Buying advice

[Helmutdiggy]

Hey all , I'm a long time lurker and big fan of the older broncos but here in Ct. They are few and far between.
Im hoping the Mrs. Gives me the green light to finally pull the trigger and buy one in time to enjoy the summer with the top down.
I was wondering if it would be smarter to buy one with a roll bar and soft top " not sure what they go for " or to jump on one even if it only has the hard top and no roll bar .
I really don't want to spend too much over the cost of the vehicle
I know that rust is a big issue with these like most old cars on the east coast and I'd really like to avoid any body work .
I don't mind servicing and working on old vehicles but I'm looking for something that I can hop in and enjoy the sunshine in .
Any help would be appreciated

 

[Fairlane514]

I would look for the most complete "driver" Bronco you can find. My main concern would be on the condition of the body as far as rust. Unless you know how to do rust repair, it is probably the most expensive and time consuming part of the rebuild.

Tops are easily changed and would not be a deal breaker for me. Next is options, such as power steering, Dana 44, power disc brakes, auto vs manual transmission.

Im sure others will chime in, but these would be my main focus concerns. Adding the above listed options can be done, but its much cheaper if they are already there.

 

[WheelHorse]

I really don't want to spend too much over the cost of the vehicle.

The above comment stands out to me as a major red flag. Maybe factor in a newer vehicle? Like a 2006 Mustang GT convertible.

Also, what's your budget? This will determine a lot.

I think almost every guy has talked about fixing PO (previous owner's) band aids or lack of maintenance or parts being worn out due to age. There are no cheap fixes and plenty of surprises.

Broncos are hot right now thanks to such shows as Fast n Loud and other boob tube exposure. This means prices are high and there's been a big market for fresh paint covering over a lot of hidden problems.

Then, factor in their age. The newest one is 37 years old.

Also, think about such simple things as dialing in a carb...if you can't you may want to either have a good old school tech lined up or find one converted to fuel injection.

Taking ownership is a huge responsibility of an EB and also extremely rewarding if you take pride in wrenching and improving / updating.

 

[SteveL]

Working on it is inevitable. Even if you find a nice dd that is road worthy you're going to find upgrades you want on it. As far as roll bar or hard top. I wouldn't drive one without a rall bar even with a hard top. look up some of the pics of roll-overs with a top and no bar. We're not tring to scare you off a bronco but it is what it is.

 

[Helmutdiggy]

Thanks for the replies. I'm looking for something in the 15k range .
No doubt wrenching will be involved and parts will be replaced I just want to avoid spending 15k and then adding in the cost of roll bar and top.
I see that there a lot of Broncos being fluffed and buffed and passed on to the next guy and I'm hoping to get something that will last .
A friend owns a body shop and I want to avoid body work like the plague.
Any idea of a ball park figure on a top and roll bar ? I can look on line and get a better idea but I thought I'd start here first.

 

[Rustytruck]

If I were looking for one today I would look in so cal and arizona and buy the cleanest stocker I could afford. I would pay premium to get a solid body. Paint and rust repair are the biggest expense and will sideline your ability to drive the rig. Any other repair can be swapped in a weekend. If you want a cut style rig then get one with as much goodies as the previous owner put on.
There are alot of build threads on this site that show rust repair. Study them good and hard to learn where the rust lurks. Rust you see standing outside the rig is easy to repair its the stuff hidden inside. Another red flag is wiring learn what wiring should look like then judge potential canidates. Alot of daily drivers get sidelined because of poor wiring issues. If the owner doesnt care how its been wired does he care about the other aspects of the truck.
Dont worry about a roll bar most will have one if not there are a whole lot of used ones to be had cheep and usually can be bolted on in one day. A good roll cage is a difficult and expensive item.

 

[patterdale]

Check out Elmer on my garage. He is about as solid as they get and still original. We still have rust issues that I am eager to get taken care of before they get out of hand. He was a real find here in the mn wi area-the land of salt roads.

 

[Helmutdiggy]

Check out Elmer on my garage. He is about as solid as they get and still original. We still have rust issues that I am eager to get taken care of before they get out of hand. He was a real find here in the mn wi area-the land of salt roads.

Will do.
There is one on EBay in Mass which is about an hour and a half away from me so I may take a ride out to look at it .
I've purchased vehicles from Ca. but I'm Leary of long distance purchases and not being able to see it in person.

