How to determine model year?

[Jdemaris]

I just bought two Broncos that has sat in the woods for 30 years. No titles. I am going to try to get them titled and want to determine actual model years.

One has a build-date on it. Manufactured 8/72. So I am wondering, is it a model-year 1972 or 1973? # U15GLQ00905.

The other one has no build-date I have been able to find yet. Somebody painted 1969 on the tailgate. # U15FLF36973.

Both in poor shape, but I plan on making one from the two. The frame is fine on the older one with the 6 cylinder engine. Later one with the 302 V8 has a bad frame. I am thinking of swapping the V8 parts into the older one.

 

[BroncoDesignTN]

The first one is a 1973 and was built in Aug as you stated. The second is a 1969 built in July of 69 and was built with a 6cyl. Check out www.broncohio.com they have a lot of vin decode info on the site. You can order new motor mount towers to put on the 69 frame as well, if your others aren't in good shape.

 

[Jdemaris]

Thanks for the information. I drove a 68 Bronco when it was brand new, at the gas station I worked at. Been kind of wanting one ever since. Problem was, I got way too involved in Chevys for a long time (like 50 years). Back in the day, I had a Falcon Sprint with a 260 V8 and have wanted a 60s Ford with a SB V8 for a long time. There two Broncos have sitting in a friend's woods for 25-30 years and I figured they were too far gone to mess with. Now - since there first-generation seem scarce in unrestored condition, and very high priced - I decided to look closer at these two. Engines still crank over in both. Supposedly both were driven into the woods years ago and not towed there. Now - I guess I will start tearing the apart and searching for parts. I have no interest in a full restore. I want to build something that is sound and a good runner. I hope to swap over the V8 stuff from the 1973 into the 1969 that has the good frame. Not sure how good my plan is. I am 68 and hope to get one done before I am too old, or too dead to have fun with it. I will post some rust-bucket photos when I figure out how to post images here. Thanks again.

 

[ared77]

You can get a Marti Report for either one with just a VIN, lots of info there! They email it to you and you just print it out if you want paper copy with the Bronco's. Good Luck!

 

[bronkenn]

Welcome to CB John. I think you will get all the info you need on here and you will meet a lot of good people here. I recognize your handle from a couple other forums that talk about tractors and dozers. I know some of the people on those other sites gave you a lot of grief as there was some pretty big egos on there. Your threads and posts helped me out an awful lot. I rebuilt a fuel injector pump for my John Deere 350c dozer with all the credit going to you as it turned out good. I wanted to thank you for all the help. Anyways good luck with your Bronco. Ken..... Side note: This guy can rebuild/build about anything.

 

[gnpenning]

Welcome. Since Corey didn't do it I'll give him a plug if you want a complete fiberglass body
check out bronco design. Check out his link.

If you want to put your location in your signature area you might find someone local to chat with as well.

The easiest way to post pictures is to be a contributor for $12 a year. Even I can post pictures easily, it's that simple. Someone more talented than me will post a link.

Nice to know you have been helpful in other forums, you came to the right spot. You will find plenty of help here.

Looking forward to pictures.

 

[Jdemaris]

Your threads and posts helped me out an awful lot..

Thanks for the welcome and compliments. The latter are indeed rare on some forums. You mentioned working on a Deere, which is kind of funny. I posted a few photos of the two Broncos sitting in the woods on a Deere forum, and got a few, let's say "negative" comments on them. Not because they are Fords or non-tractors. More because the condition. For myself, at least to a point - the worse they are when I get them, the more fun I have and the more new things I learn. My father-in-law was an engineer at Ford and worked on the design of both the first Broncos and the Falcon when it came out in 1960. I think knowing him got me to get more interested in Fords. That said, I was working at a gas station late 60s when the boss bought a brand new Bronco with a snow-plow. I drove it when new and have wanted one ever since. That one had the straight six however, and I have wanted a SB V8.

 

[patterdale]

The first one is a 1973 and was built in Aug as you stated. The second is a 1969 built in July of 69 and was built with a 6cyl. Check out www.broncohio.com they have a lot of vin decode info on the site. You can order new motor mount towers to put on the 69 frame as well, if your others aren't in good shape.

