Not having parts is what has stopped a lot of progress on my Bronco 2, and Ranger, and well pretty much every vehicle I've ever wanted to work on. If you have them on hand and are starting to work on it, you are more apt to actually finish the project than if you have to wait for parts, or go pull parts, etc. Right now my Bronco 2 is doing pretty well, need to find my horrendous exhaust leak, sounds like on the driver's side maybe around the header where it connects to that y-pipe, as well as rear hatch seal, and reseal around the drip rails or whatever they're called above the doors, seatbelts get wet when its raining...so must be leaking from those drip rails down into the seatbelt housing area. Also need to repair the wiring to the trailer light receptacle (PO used those stupid Scotch Lock crimp connectors and spliced into the wiring).
Its a project, but once you get it done you'll be very happy and proud of it. I've sunk a lot of money into my Bronco 2....about $13k as a matter of fact, but not like you can run to the dealership and buy a new one...other than cosmetic stuff now mine is pretty good....replacement engine, rebuilt transmission, brakes replaced, etc. I've had mine for about 4 years, and still slowly getting things done on it as I find time, and find the parts and figure out what I want to do. Getting ready to paint the lower blue strip on my Ranger then probably do a repaint on the Bronco 2 as well, hoping to do this year before winter.