1966 Bronco - Unique Features

[akc1955]

Here is a list of unique features for 1966 Broncos.

This thread has three sections: Exterior, Interior and Engine Compartment.

Exterior

-- Eyebrow grille, 1966-70 headlight surrounds without adjusters, 1966-68 small clear turn signal lenses
-- Tail lights without backup lights, different tailgate body line
-- 1966-68 removable door tops
-- Door locks above body line
-- Straight bumper ends
-- 1966-68 fold-down windshield frame with catch and hood loop
-- 1966-68 windshield frame has square holes to mount vacuum wipers
-- 1966-68 vacuum windshield wipers
-- Rocker panel racing stripe, no side marker lights, lower kick panels are shorter and have no bracing for the front fenders
-- Forward mounted rear shocks, no self-adjusting brakes
-- Different fill plug position on Ford 9" rear axle
-- Brass 90-degree fill plug on Dana 30 front axle

Interior

-- Gray dashboard, different dash knobs, 1966-67 “pencil style” dash pad, horizontal speaker grill
-- Non-locking transfer case shifter, different transfer case shift boot and shift knob
-- Door panels, armrest, door and window crank handles are different and use set screws on the side
-- Window-frame mounted rear-view mirror, two defroster ducts
-- Driver-side metal fresh-air box
-- 1966-67 VIN tag on driver-side kick panel
-- “Rain gutter” above the control pedals
-- 1966-67 black pull-to-release seat belts
-- 1966-67(?) speedometer tick marks outside of the numbers
-- No indentation on driver-side seat box for the chrome Ford emblem

Engine Compartment

-- 1966-(?) oil bath air cleaner
-- Radiator fill cap offset to the driver side
-- Single-reservoir master cylinder
-- Carburetor has a different size throttle bore
-- Brace between inner fender and firewall on passenger side
-- Different hood bracing, hood prop rod, prop rod hole
-- 1966-67 windshield washer bag

 

[bigpitbull]

Typical early 66. Nice!

 

[thegreatjustino]

headlight surrounds without adjusters

The holes to access the adjusters were added in 1971


clear turn signal lenses

Were a 66/67 part.

Otherwise, a pretty cool and thorough list.

 

[Broncitis]

Several of the items you mentioned are also 67 or 67+ details as well.

Washer fluid bag on 66-67
VIN on kick panel 66-67
Vacuum wipers on 66-68
Speedo tic marks on 66,67-?
Clear small turn signal lenses also on 66-68

I do not believe the 90 degree fill on the Dana 30 is original. I've had several 66's and none had that.

I'm pretty sure the oil bath air cleaner was also available later, but the only one I have had is on our 66 six cylinders, our 67 and most other have been V8's.

There is no Ford body tag because Ford did not build the early tubs, I beleive Budd made them. There are some minor differences in the Budd and Ford tubs, one is the lack of indent for the tag as you mentioned, another is on the kick panel. On the Budd body, it does not extend down past the floor as much when you look inside the front wheel wells as the Ford tub does. Probably some other minor differences between them as well if you compare them close enough.

 

[BRONCROB]

Sounds about right...Where did you learn so much about the 66?

 

[akc1955]

I just read a lot of other people's earlier work! All I did was organize it into one thread.

 

[half cab]

Good job..here is another thread

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217512

 

[Viperwolf1]

Here are some other differences you could add.

Hood prop rod and hood hole are different.

Inner passenger fender to firewall brace.

 

[casadejohnson]

Lets not forget about the early dash pad, 2 instead of 3 defrost ducts, and rear view mirror mounted to windshield frame rather than the windshield

 

[clarrance]

I have seen a couple early 66 Budd bodied Broncos with a rubber access plug in the upper inside rear drivers quarter panel. I don't know what it was for.

66-67 interior door handles, arm rests, door panels were different. I think if my memory is correct the 66 handles used a set screw to grab the shafts of the window crank and door lever. instead of the more common way the machine thread bolt goes into the end of the shaft to hold he handle on.

66 rear seat arm rest were different too. The were flat instead of contoured around he seat frame like the later years.

66 year only silver colored seats.

