he told me he found an 89 4x4 5-Speed on Craigslist. It was a few weeks before Christmas when I went to look at it the first time. The guy told me he blew a head gasket on his way to work. He wanted $1000 for the truck. It was love at first sight.

I was trying to sell an Explorer at the time so I didn't have the money. A few weeks later I sold the Explorer and contacted the owner of the Bronco. He still had it and was willing to sell it to me at $450, after a little bit of haggling. My father and I went down to get it on my day off. The truck looked completely different. When I originally saw the truck, it was at night. I went to get it in the day time. This truck was more junk than hunk. So begins my journey...

I set out this morning to do head gaskets on the truck. I began clearing stuff out of the way to access the valve covers. As I was clearing stuff away I was becoming more and more convinced that the engine was bad.





I decided to skip the head gaskets (mostly due to the fact that I have a complete 2.9 on the engine stand) and focus on the cab. It was filthy. I got the shop vac out and vacuumed out about a 1/4 of a pound of beach sand. I also found about $3 in change under the seats. Not bad. Now the truck only cost me $447. I also took out the 60/40 bench seat and removed the tracks. I'm hoping my sister will let me raid the parts truck at her house tonight. I want the seats and center console out of her (technically mine. Just haven't paid for it yet) Explorer.





The bench seat I don't want. If you are in the Mesa, Arizona area and need or want it. Come get it. I'm only charging a 6-pack for it.

Went outside today to do the head gaskets. Got the passenger side valve cover off and found this:



There was rust on the rocker arm and lifters. At first I thought the engine is shot. I sent the picture to my friend and he confirmed my suspicions. I have a 4.0 sitting in my sister's backyard but I need to do some work to it first. I have a clean 2.9 in the garage that will be going in so I can drive this truck. I'm starting to fiend for the 5-speed again.

On the plus side my new tool cart kicks serious ass. I wheeled it from the garage to the backyard with no problem. It's awesome not having to search for tools now.

Haven't updated in a while. I've got a build thread at another forum so I forget to update this one. Here we go:

About a month ago I went to the Pick-N-Pull here in Mesa and found a 92 Ranger. I felt like a kid again. I was whispering to myself "please be a 4.0 under the hood". I looked, 4.0! Then I told myself "Please be 4x4". Lo and behold, 4 wheel drive! I then prayed to the Ford Gods, "please be a 5-speed". I was blessed with a 5-speed. My 89 got an M50D to back the eventual 4.0L it will be getting. The only way that day at the yard would have been better was if I was able to snag a set of manual hubs.

I bought a 94 Explorer from my sister to use as a parts truck. The bottom end went out and the motor had a quarter of a million miles on it anyways. I snagged the seats and center console and installed them in the Bronco. My console still needs to be bolted down, but the seats look great! The other day my sister's boyfriend and I pulled the motor, transmission (A4LD) and transfer case. I made a mistake pricing the transmission on craigslist. Listed it for $30 instead of $300. I had it like that for over a week, Cloaked_Chaos was the only person who asked me about it. He came over, showed me my mistake. We made a deal, he gets the A4LD I'm not going to use, and I get a 4.0L he's not going to use. Thanks Chaos. You made my Christmas special this year. When I get the motor in and the wiring done we will go out and break it in.

A ton has happened since I last posted. Towed the truck to my friends house, pulled the 2.9 short block and dropped the 4.0 in. Did the rear main and pan gasket before installing. When taxes come in I plan on doing the oil pump.

We replaced the FM 146 transmission with the M50D out of a 92 Ranger. I got the transfer case bolted up. Had to trim the floor shifter tin to fit the new shifter.

Working on the wiring now. My friend has access to Mitchell plus he is a wiring genius so I feel confident that we will be able to hear the truck run by the end of this week or early next week. I will post pictures when I get off of work.

Here are some pictures to go with the story.

M50D Install:

Here is the shifter for the M50D sticking up through the pan. Had to use a pneumatic body trimmer to cut the shift plate so it would a) fit and b) work.


Transmission in place


BW1350M backing the M50D


Body Mods:

Mirror upgrade. Snagged the chrome "tow mirrors" off the 90 before I sold it. Bolted them to the doors in place of the ****ty flag mirrors. Looks factory.


Painted the Bronco II markers orange to go with my Denver Bronco theme.


Here they are taped onto the fenders waiting for the adhesive to set.


Here is a side shot. It's tight quarters in the garage so I had to angle the shot. The tag looks yellow but its actually "Pumpkin Orange".



Engine:

Here is the engine with the airbox and some other stuff installed. Right now we are figuring out the wiring.


Axles:

Found a Dana 30, the actual axle I wanted, on Craigslist for $100. Offered $60 and the guy said I could have it for $80. The tag says its 3.73s and the internet says the part number is off of a 84-85 Cherokee/Comanche/Wagoneer. I jumped at the chance to get it because it matches my 8.8 gears. I took off the steering, shocks, calipers and rotors.

Got the motor to start and idle. There's a misfire though. Gonna do a tune up and hopefully that helps.

Misfire turned out to be an injector that was unplugged. After we figured it out I put some OEM shocks on it, welded up an exhaust and took it to emissions. It passed so I have to wait until I have some spare change to register it and all that other good stuff.