 

[nickgp]

Good to see that you want to get into the Bronco habit! If you are looking to enjoy it this summer, be prepared to buy a decent rig and consequently, spend the money. But of course be careful of the dirt bags. Good luck!

 

[cldonley]

Don't be too worried about long distance shopping if you can get an EB brother or sister on here to go take a look at it for you. I've done it for someone, and I've read of many others doing the same. All the same, an hour and a half to find the rig you want beats across country!

 

[roundhouse]

That should get you a nice one

Be very cautious if it has new paint unless they have lots of before and during pictures. Otherwise. Assume the paint is hiding lots of bondo and rust

I'd much rather have faded paint than not know what's under it

Also if the seller says the engine trans or axles have been rebuilt Assume its a lie unless they have receipts that you can verify with the biz listed on the receipt
If someone spends that kinda money on a rebuilt engine. They would have saved the receipt

Save a few thousand out of your budget for updates
A new cloth top. New tires. Etc


Also ask the seller how long they have owned it and why they are selling it

If either answer is sketchy Keep looking

If they haven't owned it for a couple of years minimum then find out why

If they only owned it a couple months it's probably a flipper who is out for a quick buck

 

[bronco1017]

There is a pretty good group of us early Bronco owners in the North East in fact there is a get together cruise next month in CT. There is also one in CT in the fall and we just had one in MA a couple of weeks ago. You could come and meet everyone, there are a lot of good people involved around here. I am near the MA Ct border if I can be of any help.

 

[sprdv1]

Im hoping the Mrs. Gives me the green light to finally pull the trigger and buy one in time to enjoy the summer with the top down.

I was wondering if it would be smarter to buy one with a roll bar and soft top " not sure what they go for " or to jump on one even if it only has the hard top and no roll bar .

Welcome aboard.. I wouldn't worry so much about roll bar, soft top, hard top versus, power steering, good brakes, strong engine.. The other stuff can be added simple enuf. Most often come with a hard top. The soft tops can be pricey though

Good luck man. Just be PATIENT and the right one will come along

 

[Scoop]

Tops run from about $500 for a Rampage to about $700 for a Bestop. BC has a premium top for about $1500. Roll bars start around $300 for a single hoop 4-point to upwards of $1000 for 6-point family cages. Add a couple of hundred for shipping. You should be able to get a nice driver for $15K with a roll bar and top.

 

[DuctTape]

Cheap option for running without a top: wild horses san Felipe single bar (you can add onto it later), homemade bikini top between roll bar and windshield (guy on this forum posted instructions).

Check out the main vendor websites: wildhorses, toms bronco, bc broncos, James duff. There are a host of them. Wildhorses and toms have the widest selection, bcbroncos has the coolest solutions (IMO), and duff has a limited but good tech selection.

My suggestion to you is to drive it for awhile to figure out what you like and what mods you want to make. It is possible to drive it without a roll bar but I advise against it. The San Felipe bar from wh isn't the best roll bar available, but it is super cheap and bolt in (with possibly some drilling needed).

 

[WheelHorse]

Don't also over look the more roll bar you add, the higher the vehicle's center of gravity becomes.

I've seen several guys who have driven their rigs before and after and noticed a difference.

 

[Helmutdiggy]

Thanks for all the info .
I spoke to the gent who owns this
http://bit.ly/1lQMjfZ
, seems like a good guy .
He said he purchased it from build a bronco in Michigan ?
Says no rust and what small rust there was it had been repaired upon his request before he picked it up from build a bronco.
Any thoughts about it ? What would be a fair price ?

 

[WheelHorse]

Does not show kick panels or under the floor shots. The condition of the underside of the rig is a real tattletale.

Primer all over the front behind the grill is sort of weird as well.

 

[Rustytruck]

I think you should go look at it bring old clothes and get under it. Maybe even test drive it. You only have a few days are you gone yet?

 

[Helmutdiggy]

Thanks for all the info .
I spoke to the gent who owns this
http://bit.ly/1lQMjfZ
, seems like a good guy .
He said he purchased it from build a bronco in Michigan ?
Says no rust and what small rust there was it had been repaired upon his request before he picked it up from build a bronco.
Any thoughts about it ? What would be a fair price ?

The owner is looking for 10/12k , I'm not going to bid on it .
If it doesn't sell I'll go look at it.
He says the truck is in Maine and that's why there aren't many pictures .
If I go see it ill spend some quality time underneath .