how rare are the pony seat interior?

[bmc69]

This picture is from the same Bronco at Broncorama, sorry for the crappy cel phone pic.

Its hard to tell for sure...but those pony inserts look like they are taller than the ones used in the Mustang rear seats...by as much as 2 inches. Same pattern for sure, and the little chrome bit inset..but taller overall. What do y'all think?

Interesting.

 

[Scoop]

Its hard to tell for sure...but those pony inserts look like they are taller than the ones used in the Mustang rear seats...by as much as 2 inches. Same pattern for sure, and the little chrome bit inset..but taller overall. What do y'all think?

Interesting.

I think someone just took a Mustang rear seat over and and used the front panel only - resewn to fit the Bronco rear seat. The Mustang ones have the "tuck and roll" going over the top which would give plenty of material to make the Bronco version look taller (where there is a separate top piece).

 

[JGbronc]

Here are some pics of the one I had. Like I said, as far as I could tell, they are the only covers that were ever on the seat. So if the PO theory is true, they would have had to find a new seat frame, foam, and the wood backing. Doesn't seem likely. Plus the one BajaFresh75 had was all the evidence I needed.

 

[kb6677]

Here are the seats in my '66 U14-one more sorry for the crappy cp. pics!!

 

[matts460]

I suppose those seats really could be rare option of sorts but for the most part thats just the running pony interior from mustangs and you can buy the seat covers from most all the mustang vendors! Im looking at my Mustangs unlimited catalog right now comparing pics.LOL It would be no sweat to remake those seats front and rear for any bronco my moms an upolster we have done tons of running poney interiors over the years! Can easlily cut out the pony inserts and sew them to any pattern/material! Pretty intresting post and pics. If Ford was using running pony stuff in Broncos then i guess its ok to use running pony Floor mats too. LOL

 

[broncnaz]

I still say it was a dealer done item. back in the day it wouldnt have been hard to get new plywood foam or anything else. heck they wouldnt need any of that all they would do is order a seat then change the cover. Not real hard to do.
You also have to remember that sometimes things could be ordered from the factory even if it wasnt a actual option for that vehicle. Can anyone measure a mustang rear seat and compare it to a bronco rear seat? might be close enough to fit.
At this point the Only real proof would be a build sheet listing the option

 

[fatboy]

I will try and go measure my father in laws pony rear seat but looking at jgbronc's picture I am not sure the rear seat cover of the mustang would fit without some resewing.

 

[fordfan]

I have seen several "Pony" interiors, and more of the rear seats than the front and rears. (Fronts worn out and trashed!) The "option" is definitely pegging the "cool meter"! This same discussion has come up before if it was actually a factory option. I really had my doubts several years ago, but the past several years I have seen the interiors from all over the country, even one '66 that was beyond bringing back....had been sitting in a field for years and years,(in the midwest) and it had the "pony" interior. The person trying to sell it didn't even know about the interior; it was just a rusting has been of a Bronco...

Seeing the same interiors all over the country on the '66 and '67 tells me plainly that "Pony Interiors" were a factory option! I don't think you will be able to find code on the vin tag of a '66 that tells the interior "Pony" code, nor can you get a Marti report on a '66! .....This is just my .02!!!!

 

[JGbronc]

Seeing the same interiors all over the country on the '66 and '67 tells me plainly that "Pony Interiors" were a factory option!

Finally, someone agrees!

 

[matts460]

One thing umm the running pony is a mustang thing anyway why would you have that in a Bronco? The Broncos logo is a BUCKING Bronco! It just doesnt make sence. If thats the case has anybody ever seen a Bucking bronco in a Mustang? My wife and i just recovered our factory bronco seats theres nothing to the rear seat its soooo simple just plywood! Also the seat foam is nothing to get hold of, thats small potatoes. I could have my Mom whip up the same running pony/bronco seats as pictured here in a day. Also it wouldent have been hard to get hold of running pony seats back in the day from a junkyard and have them modified at upolstry shop! Think about it people get late model Mustangs seats all the time for variouse builds. I dunno it just doesnt seem right to have a RUNNING pony in a Bronco, does it to you folks? Dont get me wrong it looks nice it just would make much sence coming from the factory in my opinion. I have reproductions of the Bronco brouchurs and there no info on pony seats. Hmm what a mystery from Ford! Mabey somebody can find some facts?

