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Looking to buy a 79, need advice

3K views 38 replies 14 participants last post by  MrKris 
#1 ·
I am looking to trade my motorcycle for a 79 Bronco with a 351M/Auto trans. From the pics in the ad and talking to the owner through email, it looks good, but so did my 93 until I started to really dig around in it.

1. Is this a good engine/trans combo or am I looking at a hassle with dependability and parts? I don't have the funds for a 460 swap any time soon.

2. What red flags do I need to be looking for? Are there sights/sounds/leaks I need to be on the lookout for that will lead to costly repairs?

It will be my daily driver while the 93 is down. I might pull the 351W in the 93 to fix the oil leaks and such, or just sell it as is and keep the 79.

I got an excellent deal on the bike because it needed repairs. I did the work myself, so it would be (possibly) a great trade for me price wise and a great trade for him value wise. The bike is probably worth $1500 more than I priced it at, just because I got a deal on it and was able to fix it myself without a whole lot of investment (just parts).

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I just DON'T want to get screwed like I did on the 93.
 
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#2 ·
When buying a 34 year old vehicle of any kind, my advice is to always be ready for costly repairs. Im sure the 351M can be reliable enough if taken care of, but it is better used as a boat anchor.
 
#3 ·
as long as it runs & shifts good, it'll be quite reliable even w/the stock 2 bbl.i like to check all fluids except the diffs.esp the tranny fluid...should not be burnt smelling,if it is...probably looking at a rebuild in its future.tailgates rust quickly on these, but that's easy to spot.have a good look at the floorboards and fenderwells for rust/previous patch jobs.i would expect a few minor leaks, being a '79 and a ford:rofl:major leaks should throw up a red flag.
 
#9 ·
Cause it's so much fun, especially with the top off.

I fixed the first post.

From an email - " the squeak is from the tappets if you hold the rpm's at the right amount it will make a very slight noise, but if you are driving normally you can not hear it, only if you give it a little gas while coasting but not enough to pick up speed."

and

"It has a little bit of rust in the front floor pans that is visible ( because all the carpet has been removed ready for rhino liner)"
 
#12 ·
It has a small leak from the front of the transmission , will leak about 2"x 2"over a couple of days and then stops. It has a new steel trans pan, I wonder if that is where the drip is coming from. Maybe it is bent around the lip are torqued down wrong and causing a gap.





 
#13 ·
It's crooked looking... across the hood is not parallel to across the roof and there's a wrinkle behind the C pillar that says to me it took a hard hit.

I'd take a very close look at the frame, follow it down the road to see if it dogtracks, drive it and see if it pulls to one side.
 
#18 ·
there's a wrinkle behind the C pillar that says to me it took a hard hit.
I saw the wrinkles behind the C and those had me a little concerned.
I think the wrinkles you guys are speaking of is just the look of the paint from water run off from the hardtop.

The alignment of the front bumper to grill shell is near perfect other than where the bumper is bent. If it had any frame damage it would show up there.
 
#16 ·
I own 3 of these beasts. Here is my 2 cents worth. That rig is worth about $1,200 to me. I have 3 running rigs, and I haven't paid over $900 for any of them. All need a little work, but nothing too major. If you are looking to get a DD, be ready to spend money to make it reliable enough.

The 351M is a good enough engine, but you will find a lot of folks that will poo poo them. The good news is that they are easy enough to work on. Check and make sure the wiring hasn't been hacked and spliced. Also, check the bottom part of the tailgate for rust. Check the rear window and see if it works.

Look behind the bumper and under the wheel wells for mud and dirt that might indicate wheeling.

All that being said, get the 79, if you want a '79. If it has a good interior, no body damage or rust, and the engine sounds good, then make him an offer around what he said he paid for it, assuming the work he said had been done actually has been done.

For the money you are going to spend on the rig, I am sure you could make your '93 into a reliable DD. but like I said....if you WANT a 79, then get it, just don't over pay.
 
#17 ·
Thanks for those posts, that's why I came here. I saw the wrinkles behind the C and those had me a little concerned. Looks like it came down hard on the front from jumping a ditch or plowing into something. The only problem is, it's about 2-2.5 hours away, so it's a major investment of time and money just to go look at it. I think I may just hold off buying that one and try to find a cheaper one to tinker on. Especially if I can find a sub-$1k one that isn't a heap.

Yes, I do want a 78-79, but not bad enough to get taken advantage of.
 
#19 ·
BTW....look at the alignmeemt do the passenger door, where it meets the front passenger fender. Is it my eyes, or does something seem off?

On the positive side, the interior seems to look nice and there doesn't appear to be any rust... But only a closer inspection can really tell.

That is the problem with looking at photos on CL....the photos seem to make the rig look better than they are, when you see them in person. Paint always looks better and the dents and dings don't alway show up.

Good luck!
 
#25 ·
There's good deals like you got all over the US. you just have to be smart and form your own evaluation of how much they have in parts in the vehicle and what it's worth. There are a lot of trucks that keep getting reposted for months and years on CL looking for sucker that doesn't know better.
 
#22 ·
I'm probably going to go ahead with it. He seems like a straight shooter through our email conversations. He is also connecting with Google talk here in a bit to stream live with it running so I can see and listen to it. At least as good as a phone will pick up. Nothing is going to be a substitute for actually being there, but it's more than most have offered.

More pics:









 
#23 ·
list of work done/parts replaced recently:
-Rebuilt Carburetor
- Intake Manifold Gasket
- Fuel Filters
- Fuel Hose’s
- Fuel Pump
-Distributor (including Rotor and Cap)
- Starter Motor
- Fly Wheel
- Battery
- Starter Solenoid
- Starter Rectifier
- Steel Transmission Pan
- Belts
- Front Brake Caliper’s
- Front Brake Line’s
- Front Brake Hose’s
- Front Brake Pads
- F250 Front Steering Stabilizer Shock
- Power Steering Pump
- Front Rubber Suspension Misc Parts
- Door and front window seals and rubbers
- Stereo/ CD player and Speakers
 
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