Questions on original spare tire covers

[tbruz]

I have an opportunity to pick up two EB spare tire covers , one black one white; both in vey good to excellent condition.

My understanding is that all original 67- 77 spare covers exhibit the following:
1- Are 27" across the "face"
2- Have reddish-orange piping around the circumference
3- Have an opaque liner inside
4- The lettering and bronco emblem are separate pieces stitched or applied to the base color.

Am I correct in assuming that if the piping is black and the letters/horse are embossed in the base that these are likely not original Original on 1978+ Full size Broncos
Perhaps the second gen bronco covers were this way?

Appreciate any help and guidance provided.
Tbruz

 

[.94 OR]

I'll be curious to see what you find out. When I bought mine in '89 it had a 31" spare tire and had a white cover with black letters/horse. It looked like something factory but it may have come off a newer FSB instead.

 

[LUBr LuvR]

Fairly certain early Bronco covers were only on Rangers and Explorers, off white with the burnt orange welt. Lettering was either “Bronco Ranger” or “Bronco Explorer”.
Early ‘73s did not get the bucking horse in the center, all other Rangers did. Explorer centers were a compass.



Full size Bronco covers were black or white, and lettering was “Ford Bronco” with the bucking horse. Some later models (Eddie Bauer - were other colors/tan? and just a signature)





If anyone has an original Explorer cover they’re willing to part with, I’m interested!

 

[.94 OR]

Good info. Quite sure mine was off a FSB given your description and the option for a 31" tire from the factory.

 

[tbruz]

Whats a full size Bronco spare cover $ value ; Both in excellent to very good shape?
Thanks

 

[fordfan]

Thanks LUBr Luvr for the pictures and the explanation for the Bronco Tire Covers. Yes, I'm with you on the black and white versions being on the fullsize. From my studies, the white with the black graphics were on the '78 and '79 and the black with the white graphics were on later FSBs.

One early Bronco tire cover that is almost a unicorn is the one with just the letters "Ford Bronco", not "Ranger", and no bucking horse. It has the orange piping like the cover that was optional on the Ranger and the Explorer. There's old magazine test pictures of an early Bronco with one of the 'horseless' covers.. I have an NOS one too, but has some considerable 'shelf wear'.