Mac2Night
Bronco Guru
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2005
- Messages
- 2,204
So, I wanted to share that there truly is hope for those of us who chase after those Broncos that seem just out of our grasp. Those Broncos we see for years just sitting waiting for us to bring them back to life or at least give them a better life than the one they have. So with that, here is my story......
Over 10 years ago, on a 70 mph Interstate-81 drive from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where I grew up, southward to our current home in the Atlanta-area, I spot what appeared to be an early Bronco peaking from out behind a house waaaaayyyyy up on a ridge. Not only was it way up a wooded ridge, it was also across the North-bound lanes of the Interstate, over a line of trees and 0ver 10 acres of pasture. While it was merely a flash of what I thought was a Bronco, I wasn't for certain. Of course, I was with my wife and kids and no one supported a U-turn off the Interstate to go and investigate.
On the next trip up to the Valley almost 8 months later, I confirmed that I was actually correct, it was what turned out to be a '77 dark jade green Bronco Sport! On the South-bound return to Georgia, I exited and drove up to the house on the ridge. While the house was vacant and the nearest neighbor a half mile away didn't know anything about the owner, I was not to be defeated so easily. Upon further detective work, I found the registration card (yes, I looked in the glovebox) and took a photo of it with my phone. Weeds were all grown up around it but the truck appeared to be really solid and original. I was determined to find the owner!
Well, while the internet is typically a helpful tool in research, It proved useless in the search for the owner. You see, the home the bronco was parked was not the address on the registration. At that point I didn't know if the registration was from a previous owner or the current title holder. For years, I would stare at the photos I had snapped of the truck and for years, I would drive by it just sitting there. It was enough to make me crazy!
This past July, I contacted a college buddy who is now a detective in the area but no luck there. I decided it was time to do another internet search for the owner and low and behold, an obituary for someone with the same name, only a Sr. pulled up online. Listed there in the list of surviving relatives was the man whose name had haunted my dreams for over ten years. While the obit confirmed he was alive, I was no closer to finding a phone number or address for the registered owner. Feeling hopeless, I decided to start searching down the list of relatives who were in the obituary. On my first attempt, I located the name, address and phone number for someone who was listed but with a different last name, but who turned out to be the key to the puzzle.
Two weeks ago, I headed up to VA to pick up a new Bernese Mountain dog pup and the breeder was only 20 miles from the parked Bronco and another 30 mile in the other direction from the address I had uncovered for the relative. Not knowing when I would be back up to see family, I cruised by to confirm the truck was still there and then drove the tense 30 mile to the address I had. Long story short, the relative put me in touch with the owner and I now own a 1977 Dark Jade Green Bronco Sport!
Here are some photos of where I saw it from the Interstate, how it sat for 10+ years and now in my possession! The truck has (4) minor rust holes in the lower taillight housings, rear passenger side quarter and lower tailgate. The belt line trim had also been removed and grommets were inserted in the holes and black paint was sprayed to keep the holes from rusting. The interior is near perfect with zero rips or tears in the seats and it has a deal-installed A/C unit. While it's not been driven in a while, I feel positive it won't take much to put it back on the road...... fingers crossed!
So, my son and I now have a project we can't wait to get started on!
Over 10 years ago, on a 70 mph Interstate-81 drive from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where I grew up, southward to our current home in the Atlanta-area, I spot what appeared to be an early Bronco peaking from out behind a house waaaaayyyyy up on a ridge. Not only was it way up a wooded ridge, it was also across the North-bound lanes of the Interstate, over a line of trees and 0ver 10 acres of pasture. While it was merely a flash of what I thought was a Bronco, I wasn't for certain. Of course, I was with my wife and kids and no one supported a U-turn off the Interstate to go and investigate.
On the next trip up to the Valley almost 8 months later, I confirmed that I was actually correct, it was what turned out to be a '77 dark jade green Bronco Sport! On the South-bound return to Georgia, I exited and drove up to the house on the ridge. While the house was vacant and the nearest neighbor a half mile away didn't know anything about the owner, I was not to be defeated so easily. Upon further detective work, I found the registration card (yes, I looked in the glovebox) and took a photo of it with my phone. Weeds were all grown up around it but the truck appeared to be really solid and original. I was determined to find the owner!
Well, while the internet is typically a helpful tool in research, It proved useless in the search for the owner. You see, the home the bronco was parked was not the address on the registration. At that point I didn't know if the registration was from a previous owner or the current title holder. For years, I would stare at the photos I had snapped of the truck and for years, I would drive by it just sitting there. It was enough to make me crazy!
This past July, I contacted a college buddy who is now a detective in the area but no luck there. I decided it was time to do another internet search for the owner and low and behold, an obituary for someone with the same name, only a Sr. pulled up online. Listed there in the list of surviving relatives was the man whose name had haunted my dreams for over ten years. While the obit confirmed he was alive, I was no closer to finding a phone number or address for the registered owner. Feeling hopeless, I decided to start searching down the list of relatives who were in the obituary. On my first attempt, I located the name, address and phone number for someone who was listed but with a different last name, but who turned out to be the key to the puzzle.
Two weeks ago, I headed up to VA to pick up a new Bernese Mountain dog pup and the breeder was only 20 miles from the parked Bronco and another 30 mile in the other direction from the address I had uncovered for the relative. Not knowing when I would be back up to see family, I cruised by to confirm the truck was still there and then drove the tense 30 mile to the address I had. Long story short, the relative put me in touch with the owner and I now own a 1977 Dark Jade Green Bronco Sport!
Here are some photos of where I saw it from the Interstate, how it sat for 10+ years and now in my possession! The truck has (4) minor rust holes in the lower taillight housings, rear passenger side quarter and lower tailgate. The belt line trim had also been removed and grommets were inserted in the holes and black paint was sprayed to keep the holes from rusting. The interior is near perfect with zero rips or tears in the seats and it has a deal-installed A/C unit. While it's not been driven in a while, I feel positive it won't take much to put it back on the road...... fingers crossed!
So, my son and I now have a project we can't wait to get started on!
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