The Ford Bronco II is part of that appealing class of light-duty SUVs that burst onto the market in the 1980s before the clowns at Consumer Reports started sticking their noses in things like extreme-handling-rollover-attempts and oh-gee-how-did-the-floormat-get-wedged-under-the-accelerator testing. Yet, despite their best efforts, we’re still buying old Audis and cool, light-duty SUVs like the Ford Bronco and Suzuki Samurai. The trouble is most of these rigs are in rough shape by now, held together with barbed wire and bubble gum, so it’s rare to find one that’s been restored. This 1984 Ford Bronco II has been given the royal treatment, from rust repair to new suspension, and it’s listed here on Barn Finds Classifieds for $24,500.
That’s a chunk of change, but how many of these are still on the road today that have seen this kind of love and attention? I don’t know whether the seller will see any of this money back, but I give him a lot of credit for bringing one of these appealing trucks all the way back. The Bronco II benefits from a lift kit that added a four-inch lift with new coil springs, leaf springs, shocks, and more, and the upgraded suspension looks good from this angle. Personally, I’d go with a different wheel design, as these look a bit too nice for the off-road duty this truck is capable of; I’d go with a set of gray-painted steel wheels to give it the utilitarian farm truck look that’s very much in style. The paint looks sharp, and is said to a fresh two-tone job along with a hand-painted pin stripe.
The interior is said to be original, and the seller confirms it has survived in mint condition with just one small tear noted. I’m glad to see he didn’t mess with a good thing, as refurbished interiors rarely look as good as a well-preserved original. The truck was likely pretty nice from the start, perhaps just suffering from isolated rust issues and faded paint. The bones were otherwise good, which is likely why the interior was left alone and there’s no mention of the factory V6 being torn down and rebuilt. The metalwork the seller references included the areas behind all four wheels, which are hot spots for rust.
Other mechanical work includes new ball joints, tie rods, and U-joints; new brake pads, shoes, drums, hardware, calipers, slave cylinder, and brake lines; and the fuel system has been refreshed with new fuel lines, fuel pump, sending unit, and fuel tank. The seller notes that the radiator has been replaced, along with all fluids and filters, including the front and rear differentials. While the asking price is high, the work has certainly been done and this has to be one of the best Bronco IIs left in existence. Have you seen one nicer? If you have, be sure to buy it, because there’s not likely to be another one anytime soon.
Why would you want to lift this? I like these,but
without the lift kits.
I see a nice one of these parked in a driveway
on my daily drive.
I had one, a 1985 Eddie Bauer. Nice little rig. This one looks good. I don’t think the lift kit adds anything to it, I prefer the stock look. I’d get the seat fixed. I look for these online once in a while, there aren’t many to be found in good shape.
I rarely rip on a BF’s classified, and they can ask what they want( did I just say that?) but let’s talk about the vehicle itself. There’s a reason these rarely grace the screens of America, they were the absolutely worst product Ford put out. While it’s dimensions were very close to the original, that’s where the similarity ended. Ford had a knack for naming their “downsized” versions “ll”( Mustang ll) and were usually a shred of the original. I never met a Ford V6 I liked, and these were no exception. I mean, look at it, there’s a motor in there somewhere, incredibly hard to work on. Farm I lived on N.Wis, the guy had one for running around the property, and farm vehicles generally are a poor representation of a vehicle, but I worked on it, just the design, it ran okay, and was a 4wd, but NOT ONE accessory worked. A restored one like this may be an entirely different story, but like the Mustang ll to Mustang nuts, Bronco fanatics would like to forget the Bronco ll ever existed.
I hold a different opinion but I acknowledge yours. I had an 83 Ranger 4×4 and an 85 Bronco II. Both were excellent vehicles and both had the 2.8 V6. The Ranger was under powered and I put bigger tires on it also. Always got me where I wanted to go and back home just fine. I owned the 85 Bronco II until recently. Power wasn’t much of an issue due to the 4.10 gears. My 2 boys and I made a 1200 mile road trip to Oregon in it and it performed flawlessly. Even going through Death Valley with the A/C on. The lifters have to be adjusted occasionally and the fact that it is gear driven instead of a timing chain do not make them as quite as a mouse. However both were excellent vehicles and I most definitely would own another.
When I see this little rig with its nice Western plow I can’t help thinking what my friend used to say. “Don’t send a boy to do a man’s job” that drivetrain was never designed to handle that kind of work.
What if the job only requires a boy to do the job ? Then sending a man would be a waste of resources 😂
I’m no fan of Consumer Reports, but they didn’t make up the Bronco II’s rollover reputation. IIHS statistics show that the Bronco II is more likely to roll over in an accident than comparable vehicles. That being said, anybody who drives a vintage vehicle has to accept a lower overall level of safety. However, that doesn’t mean I’m going to tempt fate by driving a lifted Bronco II. This thing looks like you could blow it over with a sneeze.