 

[kb6677]

One thing umm the running pony is a mustang thing anyway why would you have that in a Bronco? The Broncos logo is a BUCKING Bronco! It just doesnt make sence. If thats the case has anybody ever seen a Bucking bronco in a Mustang? My wife and i just recovered our factory bronco seats theres nothing to the rear seat its soooo simple just plywood! Also the seat foam is nothing to get hold of, thats small potatoes. I could have my Mom whip up the same running pony/bronco seats as pictured here in a day. Also it wouldent have been hard to get hold of running pony seats back in the day from a junkyard and have them modified at upolstry shop! Think about it people get late model Mustangs seats all the time for variouse builds. I dunno it just doesnt seem right to have a RUNNING pony in a Bronco, does it to you folks? Dont get me wrong it looks nice it just would make much sence coming from the factory in my opinion. I have reproductions of the Bronco brouchurs and there no info on pony seats. Hmm what a mystery from Ford! Mabey somebody can find some facts?

On this line of thought-Have you ever seen from WAY back in the day, some late 60's early 70's broncos who had a portion of the front fenders put in the rear for quarters with openings that matched front and rear? Looked factory-wow, wonder if this was a dealer body shop install? Bronco History 101, lesson one-some things about our broncos are better left to personal taste.

 

[broncnaz]

Thats the big ? where are the facts? bascially there are none yet other than a few broncos that have this modification. Sure thee may be a few broncos in different parts of the country that have it but has anyone compiled VIN data? People do move and people do buy vehicles and take them to other states. We have over 40 years of possibilities to factor in as well until someone comes up with actual documentation of such a option.
While its not a bucking bronco I would think that it would have been a viable option to add. but it seems the factory didnt think so.
Also I could be wrong but wasnt the pony interior just a 65/66 mustang thing? maybe the phase out spilled over to the brocno for a trial run of course if that was the case why is there no info on the package out there? You'd think the factory would want to try and sell it.
Still dealers did all kinds of stuff kinda like the roof rack there are a few different styles running around but there is no factory option for this that I know of not that I know it all. Just saying.

 

[fordfan]

I dunno it just doesnt seem right to have a RUNNING pony in a Bronco, does it to you folks? Dont get me wrong it looks nice it just would make much sence coming from the factory in my opinion. I have reproductions of the Bronco brouchurs and there no info on pony seats. Hmm what a mystery from Ford! Mabey somebody can find some facts?

Ford did a lot of things that "just doesnt seem right"! And for the symbolism of a "BUCKING" Bronco compared to a "Running" pony,....Do you think that a bucking Bronco never runs?!?...I feel he can run just like a "pony", except he can clear more difficult stuff!!!LOL!!

Seriously, Ford was experiementing with the early Broncos. Ford didn't even build the early bodies; why the little "eyebrow" line in the grill..what was it for? ..and made all new tooling just to make a minutely different grill? ; why change the bumpers?...maybe a different contractor made the first ones?...; what's the deal with the tailgates?....retool just for a slightly different reveal?...; and hoods-Ford had as many as four different hood structures on the '66!

Back to the seats.. The '66-'67 bucket seats are almost identical to the '66 Mustang anyway, so why would it not seem right to do the horses on the seats? ....Ford used the "Mustang" engine...the cool little 289 made its way into the Bronco along with the 6 cylinder "Falcon Power" (Ford actually used the wording in ads). Many of the Bronco parts are the same or closely related to the Mustang and to the F-100's.

 

[Scott C.]

I might be wrong, but I think the VIN tag code for the pony interior was 9 as the first number of the body code.

 

[Viperwolf1]

I might be wrong, but I think the VIN tag code for the pony interior was 9 as the first number of the body code.

