1973 Bronco with 495 Original Miles

[andyp]

Awesome truck Andy, congrats!
Better add this thread to the lowest mileage Bronco thread for reference.
Is it in MO now or CA? I would like to see it some time!

It's in CA

 

[DirtDonk]

Even if it was on a trailer, that's the longest trip it's had in it's entire life!

Paul

 

[sprdv1]

Another one saved is always a good thing.

Back in 2006 when it was purchased from the original owner and put in a warehouse the new owner cleaned it up so all that dirt is long gone.
He parked it and it didn't move until April of this year.

Here is more from Andrew's report:

"The brake system has been cleaned and wheel cylinders replaced, but are otherwise original. The original wheel
cylinders have been retained in a box for later re-installation if desired.
Besides the fuel tanks having been out for cleaning, the only change from original is that the underside of the truck
was cleaned with an abrasive and sprayed semi-gloss black. The seller told us that the Bronco exhibited some
surface rust from sitting so long at the rental property carport for all the years leading up to his purchase. The
carport he pulled it from had a dirt floor. Tall grass had grown up into the undercarriage causing generally dirty
conditions. All axle tags are present, and the underside shows no current signs of rust or rust pitting."

 

[elan]

This is all good, but, I got to thinking, what do you do with it? What do you do with the lowest mileage Bronco on the planet, is there another one?
Would I like to own it? But of course.
It would still be the same dilemma.

 

[andyp]

This is all good, but, I got to thinking, what do you do with it? What do you do with the lowest mileage Bronco on the planet, is there another one?
Would I like to own it? But of course.
It would still be the same dilemma.

I had / have the same thoughts. At the end of end day I decided the opportunity to get it was something I just could not pass up.
The Bronco isn't pristine (well, a lot of it is ), but that just shows how it was stored outside in Missouri for all those years.
My plan for now is to keep it clean, make sure it runs, document everything as best as I can then show it around when possible.

 

[sprdv1]

I had / have the same thoughts. At the end of end day I decided the opportunity to get it was something I just could not pass up.
The Bronco isn't pristine (well, a lot of it is ), but that just shows how it was stored outside in Missouri for all those years.
My plan for now is to keep it clean, make sure it runs, document everything as best as I can then show it around when possible.

Don't blame you at all... If it's something you can do, and have the means. Hell yes do it

 

[andyp]

More from the Norton report:

" The tires on this Bronco match the Marti Report of size and
brand. Furthermore, they are date coded for 50th week of 1972, and the truck was completed at Ford on December 22, 1972, so the tires were 2 weeks old when installed on the Bronco. The tires are dry rotted, but the rear tires have new-tire nipples still visible, some even on the tread portion itself."

 

[half cab]

Hayle...48 yr old nipples. ...she's still young lol in my book anyway

 

[JefeAZ]

So is this the lowest mileage Bronco discovered in the last 10, 15, 20 years? Are there are other sub 1,000 mile Broncos?

 

[toddz69]

So is this the lowest mileage Bronco discovered in the last 10, 15, 20 years? Are there are other sub 1,000 mile Broncos?

Yes, we believe so.

Todd Z.

 

[fordfan]

Its very probable that many of the Broncos that were sold brand new had more mileage than this one when they were sold, especially if they languished around the lot for very long.. Many times Marti reports show that the unit was on the lot for a while before they were sold. A few test drives to prospective purchasers, salesman driving it to the gas station, and to lunch showing it off and you have that many miles...

 

[andyp]

Here is the brand new (in 1972) spare tire. The tire cover is pretty brittle and I don't think it can be taken off without damage so it's going to have to stay on.

 

[fordfan]

Baby oil can help soften the brittle vinyl of the cover, but I'm with you, I still wouldn't take it off. I've softened several original ones by rubbing the oil on it every few days. It's thin enough that it seems to penetrate right into the fabric.

 

[Hotrodjohn]

No Ranger on the tire cover? Wonder if it was replaced or some Rangers came without it. Todd Z?

 

[fordfan]

No Ranger on the tire cover? Wonder if it was replaced or some Rangers came without it. Todd Z?

Todd can probably shed more light on it, but it seems like many of the '73 Rangers had the cover that is on Andy's. I have a NOS one like the one pictured without the bucking horse graphic and it just says "Ford Bronco". It has the orange piping like Andy's also. It seems that the orange piping came about with the Ranger package and the white and red-orange vinyl striping graphics on the body and hood. The orange on the cover was a match, but it took a little to get the "Ranger" and the bucking bronco on it.

 

[toddz69]

Todd can probably shed more light on it, but it seems like many of the '73 Rangers had the cover that is on Andy's. I have a NOS one like the one pictured without the bucking horse graphic and it just says "Ford Bronco". It has the orange piping like Andy's also. It seems that the orange piping came about with the Ranger package and the white and red-orange vinyl striping graphics on the body and hood. The orange on the cover was a match, but it took a little to get the "Ranger" and the bucking bronco on it.

Fordfan is correct - it's been my observation that a lot of the '73s have the 'Ford Bronco' lettering on them. The '73 brochure doesn't give any clues. The '73 Data Book mentions both. In their 'New Things for the '73 Bronco' page, it says the tire cover is like this one with 'Ford Bronco' on it. In the Bronco details pages of the book, it lists the tire cover as having 'Bronco Ranger' on it. In the Brooklands book of road tests, Bill Stroppe's personal '73 Ranger was used in a road test for a '75 article and it's shown with the 'Ford Bronco' tire cover too.

Todd Z.

 

[JGbronc]

Fordfan is correct - it's been my observation that a lot of the '73s have the 'Ford Bronco' lettering on them. The '73 brochure doesn't give any clues. The '73 Data Book mentions both. In their 'New Things for the '73 Bronco' page, it says the tire cover is like this one with 'Ford Bronco' on it. In the Bronco details pages of the book, it lists the tire cover as having 'Bronco Ranger' on it. In the Brooklands book of road tests, Bill Stroppe's personal '73 Ranger was used in a road test for a '75 article and it's shown with the 'Ford Bronco' tire cover too.

Todd Z.

I agree with Todd and Dennis. It seems that Ranger was left off the tire cover for a period, as well as the glovebox door for '73.

 

[andyp]

Great info on the tire cover guys, thanks.

Here's a couple pics I just took a few hours ago. I had never noticed the wiper cover fading before today.

 

[andyp]

Here's a couple more "this Bronco hasn't moved for years pictures"

All four wheel covers have this similar level of paint fading on the black painted areas. You can see where the tops of the covers were more sun exposed. Pretty cool.

 

[904Bronco]

Those Factory Tires are definitely Done! Surprised they even hold air...