A few comments. I owned an ’86 Bronco II. A decent vehicle as long as one recognized it’s limitations. However, my primary reason for commenting is Never, Never, Ever buy a vehicle that has a snowplow attached to it. Especially a smaller version vehicle. I’ve known far too many people who believe that the way to operate a snowplow equipped vehicle is to back up, stomp on the loud peddle and hit the snowdrift/snow pile at full speed. Definite the quick way to tweaking a frame.
bobk
Hi bob, well, yes and no. I do agree, a plow immediately indicates rough usage. People in warm climates may not understand, it takes a stout vehicle to put up with the demands of plowing snow. A 454 and frame gussets are generally preferred. That rock hidden by the snow will test it.
In some cases though, it can be beneficial. For example, I found my ’51 Willys pickup in the 80’s( now long gone) in a front yard of a farm, it had a plow, and 19,000 original miles. All the guy did with it was plow his (long) driveway for like 30 years, until a rod exited the block. In that case, a plow actually preserved the vehicle, but in most cases, most of all rusty 4×4’s become home plow vehicles, whether they have a floor or not.
Lifting a truck already prone to roll-over strikes me as brilliant. I owned a 1985 with the solid rear axle truck frame. It was a handful under certain conditions. No thanks. We had 15″ of heavy, wet snow last week and I had a guy with a Jeep plow our driveway. It was a lesson on how to destroy a Jeep. I checked the drive for broken parts after he left.
I remember when these came out they were a very cheaply made problematic at best extremely light duty vehicle. When I saw the blade on the front I just about started laughing! This is the perfect vehicle for?????? I couldn’t think of anybody either!
I had one for my first field service vehicle and it had already been thrashed by the tech who had it before me. It started having issues and Ford couldn’t find what was wrong. Definitely not heavy enough to plow snow with. That would’ve killed it quicker.
“Bringing it all the way back”??? “Love and attention”??? You have got to be kidding me. The underhood looks so bad they wouldn’t even show the entire thing in a photo. That’s okay though, because the one of the rusty A/C compressor with NO belt on it speaks volumes. These things were turds from day one, I know, three of my best friends ownd them in the mid-late ’80’s.
If this is your idea of a beautifully restored vehicle, you are not a car person at all. Sorry, but that is the truth.
The seller did a better job on the plow than he did on the Bronco II. $24,500??? I think he’s about three times (or more) high.
Yah I agree he’s high……whenever I see a plow on a small truck, jeep, whatever brand, don’t matter, unless you live in a climate that never gets more than a 3″ snowfall your gona beat that thing to death….bring it to maine, see how long it lasts
I’ve always loved how the back windows curve up over the roof on these Bronco’s. This one is really clean and someone out there is looking to relive their 1980’s youth might grab it because of the lack of clean examples out there.
I was always surprised how long I kept seeing these on the road. Especially living in the rust zone. It’s been a while now since I’ve seen one.
Good for the owner in posting it on BF and supporting the site.
the sno plow comments are interesting. We call it ‘white gold’ & need vehicles 2B there for us (income & possibility of gettin stranded – just drivin or on the job). Any 1 who runs a vehicle for wrk is familiar…
The “II” has its place just like any other. APPLICATION is the whole answ & these have them – seemed to started the whole mini suv thing? Buy the 2WD. Ford just left out the frnt chunk. Put one in & use asa rec vehicle( not lifted this way tho) if you don’t work…
Head gaskets and or head replacement common with less than 100k.
Lift + plow in one = nitemare.
..Although ive seen a few very capable built ones in the 4×4 clubs.
These were left best as lite duty 4wd trails, hunting and ski hill vehicles ..at that they performed quite well i thought…?
Buddy had a stock 5spd 4×4 with decent tires and it was a heck of a good little winter truck.
I owned a 1984 Bronco II. With the short, narrow wheelbase these were great in the mud and snow. That being said the roll over problem was true. I had mine on 2 wheels several times, without it being lifted. The ’84’s came with a 2.8 v6. A low powered, pos engine that I absolutely hated. A rebuild was necessary at about 85,000 miles. The later 2.9’s were better, but not much. I had a stick in mine. I can’t imagine how awful the performance is with an automatic. Being from Minnesota I can attest that this rig would never hold up as a snow plow.
I laughed when I saw the plow on this thing. Really? Just try a reasonably fast stop on pavement. The plow “might” dig into the pavement to help you stop! (lol) But the rear tires will not as they will hanging in the air! We still see these on a regular basis out here in the “no rust west”. But they are beat to death. I always liked the body style, but thought they sat too high. Also being a Ford service & parts manager back in the ’80s, I stocked roof panels to sell to body shops. (at least 1 per month).
I think it’s Hilarious listening to the various opinions 😂 If you’re interested contact the owner if you’re not MoveOn and quit being so negative there’s enough of that in this world and just enjoy the fact that somebody took something that needed to be revived and brought back to life whether you’re into it or not In my 40 years of being a true car guy we’ve always appreciated each other regardless of make model or age