Back then the change over date was the 9th month not the 8th month of the year . I worked as a dealership mechanic shortly after that time.

 

[Jdemaris]

Thanks again for the info. The 1973 with the 302 has power-steering. After looking over specs by years, it seems 1973 is the first year power-steering was offered. The 1973 has a bad frame and the 1969 has a good one. I am hoping to swap over all the V8 parts into the 1969. I also would like to have the three-speed column shift working again. Both these rigs have the holes cut in the floor and it looks like that transmissions were being shifted by hand, at the trans. No linkage hooked up anywhere. I have looked at a lot of Broncos at car shows and just about never see any with the original column shifters. Not sure why. Wear problems? I understand their inherent issues. I drove a brand new 1959 Ford with column shift that would sometimes jam when shifting from 1st to 2nd. Back in the day, if we got a car with column shift, the first thing we'd do is stick a Hurst floor shift in. Now though, I am interested in getting one of these Broncos running and original. I do not see a lot of new parts around for the OEM shifters. I am getting ahead of myself now anyway. I do not even know yet if my V8 three-speed trans is any good. It has a snow-plow on it and the owner had one linkage rod hanging throught the floor. I assume it is the 1st and REV rod. He was just grabbing the rod and using those two gears. 2nd and 3rd not even hooked up.

 

[okie4570]

I like the 3 sp column shifter. Both of my 66 are still on the column now, moved one from the floor back up to the column where it should be lol.

 

[sprdv1]

Welcome aboard man.....

Thanks for the information. I drove a 68 Bronco when it was brand new, at the gas station I worked at. Been kind of wanting one ever since. Problem was, I got way too involved in Chevys for a long time (like 50 years). Back in the day, I had a Falcon Sprint with a 260 V8 and have wanted a 60s Ford with a SB V8 for a long time. There two Broncos have sitting in a friend's woods for 25-30 years and I figured they were too far gone to mess with. Now - since there first-generation seem scarce in unrestored condition, and very high priced - I decided to look closer at these two. Engines still crank over in both. Supposedly both were driven into the woods years ago and not towed there. Now - I guess I will start tearing the apart and searching for parts. I have no interest in a full restore. I want to build something that is sound and a good runner. I hope to swap over the V8 stuff from the 1973 into the 1969 that has the good frame. Not sure how good my plan is. I am 68 and hope to get one done before I am too old, or too dead to have fun with it. I will post some rust-bucket photos when I figure out how to post images here. Thanks again.

 

[bronkenn]

I have a good 3 speed out of a 72 if you need it.

 

[m_m70]

I also would like to have the three-speed column shift working again. Both these rigs have the holes cut in the floor and it looks like that transmissions were being shifted by hand, at the trans. No linkage hooked up anywhere. I have looked at a lot of Broncos at car shows and just about never see any with the original column shifters. Not sure why. Wear problems? I understand their inherent issues. I drove a brand new 1959 Ford with column shift that would sometimes jam when shifting from 1st to 2nd.

I love my column shift.......but I've always had one, learned to drive with one, and just think they're cool! New bushings in the linkage and levers along with proper adjustments and no shifting issues (for me anyway).

FYI, use the best shift tube out of the two columns and DON'T toss the other. They're not available (aftermarket) for the manual trans anymore and getting harder to find.

 

[DirtDonk]

Sounds like yours is about as early as a '73 can get. You should go over to Viperwolf's thread titled "mind your P's and Q's" here in chat. Someone else just posted up their P information and his was a '72 built a month after yours was.
Which is the whole point of the discussion anyway, to see what differences there were and which ones were made when.

Be very interested to see what yours has on it compared to others of the same vintage.

Thanks

Paul

 

[sprdv1]

good call bro...

Sounds like yours is about as early as a '73 can get. You should go over to Viperwolf's thread titled "mind your P's and Q's" here in chat. Someone else just posted up their P information and his was a '72 built a month after yours was.
Which is the whole point of the discussion anyway, to see what differences there were and which ones were made when.