New used Bronco 2

[megascape]

So I have been looking for a great deal on a BII for a few years. I found one. The Trany is bad and the muffler has been cut but it's a 1986 XLT. So I currently have a Ford Escape that I built a suspension for. Very tough building a suspension for a ride that has no after market parts. Back to the Bronco, I will be using this for camping and open trail in WA and Louisiana. I've been using Rancho products since the beginning of time. In the eighties I was against body lifts and have always followed the suspension lift, cut wheel wells and oversize ties. Have body lifts changed over the past 20 to 30 years? Is there an after market tranny I should go with, however, I plan on leaving the 2.9 in since it only has 35550 miles on it. Lots of questions. My over all goal is to make a 3 to 4" lift and run 31 or 32. I don't crawl just pure open trails, love the moguls w the 9000's on the Escape. Oh Is Rancho, sky jacker and rough country still high quality products with all the new suspension companies out there.
Thanks much and remember I will have lots of questions....