Cotopaxi, Colorado is where this nice little bucking bronco is. This 1987 Ford Bronco II is on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $3,200! There are fewer than two days left to check this one out and run it past your saddle pal.
This Bronco II sat in a barn for 15 years before the current owner snagged it. They have owned it for a few years and it has been trouble-free. You can see that the paint is fading and flaking off in a few spots but for a work truck it probably doesn’t have to be showroom perfect, does it? It has new tires and apparently has just a couple of small rust spots on a couple of edges. There have only been 79,000 miles, give or take, that have passed under this Bronco II in the last 37 29 years.
Parts of this truck look fantastic, probably thanks to the dry (other than snow) climate and from being stored for 15 years. Ford made the Bronco II from 1983 (for the 1984 model year) until 1990 and they were marketed as a “vehicle for men, single people, or young couples… almost like John Wayne vehicles… that gave people the sense that they could conquer anything.” These vehicles were known for being tippy so watch out if you take it off-road while trying to conquer something. Supposedly, approximately 260 people were killed in Bronco II rollovers, with 1 out of every 500 Bronco IIs produced was involved in a fatal rollover. By 1992, Ford had $742-million in lawsuits backed up so it was a problem. Even the insurance giant, Geico, stopped writing insurance policies on them, so, be careful out there!
The interior is like a time capsule, almost. I know that’s a way-overused phrase, but dang it, it’s a time capsule in there! Look at those back seats! There’s a decent amount of room behind those perfect back seats, too. This is one nice looking interior, in my opinion, I wouldn’t mind driving this rig around our 1,200 acre Colorado ranch, if we had one..
This Bronco II has the high-capacity gas tank with 22 gallons on board which is ironically the mpg that this truck gets, and the owner will top off the tank for the buyer. I know, it’s only $50 worth of gas but, none the less, they didn’t have to offer that and it’s a nice gesture. This is Ford’s 2.9L Cologne V6. This engine has 140 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. Rollover issues not withstanding, I think this is a heck of a nice Bronco II and it would be fun to own. 22 mpg with a 4WD is what I get with my 1997 Outback and this Bronco would be a fun addition. Have any of you owned a Bronco II?
I always thought that these were cool vehicles,
until a guy I know who had one,& later an Explorer,
told me not to even think about buying one (Bronco II).
A friend of mine bought a Bronco II new in 1989 and if I recall correctly, was one of the first users of the State of New Jersey’s newly enacted Lemon Laws. He had many problems from the day he drove it home from the dealer when the transmission imploded, then the hood latch was defective causing the hood to fly open and cover the windshield, and the gas line springing a leak…..all within the first 6 months. We all thought he was an idiot, but it was determined that they were all manufacturer defects and they bought the car back.
Good times…
Look a bit like a Nissan Patrol, also from 87.
It had a 3,3 inline turbo Diesel.
1987 =\ 37 years ago. it was 29 years ago.
I had an ’84 or ’85. It had a 2.8 v-6 which had to be rebuilt at 80,000 miles. I didn’t find it to be tippy, but then again, I drove it like an suv, not a sports car. It had great off-road abilities due to it’s short, narrow wheelbase and tight turning radius.
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That was a full-size Bronco but I like your thinking.
My boss back in the late eighties had one and yes it was trouble free and he drove it daily but compared to my 73 his was more comfortable but mine was more versatile on and off road without any roll over issues. Mine had a 351W and 2 tanks equaling 22 gallons of gas. His of course got better mileage but most liked mine better. The featured one is a nice example but not for me.
I would be a player if it were a manual. Otherwise, be prepared to yawn.
These have a shorter turning radius than a CJ. One advantage for tight switchback turns on the mining roads common in Colorado.
I love the Bronco IIs like this one. When I was on a vol. fire dept. in Lubbock many years ago, our Lt. at the time, who was also second-in-command on our vol. ambulance service (separate from the FD). He drove an early ’80s Bronco II that belonged to his father-in-law who lived in Indiana. It was white over blue.
We went on a lot of fire runs in that little critter. Just pop on the ol’ Kojak and away we went. He also an older Jeep that was setup for making fire runs, and it was fun to ride in.