66 year only hub caps

66 year only horn button

66 year only transfer case shifter knob. (Although Ford used this knob on the 1970's High Boy Trucks too)

66 year only hard top, with different bracing and lock mechanism on lift gate

I think it is safe to say that there were a lot of differences on the 1966 Bronco

 

[eaglenest66]

Several of the items you mentioned are also 67 or 67+ details as well.

Washer fluid bag on 66-67
VIN on kick panel 66-67
Vacuum wipers on 66-68
Speedo tic marks on 66,67-?
Clear small turn signal lenses also on 66-68

I do not believe the 90 degree fill on the Dana 30 is original. I've had several 66's and none had that.

I'm pretty sure the oil bath air cleaner was also available later, but the only one I have had is on our 66 six cylinders, our 67 and most other have been V8's.

There is no Ford body tag because Ford did not build the early tubs, I beleive Budd made them. There are some minor differences in the Budd and Ford tubs, one is the lack of indent for the tag as you mentioned, another is on the kick panel. On the Budd body, it does not extend down past the floor as much when you look inside the front wheel wells as the Ford tub does. Probably some other minor differences between them as well if you compare them close enough.

Hey Drew, my September (2nd. month) build original roadster still has the buck tag and appears to be the Budd body. Only conclusion that I could come up with is that the bodies were hauled in for assembly and the tags hung from the passenger side firewall with a very thin wire while going down the line. Also, not screwed on like some of the others I heard of.

A very great and dear bronco brother (Lew Rosenberg) who we lost earlier this year also pointed out to me that there is a difference between the '66 and '67 speedos. Not the tics so much but the font of the numbers is different! Very subtle but different.

 

[gray gables]

square cut bumpers, nice, where can I find those,

 

[Scoop]

Very subtle, but the number of tangs on the fender "Bronco" script emblem will be 1 or 2 less on 66 to ??. Don't pull them off to check! Lol

 

[fordfan]

square cut bumpers, nice, where can I find those,

I think you can find them the same place as Hen's Teeth!;D;D

Let's just say it's hard to find clean ones!

 

[Broncobowsher]

The vacuum wipers didn't end in '68. The vacuum wipers and hood tie down carried over into the early '69 models. But the removable window frames really did end in '68.

Also should point out the '66-'67 inside door handles, those are special compared to '68 and newer.

I thought the window crank was special to '66 only as well?

 

[BRONCROB]

My 67 has the same tailgate as a 66.Does anyone know if they changed later that year or did all 67s have them?

 

[Broncitis]

I think you can find them the same place as Hen's Teeth!;D;D

Let's just say it's hard to find clean ones!

The Bumper Boyz claimed to have a rechromed one when I asked when I saw them at the Carlisle Truck show. They must have found out the 66 is rare, cause they wanted $300 or $350 for it. It was not on the truck with the 1000+ other bumpers they haul, but at one of their warehouses. They have a couple semis and crews that hit dozens of shows a year all over the country.

 

[Broncitis]

Hey Drew, my September (2nd. month) build original roadster still has the buck tag and appears to be the Budd body. Only conclusion that I could come up with is that the bodies were hauled in for assembly and the tags hung from the passenger side firewall with a very thin wire while going down the line. Also, not screwed on like some of the others I heard of.

A very great and dear bronco brother (Lew Rosenberg) who we lost earlier this year also pointed out to me that there is a difference between the '66 and '67 speedos. Not the tics so much but the font of the numbers is different! Very subtle but different.

The only buck tags I have seen have also been wired on. My dad's 1st week/month production 66 U13 is like that and my mother's '67 U14 also has the buck tag wired on. Both are Budd bodies. Not sure when FoMoCo took over production of the bodies?

 

[gray gables]

I think you can find them the same place as Hen's Teeth!;D;D

Let's just say it's hard to find clean ones!

even if I found some dirty ones I could clean them and get them re-chromed.

 

[hightime]

The only buck tags I have seen have also been wired on. My dad's 1st week/month production 66 U13 is like that and my mother's '67 U14 also has the buck tag wired on. Both are Budd bodies. Not sure when FoMoCo took over production of the bodies?

How did you know it was the first week of Aug. '65? Mine was made in Aug. but I'm not sure how soon.