Like all retro 4×4’s, Ford Broncos are a hot ticket right now. While we’d all love to score a rust free survivor at a steal of a price, it takes a lot of searching (and a lot of luck) to find a deal like that these days. Next best thing is something like this 1978 Ford Bronco Ranger XLT; currently, for sale here on eBay for the Buy-It-Now price of $3,750, it’s bargain-priced because it needs plenty of TLC, but it’s ready to run and enjoy while you fix it up in your spare time.

Overall, there’s a lot of good points in this truck’s favor – seller states the 351M V8 engine runs well, and they suspect it was probably rebuilt at some point. Transmission shifts fine, and there are some new parts under the hood such as carb, power steering pump, and starter. Most importantly perhaps, the seller indicates that the frame is completely rust free. Unfortunately, that’s far from true when it comes to the body.

As you can see from the photos above, there is significant rust on the rear passenger quarter panel, as well as above the wheel arches and inside the door jambs. I’d be concerned about floor pans as well, but while the rust pictured doesn’t look great, I’m sure we’ve all seen much worse on vehicles that were still able to be nicely restored.

Other than the aftermath from its visit from the tinworm, this Bronco just needs a lot of smaller repairs to get back into respectable condition. Stuff like tailgate repairs, a new windshield, fixing gauges, and sprucing up the interior will go a long way toward making this truck a worthy investment. If you’re up for some body work and a lot of minor to moderately difficult repair tasks, this Bronco looks like a great candidate for a casual restoration that you can complete at your own pace while you enjoy this classic truck!