9 was the code for two front buckets with rear seat until about '72. No distinction for color since there was only one available at any time.

 

[fatboy]

Back to the seats.. The '66-'67 bucket seats are almost identical to the '66 Mustang anyway, so why would it not seem right to do the horses on the seats? ....Ford used the "Mustang" engine...the cool little 289 made its way into the Bronco along with the 6 cylinder "Falcon Power" (Ford actually used the wording in ads). Many of the Bronco parts are the same or closely related to the Mustang and to the F-100's.

With this in mind, I guess it is not a streatch to think that maybe they took some pony seats off the mustang production line to fufill orders of the bronco. Wonder if they were made in the same facilities and/or on the same production lines.

 

[bmc69]

9 was the code for two front buckets with rear seat until about '72. No distinction for color since there was only one available at any time.

THIS. No matter what else, if there was nothing identified in an options brochure, no code....you could not order it. No getting around that...right?

But dealers ...entirely different story. Dealers can and do come up with all sorts of cool extra stuff, even including odd engine and drivetrain swaps/upgrades.

 

[fordrowcrop]

I have been a Ford parts guy since the early 80's and have copies of all the Ford parts books.I have yet to find any evidence that Ford installed the pony interior in anything but Mustangs but the dealers could of simpily installed seat covers from the Mustangs onto the Bronco seat frames they are the same except mounting points, as for the rear dealers could of purchased a rear seat cover for a Mustang and have an upholstery shop trim it down and sew it together or just purchase a few yards material from a supplier and make there own like you can today, someone still makes the pony upholstery.

"9" on the VIN tag means Parchment Vinyl (Driver and Passenger bucket seats)
"8" on the VIN tag means Parchment Vinyl (Driver bucket seat)
"7" on the VIN tag means Parchment Vinyl (Bench seat)

According to several Ford books Parchment was the only color in the early years Broncos and no mention of the pony interior leading me to beleive the pony interior was a dealer installed item.
I have owned a 66 pony interior Bronco, the VIN was a "9" it also had the sport floor covering that was not avalible until 67.
I am 99.9% sure Ford did not put the pony upholstery in from the factory it was a dealer installed package.

 

[fordfan]

I have been a Ford parts guy since the early 80's and have copies of all the Ford parts books.I have yet to find any evidence that Ford installed the pony interior in anything but Mustangs but the dealers could of simpily installed seat covers from the Mustangs onto the Bronco seat frames they are the same except mounting points, as for the rear dealers could of purchased a rear seat cover for a Mustang and have an upholstery shop trim it down and sew it together or just purchase a few yards material from a supplier and make there own like you can today, someone still makes the pony upholstery.

"9" on the VIN tag means Parchment Vinyl (Driver and Passenger bucket seats)
"8" on the VIN tag means Parchment Vinyl (Driver bucket seat)
"7" on the VIN tag means Parchment Vinyl (Bench seat)

According to several Ford books Parchment was the only color in the early years Broncos and no mention of the pony interior leading me to beleive the pony interior was a dealer installed item.
I have owned a 66 pony interior Bronco, the VIN was a "9" it also had the sport floor covering that was not avalible until 67.
I am 99.9% sure Ford did not put the pony upholstery in from the factory it was a dealer installed package.

The '66's all had silver interior except for the bench seat, so what breaks with the codes you listed above all showing "Parchment" which was introduced in '67?

To me, the "Pony" interiors are too wide spread to be dealer installed....

 

[fordrowcrop]

Fordfan, you are correct silver mink was only in 66 but According to the Ford parts manual Ford did offer a Parchment bucket seat in 1966 it was a "9" the silver was either a 1,6 or7. In 67 the "7" was changed to parchment. The only other colors started in 72.

I think the pony seats were like the so called factory A/C and the factory winch and even the Stroppe Bronco as Ford did not actually offer any from the factory they were all installed by others packages.

My guess is a company advertised to dealers accross the country about the pony interior packages and sold them to dealers not unlike Hickey, Stroppe, Koenig did back in the day, that is why they are so wide spread.