Thought I'd check in with a run-down of how my life's going as an '88 Bronco owner.
I purchased an '88 Bronco about a month and a half ago. It seemed like a great deal at the time... but as I've dug in and started working on it, I've decided that I just got "a deal". With time, I may further downgrade it to "a transaction".
But I wouldn't change it for nothing... I *love* having a Bronco again, even if I do plan on selling it soon (just so I can start building the one I originally wanted to build.
She's a black and tan Eddie Bauer... if you search on my other post, you'll see a pic already posted on the board.
First things first... let's pop the top, after all, that's why I bought it.
I took out the screws on the top trim, and started removing the trim. A pervious (sic) owner had injected silicon sealant under the trim to stop it from rattling. No biggie, I was able to peel it out pretty cleanly. I removed all the bolts (B&D makes a bad-ass electric driver that spins those babies out like lightening!) It was missing two screws on the driver side, but that would be easy enough to fix. So lift up on the top to slide it back, no motion from the drivers side. I figured it was stuck, so I pushed up a little harder. With a loud POP-POP the top lifted. Had I paid attention, I would have noticed the two rivets holding down that side of the top. RIVETS! (Seriously... doesn't that just turn it into an Explorer? No damage done, and the top if removable now. A couple hammer taps, and an order with JBG, and the top screws down now.
The steering had a massive amount of play in it, but before I could get it to the shop, I came out to a driveway full o' transmission fluid. I warmed her up, but there wasn't a whole lot of missing fluid. So I called a local mechanic that specializes in hard-luck cases. I dropped it off and awaited the news.
Steering was an easy fix, a warn out pittman arm. Transmission was initially thought to be a cheap cork seal... but when he took it apart he found that the last shop that worked on it lost two of the bolts in the transmission, and then cross threaded two metric bolts in to replace them. (Funny side story, one of original bolts *that had been replaced* fell out in the driveway. I wonder where they had stashed them?) So: New gasket, new bolts, freshly tapped threads. "By the way", he says, "Your 4wd transfer case is leaking like a sieve. Looks like someone surrounded it with putty to hide the leak." Torn down, resealed, and back in good working order.
Other items yet to be addressed: Massive amounts of water behind the passenger seat (I think I fixed that when I reseated the top). Water appears to be coming around the bottom of the windshield, and the hard top is leaking near the back. (It looks like the seams have been sealed previously and they're needing a re-do.)
And the shop tells me I have some structural rust damage, but it's not really visible unless it's on the rack.
That's the story so far... questions, comments and general harassment welcome.
I purchased an '88 Bronco about a month and a half ago. It seemed like a great deal at the time... but as I've dug in and started working on it, I've decided that I just got "a deal". With time, I may further downgrade it to "a transaction".
But I wouldn't change it for nothing... I *love* having a Bronco again, even if I do plan on selling it soon (just so I can start building the one I originally wanted to build.
She's a black and tan Eddie Bauer... if you search on my other post, you'll see a pic already posted on the board.
First things first... let's pop the top, after all, that's why I bought it.
I took out the screws on the top trim, and started removing the trim. A pervious (sic) owner had injected silicon sealant under the trim to stop it from rattling. No biggie, I was able to peel it out pretty cleanly. I removed all the bolts (B&D makes a bad-ass electric driver that spins those babies out like lightening!) It was missing two screws on the driver side, but that would be easy enough to fix. So lift up on the top to slide it back, no motion from the drivers side. I figured it was stuck, so I pushed up a little harder. With a loud POP-POP the top lifted. Had I paid attention, I would have noticed the two rivets holding down that side of the top. RIVETS! (Seriously... doesn't that just turn it into an Explorer?
No damage done, and the top if removable now. A couple hammer taps, and an order with JBG, and the top screws down now.The steering had a massive amount of play in it, but before I could get it to the shop, I came out to a driveway full o' transmission fluid. I warmed her up, but there wasn't a whole lot of missing fluid. So I called a local mechanic that specializes in hard-luck cases. I dropped it off and awaited the news.
Steering was an easy fix, a warn out pittman arm. Transmission was initially thought to be a cheap cork seal... but when he took it apart he found that the last shop that worked on it lost two of the bolts in the transmission, and then cross threaded two metric bolts in to replace them. (Funny side story, one of original bolts *that had been replaced* fell out in the driveway. I wonder where they had stashed them?) So: New gasket, new bolts, freshly tapped threads. "By the way", he says, "Your 4wd transfer case is leaking like a sieve. Looks like someone surrounded it with putty to hide the leak." Torn down, resealed, and back in good working order.
Other items yet to be addressed: Massive amounts of water behind the passenger seat (I think I fixed that when I reseated the top). Water appears to be coming around the bottom of the windshield, and the hard top is leaking near the back. (It looks like the seams have been sealed previously and they're needing a re-do.)
And the shop tells me I have some structural rust damage, but it's not really visible unless it's on the rack.
That's the story so far... questions, comments and general harassment welcome.
