Rare Bronco options

[eb66to77]

I'd have to see it on an original (unrestored) Bronco to believe it. It's easy to hide sheetmetal work with new paint. I've already seen the aux tank door on a '77 that didn't come with the tank.

That is the first thing that I thought too. I have seen the mystery door also. Not sure, but it would be cool to find out if there was some made with just the one door.

 

[Blue71]

I saw a NOS '77 Quarter panel this Spring and it had both fuel door cut-outs for the two fuel doors. I'd like to see an original paint/ no body work Bronco too, just for proof that one door was ever available. I agree that it was most likely filled.

Blue71

 

[Bronco73]

I just read all of this. It's a joy reading about all the rare stuff.

 

[72_EB]

My '77 came from the factory with only the main tank, but it still has the auxiliary filler door. It is held on by clips that look like door panel clips (no hinge). Back of the floor was never cut for tank switching valve either. I'm betting that mustard colored one was filled too.

 

[DirtDonk]

No way is my memory any kind of proof, but even back in the early days I'd seen both types. Some had double doors and some didn't.
Again, not proof of course, but it's doubtful that very many people bothered to go to the trouble and expense of covering a door and repainting when they were that new.
Doubtful, but not impossible. And I can't claim to have noticed more than 5 or 6 single-door '77's in all this time.
So, like you, I'd love to see an original owner un-molested one, just to check it out.

Hmmm, maybe we should compare VIN's on them, when possible. Maybe the single doors were very early or very late builds? Sorry if that was mentioned already, but I didn't want to go back over the whole thread.

Paul

 

[coyotedav]

how about roll bars? mine has none. were these factory?

 

[Scoop]

I suspect the rear quarter was replaced with a non-77 one that had no gas door openings and the owner opted to splice in the door from the 77's main tank. But why pay the bucks to do the same for a dummy door?

He probably thought how cool it will be when people in the future scatch their heads over this . . . ! ;D

 

[DirtDonk]

how about roll bars? mine has none. were these factory?

Never saw one from the factory. Dealer-installed, yes, but factory, no.
One of the guys with all the factory literature should be able to verify that though. Some of those old flyers had some interesting statements in them, about available (and supposedly available) options.

Paul

 

[Stroppe-Envy-77]

A rare aftermarket item...

When I first bought my Bronco in 2005, I used to constantly look for stuff on eBay (well, I still do actually).

Something popped up that I'd never seen, and haven't seen since. It was a Stroppe accessory "navigation kit" or whatever they called it. It was made to go in place of the glove box door, and had two or three stopwatches, a map light and some other stuff, maybe even an analog clock. The idea was that if you were competing in an off-road event, your co-driver / navigator would have some slick built-in tools to make the job easier.

I've seen lots of scans of Stroppe catalogs from back in the day, but never saw this thing available. Perhaps it was too obscure to put in the catalog.

I seem to remember that it sold for around $100.

 

[DirtDonk]

Now that would have been something to see. Hope it got picked up by one of the Stroppe owners here.
Probably was never what you'd call an "option" or even an accessory in the catalog. But rather something that they actually used in their race Broncos.
If that's the case, that would have been a great find indeed. Even with no way to really trace who's truck, what races, or when it was used.
Still...

Paul

 

[72Quarterhorse]

my 72 sport came with a limited slip in front and rear. the rear also has a nodular 3dr member is this a rear option?

 

[66bronco74]

I have a 66 Roadster that did not come with a heater box. There are no holes in the dash for the heater control knobs and the firewall was not drilled to mount the heater box. It was a California deliverly.

 

[66Bronco]

I have a 66 Roadster that did not come with a heater box. There are no holes in the dash for the heater control knobs and the firewall was not drilled to mount the heater box. It was a California deliverly.

My '66 Roadster is the same way with a metal plate that covers the inlet on the passenger side kick panel.

I'd like to see your Roadster. I grew up in Upland and live in Rancho now.


-Terry

 

[DirtDonk]

my 72 sport came with a limited slip in front and rear. the rear also has a nodular 3dr member is this a rear option?

Unless it was a mistake, the "N" housing probably did not come from the factory. Very nice score though!
You might even check to see if the axles were upgraded to 31 spline at the same time.
I'm not an expert on the nodular housings, but it was my understanding that they were only an option (and not often taken) on the large cars, or ones with big engines, such as the Galaxies and Mustang Boss' and such.
Someone with more differential knowledge might know for sure though.
Still, either way, factory or installed later, it's a great little addition to your ride.

Paul

 

[broncnaz]

X2 on the N housing although it could have been a specail order dealer option. Some dealers liked the hipo stuff and would install these items.
All in all there are very few rare from the factory options. Most of all the add ons were dealer installed and it varies by dealer and what part of the country the bronco was purchased in.

 

[66bronco74]

My '66 Roadster is the same way with a metal plate that covers the inlet on the passenger side kick panel.

I'd like to see your Roadster. I grew up in Upland and live in Rancho now.


-Terry

You have Terry - It's me, Mike!

 

[Viperwolf1]

9" housings have a date code when they are cast. If that date is later than the build date for the Bronco or more than a few months earlier it probably didn't leave the factory with it.

 

[nickm]

I've seen quite a few of the side mount spare tires or where they were a lot of people have removed them so you dont see many anymore.

A couple that I personally have seen very few of is the optional rocker panel moulding or 16in wheels of course once again the wheels could have been ordered orginally but swapped later to run the cheaper 15in tires.

I have the side mount tire carrier, and here is a pic of my lower rocker moulding.

 

[72Quarterhorse]

9" housings have a date code when they are cast. If that date is later than the build date for the Bronco or more than a few months earlier it probably didn't leave the factory with it.

I don't make sense of the numbers on the dif. Do you know how to decode the numbers? 2C13 29 There is a pic of the Dif in my gallery you can look at. The axles are 28 spline. I am the only one that ever opened the dif and that was to replace the worn out limit slip with a Detroit locker. This bronco was my fathers and when he ordered it, It was from a ford dealer on Oahu Hawaii. He special ordered limit slip in the front and rear and a heavy duty radiator and a high out put alternator. I guess by luck they put the nodular 3rd member in. 'Scored' I would like to see if the date of the dif is the same as the production date.

 

[Viperwolf1]

I don't make sense of the numbers on the dif. Do you know how to decode the numbers? 2C13 29 There is a pic of the Dif in my gallery you can look at. The axles are 28 spline. I am the only one that ever opened the dif and that was to replace the worn out limit slip with a Detroit locker. This bronco was my fathers and when he ordered it, It was from a ford dealer on Oahu Hawaii. He special ordered limit slip in the front and rear and a heavy duty radiator and a high out put alternator. I guess by luck they put the nodular 3rd member in. 'Scored' I would like to see if the date of the dif is the same as the production date.

2C13 would equate to Mar 13, 1972.

The 3 digit date code on the axle tag should be real close to the actual build date of the Bronco. The housing date would be days or weeks earlier due to curing and the machining required.