Does anybody have any information on the second generation Broncos?
filed in 79 Bronco
Question:
Does anybody have any information on the second generation Broncos? (I’m not talking about Bronco II’s, I’m eferring to the Broncos that began production in 1978 based on the F-150 chassis I believe)
I need to know what to look for, can the tops be removed from all models, how easily can that be done. Also, what kind of price range should I be looking at? (i.e. what is blue book) I’m in college right now, and would like a Jeep. Unfortunately, I’ve got a bit of a ride to school, and I need to carry a lot of junk to and from the dormitory in the spring/fall. I think that the Bronco (with the removable fiberglass) would be a better (read “bigger”) choice than a CJ-5 or CJ-7.
Even better: anybody in the Maryland/Virginia area interested in selling one?
Answer:
Ahh Broncos. Well personally, I have a ‘78. The blue book is just a hair over 3 grand. I bought it for 2500 and then bought new tires 650 front end rebuild 350, carb rebuild 130. Then i did the unthinkable and blew the engine (not bronco specific, unmaintained engine with 168,000) 2400 more bucks there, now it is in nice condition, well after new seats out of a t-bird, radio, 2 amps, speakers, alarm, well the radio and amps were free and i bought the speakers used for 40 bucks, and the other speakers i took out of my old jeep (Sell a Jeep for a bronco you might ask, but it was a Wagoneer). Its a lovely specimen, solid front and rear axels, ford 9″ and a dana 44 up front. Watch the rear axel wrap, ibusted off my u-bolts ONCE, i added traction shocks after that and haven’t had a problem since. Also the bottom of the doors tend to rot, bottom of the tailgates likes to rust right up to the new ones that might be in your budget. The post 80 broncos have that sickly TTB front end and little stamped and folded steel radius arms were as the 78-79 have nice big cast iron longer radius arms(ie more prspective wheel travel). The only rust i have is on my doors and a few dings in the sheet metal. I don’t know when the removeable tops were discontinued but they are fun. I just ordered a full convertable top for 400$ for mine(credit card). Don’t ever break the window if you have the double laminated bronzed privacy glass in your cap it is over 400 bucks to replace. My bronco also does pretty good offroad, i haven’t bottomed out my suspension, YET, and have crossed over 3 foot deep of water with no problems, handles rocks like a charm too.
One problem is it is WIDE and you sometimes can’t follow a CJ or a Toyota, between two rocks or trees, and your grandmother will have a hard time getting up into it. If you want to keep…well exceed Jeeps offroad find a 66-77. These are the real Broncos, that were designed for the woods. You can turn around in very tight areas plus if you do any serious hill climbing go first because youll end up rearending a Jeep with its leaf spring suspension. I have nothing againest the big Broncs. but they are kind of big offroad.
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