Stic-o's New DD. '88 B2 EB 4x4

[Stic-o]

So some of you may know I have been looking for a Daily Driver so I can stop driving the Explorer everyday. Don't get me wrong, I love it! It's just 35's and 5.13's ain't frindlly in this fast approaching $4 a gallon world

That brings us to today's purchase

1988 For Bronco II Eddie Bauer 4x4

Specs:
2.9 V6
5-Speed
Auto T-case
Auto Hubs
3.45 gears-Mileage baby!
125k original miles

The Good:

Runs Great!
Very Clean, no tare in interior
Not a dent in the body!..Honest!
A/C works
Heater Works
Cruise works
has the classic B2 spare cover

The Bad:

The 4x4 is not working, I'm suspecting the t-case motor.
Oil pan looks like La Brea tar pits, we suspect leaking valve covers is all.
Some moron desided to break in and steal the stereo, took out the pasanger wind wing glass, and tore up some of the dash pretty good.
Driver power window dosn't want to go up on it's own, motor works but is slipping.
Passenger auto door lock does not work.
Spare tire carrier missing some hardware, like latch and stuff
That's it!


and the Great!!!

 

[FROADER]

Damn Steve, that's a great find. Congrats!!

 

[DB_1]

Awesome Steve When does the cutting begin and cage go in?:

 

[RockRanger]

The Bad:

Oil pan looks like La Brea tar pits, we suspect leaking valve covers is all.
Some moron desided to break in and steal the stereo, took out the pasanger wind wing glass, and tore up some of the dash pretty good.
Driver power window dosn't want to go up on it's own, motor works but is slipping.
Passenger auto door lock does not work.

The wing glass is pretty easy to replace when you get a new one. I had to replace one on my 86 ranger when a moron broke into my truck. If I rmember right it took about an hour and a half and 3 trips to sears for tools cause they also took all my tools as well.

For the power window problem. The gears in the motor are stripped. I had the same problem. I was able to get just the gears at I think kragen. They were around $25 if I remember right.

I had to do a power door lock as well but dont remember much about it so it couldnt of been to hard.

Nice buy. Where did you find it? Good luck on getting the valve cover gaskets to not leak. I could never get mine to stop leaking.

 

[Stic-o]

I got it off Craigslist. Guy was asking $800obo, and I picked it up $500.

Guy owned it for a few months, bought it off of a girlfriends son. It's been non-op for about a year and a half or so. Past smog records show all passing, and it seems to run really well. He said something about he had to replace the pass exsaust manafold, because it was blown apart Never heard of it before. ANyway the truck originally came from up north, Taft, then Newhall, and then I picked it up in Chatsworth. Drove it to my dads (about 40 miles) with no problems other then the ballance is off on the right rear wheel, or it's bent We'll fix all the little things on it and give it a tune up just to be sure, I know the oil needs to be changed


and dave..maybe you missed the Daily Driver part: But if something were to happen to the Explorer, I mite have to trasfer all the parts over

 

[ExplorerJimbo]

Thats a great find! I wish I had one again. I used to have a 87 .. it was 2wd though. but i still loved it!

 

[CopyKat]

Welcome to the dark side.

 

[Hokie]

Nice

A cute-ute 4x4 with a 5spd has got to be fun to drive

5 bux says 410Fortune will be able to tell you the VIN just by looking at it

Oh... CHOP THE TOP!!!!!!!!

 

[Hanzo Steel]

Nice, great find.

 

[cybergasm]

great find Steve, now we'll wait and see how long u can resist temptation:

i still got ur old 33's lay'n around : :

 

[410Fortune]

awesome purchase

Fel Pro makes some valve cover gaskets for your 2.9L that will stop the leaks, they are blue in color.

Ford also makes valve cover gaskets for you, or at least they used to, with metal pins in them to keep you from over tightening.

With the 2.9L you can squeeze some good power out of it the old fashioned way, intake, plugs wires, and bump up the timing...

Nice truck for $500!

 

[rookieshooter]

Nice find.
Since I've been doing a lot of parts chasing for my B2 build I've mostly parked the X in favor of my wifes (Yuk, gasp) Saturn station wagon.

Just so you know, DeWalt sells plenty of sawz-all blades and cutting wheels. Just kidding, looks too good to hack up.

 

[Stic-o]

Just so everyone is clear here...:

Tha plan is to go classic or almost restored with this one. Almost like a little old lady driove it.

I want people to look at it and go, Wow! That's a clean Bronco II!

 

[fischerry]

congrats on the new buy,i'll buy it for 600,juss kiddin.

fel pro gasket leak as soon as you run that baby hot.and when it come to a b2 it gets hot pretty easy.i would go with regular cork gaskets.and a small bead of silicone if your doubley worried about a small leak. get a powersteering cooler.as soon as i pick up some new powersteering hoses and resevoir i will install one as well.

 

[410Fortune]

the fel pro blue gaskets will not leak, I used them with synthetic oil and FMS chrome valve covers for the 2.9L, they stopped my leaks 100% and my 2.9L ran HOT

The 89-90 style door panels and interior panels make a really nice upgrade to your 88 interior. Explorer sport buckets will also bolt in.
I ditched the Bii floppy sun visors as well and simply bolted in some 2001 Explorer vanity mirrors (and wired them up)

If your dash pad is cracked or burned or both start looking for one now, they are getting very hard to find in primo condition (vinyl still soft) and you will likely have to paint it to match.

When your 2.9L bites the bullet I strongly recommend replacing it with a 93-94 OHV 4.0L, it basically bolts in and the OHV will really feel at home in the BII

as you probably already know many many explorer parts will bolt in there and give you some nice upgrades, like the D35 TTB, a 4.0L radiator.....

A ranger 8.8 will also bolt in with mods only needed to the brake cable and d shaft if your 7.5 gives up the ghost.
The cardigan style d shaft SUCKS if you have one start looking for an explorer rear shaft and have it shortened to fit.

Your 2.9L has the imfamous TFI ignition module, you may consider carrying a spare in your glove box along with the finger wrench to swap it out.

Welcome to the wonderful world of a stock BII

I constantly see some grandma driven BII's in Denver, although they are getting more rare, there are still many of them out there running around in near showroom condition.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

When is the SAS?

Good buy- I like deals like that, especially well taken care of older vehicles.

 

[DB_1]

and dave..maybe you missed the Daily Driver part:

I thought you were hardcore Steve:

 

[Stic-o]

I thought you were hardcore Steve:

I guess not then

 

[CopyKat]

Just so everyone is clear here...:

Tha plan is to go classic or almost restored with this one. Almost like a little old lady driove it.

I want people to look at it and go, Wow! That's a clean Bronco II!

Good luck with that. Just build it the way Ford should have.:

 

[410Fortune]

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