Ford must have had a bunch of 4WD parts they wanted to use up because some 2WD Broncos were fitted with transfer cases with nothing in them. There was even a label on them stating something to the effect of “this is not a functional transfer case and you cannot put parts into this to turn it into one”
The first time we saw one of these in the shop we couldn’t believe it.
Here’s one on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/87-88-89-90-BRONCO-II-2WD-DUMMY-TRANSFER-CASE-BF0217-24551-/172186443176?hash=item28171c9da8:g:JHcAAOSw2GlXI8NR&vxp=mtr
Nope, the empty transfer case housing was cheaper than designing a unique extension housing for 2wd Bonco II’s since they had shorter wheelbases than Rangers. The extension housing for a 2wd Ranger was too long, which would have required a driveshaft shorter than the already short shaft in the 4×4 BII’s.
They are referred to as The Duece for a couple reasons.
Im trading a torque wrench for a rust free 84 bronco ll 2.8 4spd. Runs good but valves need adjusted. I read that they have solid lifters! Seems odd to me .
Yup, this is true – solid lifters. It’s a decendant of the English V6s first found in the US in the Mustang IIs and Capris.
AGerman V6 which started life as a V4 which Saab even used.
There is a rusty really beat up one for sale at the used car lot up the street from me for $6500. Says he turned down $5000. It is 4 wheel drive, but otherwise a junk compared to this one.
Friend had one in Italy (he married an Italian woman) with NH plates, in Italy the car keeps the first plates it gets, so although registered in Italy, kept the original plates. It towered above the little Fiats, great on the twisty mountain roads, caused stares by the locals, kept in like new condition, so quite a sight. Back seat not luxurious, but not uncomfortable either.
I sold Ford vehicles from 87 to 89. The Bronco II was one of my favorite vehicles. As far as rollover, sure it can rollover more easily – just look at it! Anyway, they drove great, felt a lot more powerful than 140 HP, the manual shifting was great for a ‘truck’, they could carry stuff and you couldn’t get them stuck.
I would love to own something like this one. They always looked great in the 2 tone paint scheme.
I had one,a 1986 I bought used, had the Eddie Bauer package and I loved it! Never had any trouble with it at all! Wish I still had it.
Mel B. My first new vehicle in 1986. 22 years old. Had it almost twenty years. 4×4 air auto No radio(installed my own stereo) 2.9L fuel inj. Roll up windows. Swing out spare tire, no pop out rear glass. Best truck in the world. Wish I still had it.
My dad had one back in the 80’s. It was a rolling bill board since he owned a domino’s pizza in CA, it was the red, white, and blue logo over the whole truck. We use to take it on family vacations across the country every summer. Man I miss those days now.
Hey Jamie my favorite pizza here in L.A. Calif. That 140 h.p. was a fast truck. More like 175. Used to dust some cars. The roll over rep ruined it. Some people just couldn’t handle em. I had custom wheels and tires on mine. I want another Bronco Ii. Thanks.
The Ford BroncoII,
Bad reputation doesn’t cover it, more like slur campao; my impression was that Chevy pushed out that story to help sales on their version, the S-10 Blazer/GMC Jimmy.
My Uncle had an 86, I really liked how they looked. I finally bought an 87 in 1998. Because it is a SUV and does experience body roll, I researched how to make them more stable…just in case, as this was to be a family vehicle.
I learned 2 things that I could do to increase stability: 1) lower the center of gravity 2) widen the stance. Number one was out so I kept looking for more answers.
I learned that a then local company had resolved this issue, James Duff Enterprise. After years of off-road racing in original Broncos they had engineered a suspension modification that all but extinguished any body roll.
They use dual shocks on all 4 corners with special 70/30 valving. The valving makes the dual shocks perform in a specific increased capacity manner while exciting a turn. The inside turn 2 shocks work in tandem with a combined 60% resistance to extension, in other words, like a single slightly more resistant shock. The outside turn pair use 2×70% resistance, just less than three 50/50 combined to resist compression during the turn. These two different specific reactions make the vehicle float nice and level through the turn… potential PROBLEM solve. Wider tires also increase stability.
It’s my favorite non-sports car to drive, just fun, good manners with plenty of power for chores. If you are considering buying a BII, consider this dual shock system with wider tires and don’t drive it like a car, IT’S A TRUCK.