So I'm looking to buy a 1st Gen Bronco. Just trying to get some opinions about what to look out for, any years better than others? I'm looking to buy something stock to mildly built because its going to be a DD for a while, then I'll get into building it probably next spring.
any input would help.
I've been a CJ and YJ guy forever and am looking for a change.
Thanks

Things to look for:

D44 front - D30 has kingpins.
Power steering on mid years and on up
Vacuum assisted brakes on the 76 and 77
T shift D20 has lower gears (slightly) but needs to be torn down to twin stick (think 205)
J shift can be twin sticked with it in the truck - just a linkage mod

Rust spots:
Watch the door posts (front and back)
Floor pans
Windshield cowl

I love my 74' - factory 302/C4/D20 with a D44 front and 9" rear.

Sits you will start to frequent -

classicbroncos.com - this is chalked FULL of information
norcalbroncos.com - has a lot of great information

Parts -
- common rebuild/resto stuff
broncograveyard.com
tomsbroncoparts.com

- upgrade parts
bcbroncos.com
wcb4x4.com

There are more - this is just off the top of my head.

Suggested mods-

Hydroboost brakes (Chev Astro Van)
Twin Stick (pick your poison)
Ford Explorer serpentine swap - good time to drop in an EFI motor as well

well put summary lol

Also the 76/77 came with disc front brakes. However, a chevy disc swap on a drum 44 is easy and fairly cheap.

well put summary lol

Haha - I thought it in his shoes for me. I'd have no idea where to start with Jeeps, so I covered as much as I could to make things easier.

thanks man I appreciate the info.

Did the Broncos produced in the early 70's come with different transmission options? I want to avoid automatics all together, any manuals better than others?
Any major differences between the original 302's vs. swapped in 5.0s fox body mustangs? (other than the obvious carb vs FI) The 5.0 swap seems to be the most popular motor swap for early broncos any particular reason?

The 5.0s in the mustangs (fox body) are roller motors and have a roller cam from the factory they also have 50oz flywheel. The early 302s have a 28oz flywheel. I just built a smallblock for my truck and have way too much money in it for the amount of power it is making compared to a 460. If you have the money i would advise you to get a 460 and swap it in with either propane or some form of fuel injection (if you like rocks ect...). For the same amount of money thrown at a smallblock and a 460 the 460 will beat the smallblock in power most of the time. The only problem with swapping in a bigblock is you have to find a tranny, transfercase, driveshafts, motor mounts, tranny mounts - it starts to get expensive unless you know how to make your own stuff.

They're more commonly called Early Broncos, EBs or Classic Broncos. :)

76 and 77 have a bunch of features that you want; power brakes, disk fronts, power steering, dana 44 front, big bearing rear, electric wipers.

Don't pay a premium just because an EB is "uncut." It's pretty easy to replace rear fenders with new uncut ones.

Alrite sweet I'm learnin the Lingo:smokin:

I'm not about to swap a big block in, this is gunna be a DD for at least a year, I just moved out here to Cali from the East coast, was out of work for 6 months and ran my savings into the ground during that time. So there wont be any funds for a project anytime soon. All the EBs i am finding for sale in this area are running between $9k-15K and some up high $20k's that are way out of my price range.
would any of you guys mind if I run some craiglist ads by you and get your opinion??
So far you guys are proving to be just as helpful as the Jeep guys. I shouldnt have bad-mouthed Ford guys for all these years:flipoff2::smokin:

71-75 is what you want.
In CA, anything 1976 and newer will need to be smogged.

All the stock Manuals are crap. There are ford 303's with different gears depending on years.
If you are stuck on wanting a manual, look for one that someone already swapped a NP435 in. They are common and cheap.

The price range sounds about normal for EBs. Most people with classic vehicles in CA have caught the Barrett Jackson disease and think their rig is worth $50k even though it's a parts basket.

If I had it to do over again, I would find an EB with an engine and transmission combo that needs to be changed out and then put all the parts I want into it.

Then I'd swap in a 351W (or a stroker) and a ZF S5-42, which is incidentally what I have in both my GPW and EB.

Go to ClassicBroncos and be prepared to read for days and days.

Find a cheap one and start messin with it. I've had 4 Jeeps and I'm on my 10th Bronco and no complaints here. :D

For a comfortable DD, 5.0 is nice. For a mildly built DD 5.0 stroked to 347 is very nice. For a bad ass DD a mildly built 5.8L is KICK ASS.

Stock manual trannies sucked. They are grenades waiting to go off. For ultra low 1st gear range, the NP435 is kick ass but, no OD. For moderate wheeling/DD use, NV3500 is a decent swap. For kick ass wheeling/dd use, NV4550 or Ford ZF KICK ASS.

Dont forget to check out SoCalBroncos as well. Great group of people willing to help.

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/socalbroncos/

I have had the stock C-4 auto and the stock 3 speed. They both suck. But now I have an NP-435, with an over drive unit from AA. I love it! I can crawl most stuff in 4WH and the granny gear. And I can do 70 on the freeway.

I'll piss off a few fellow EB owner by saying this, but I'm ok with that; never rebuild a 302 or replace your existing 302 with a 302. Building / swapping a 351 Windsor is just too easy to ever justify sticking with the 302.

71-75 is what you want.
In CA, anything 1976 and newer will need to be smogged.

All the stock Manuals are crap. There are ford 303's with different gears depending on years.
If you are stuck on wanting a manual, look for one that someone already swapped a NP435 in. They are common and cheap.

X2, I kinda screwed myself. I have a 77 and have to get smog checks. The things that make a 76-77 better can be swapped in.

I'll piss off a few fellow EB owner by saying this, but I'm ok with that; never rebuild a 302 or replace your existing 302 with a 302. Building / swapping a 351 Windsor is just too easy to ever justify sticking with the 302.

I agree with this 100%... My last "build" I had a mildly built 351W and had no problems running circles around a friends 347 Stroker. Just too much natural power/torque in the W over the 302.

ok good to know,
what do you think of these??

http://4x4him.com/forum/index.php?topic=4251.0

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/1442041068.html

I really like the yellow one, except its yellow. but thats not a huge deal. seems like a solid rig though. And the guy selling it has been amazing with giving me every detail about, we've been emailing for weeks now, the big problem with that one is its like 4 hours away.

The Blue one in the 2nd ad is closer and cheaper, but I dont know a whole lot more about it than is listed in the very vague craigslist listing.

2nd one's been deleted already.

Watch Craigslist up here in Nor cal, Sacramento. Some pretty good deals can be had :smokin:
Rick-

things to look for good luck.
http://old.cobronco.org/tech/writeups/buy.htm
http://broncograveyard.com/support/6677specs.php
http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86541
http://www.broncohio.com/tech/broncochart.html