So...I'm new here, this is my first post. I have an 84 XLT longbed with a 5.8 H.O. I'm hoping to restore it but I have limited funds and equipment at the moment. I don't know a lot about working on vehicle but I'm pretty mechanically inclined. I guess the question i want to ask right now is, where do I start? I'm not worried about body or interior at the moment.

 

I assume that you will want to drive the truck while working on it. You need to give the truck a good look over. Starting with the brakes, tires, fuel system, everything that makes it safe to drive. Once you can drive it safely, you will start noticing things that may require attention. The engine and trans will be the biggest costs at one time. Just take your time. I rebuilt an engine once by buying one piece at a time, when money was available, then once I had all the parts, I sent the block and heads to the machine shop.

 

Buy the oldest red-cover Haynes manual you can find (eBay, CraigsList, Half.com, library...) and read it cover-to-cover. Then go back & DO everything in Ch.1 that applies to your truck.

 

i just recently sold my 84 bronco. when i bought it was a piece, it ran pretty strong but needed alot of work. when i first got it i took it to a buddies shop and had it looked over and got a list of what was needed to be down. slowly bought piece by piece replaced what i could then took it in for the rest. cheapest to go that route imo.

take a good look at the tranny. strong trannys on them. get it flushed and get the leaks sealed. mine needed hardly any work and it had 180k on her.

good luck. i regret sellin the 84. absolutley love the body style of that model trucks