why a Bronco for you?

[gnpenning]

First one I remember was the neighbor's a postman he had a very clean red/ white uncut. I was able to go on a couple short drives and the only thing else I remember was it was a 3 on the tree. I'm guessing maybe a 72-74?

I was doing construction in HS and had a 3/4 4x4 and pulled our cement mixer and a trailer all the time. Kept a 3/4 4x4 since. Current count 3. Just not as much fun off road.

We started hunting a real rugged area and would take the horse's in. The first number of miles was a real rough 4x4 road. Since we where always short horse's someone was always walking. Which also meant multiple trips coming out with game. I bought a 52 willy's to haul gear in and game out. Better camp and less walking. Sold the willy's and started looking for a replacement. I looked at Jeeps, FJ 40's and Bronco's. At one point I had a buddy that had a 71. The times I rode in it you never new if you would make it back and freeze you butt off along the way. Wasn't overly impressed. But when I made a list of must have's the Bronco was the clear winner. Better frt and rear ends, cheap parts, quality V8, Easy to convert to PS, disc brakes, hardtop, auto trans,lockers, etc.. Found a 74 for a good price in the mid 80's. Made the guy an offer he turned me down so I walked. He called a couple days later, and accepted a reduce price from my original offer.... I still have it. And 2 more. My son also has many great memories. Recently sent a pic of one he saw will at lunch. He is out of state going to college. Someone else will have to sale it when the time comes as I never will.

 

[Scott C.]

When I was a kid, my uncle had a Spring time Yellow 66 Roadster. He bought it as a totaled wreck in 66. He repaired it and drove it until 1978 when he traded it in for the new full size Bronco. He did a lot of hunting and fishing, even driving it out on frozen lakes to ice fish. He would take us kids down to the river to run the nets and trot lines, or to fish. The river bottoms where often wet and muddy, but the little roadster always got us in and out. There was an abandoned coal mine near his place. I remember him taking us over there and driving around all over the place, up and down steep hills and ravines. I always liked it with the soft doors off! Or, when the top was off!! I remember the first time I road with him and he had the windeild folded down!! I always wanted one!! I remember him telling me why the Bronco was better than a Jeep!! I have had several military Jeeps and really liked them, but I was always, in the back of my mind, looking for a Springtime Yellow 66 Roadster, when I found my blue one, I had to own it.

 

[edones06]

All my buddys were toyota fans. Im a ford guy so that maid my mind for me. And there not a lot of EBs around here either. I like being a little differant. Still gets my buddys fired up when my 72 drags there foreign junk out the woods.

 

[Fallingcedar]

Dad bought a new 71 boxwood green in Carrolton, TX. I thought we had the coolest car in the school. Years later I learned to drive and actually took my drivers test in that Bronco. My friends thought I was crazy taking the test with a stick, but the parrallel parking was a cinch. Later I was fortunate enough to take it to college.
I have a ton of memories, but one of the best was volunteering in Ohio during a blizzard taking doctors, nurses and police to and from work for the Red Cross. The only vehicles on the streets were national guardsmen. As able as the bronco was, we actual had to use chains for several days, but we met lots of grateful people and had fun doing it.

 

[tampabronco]

Memories of growing up in the 70s

The way I see Americana

 

[miikee73]

My first memory was the well to do farmer's son had one, he had a Cobra before that. Second memory is the time my friend and I had to leave the 2wd 58 GMC that wouldn't get around that muddy corner deer hunting in Nor Cal. A bronco came down the road and we rode out on the tailgate.
I picked up a 74 CJ5 from a friend in 1993 and had it until 2010,when I bought my 73 Bronco and gave the jeep to my son. I have to say the people I've met since I got it have become good friends and the 5 years of the Unevent, now known as NWBR has become a family event.

 

[gooch66]

I think I was 9 or 10 and we were heading to church one Sunday and we were stopped at a red light. This blue and white half cab pulled up on my side of the car and I was like WOW! It had the Buckshot Gumbo mudders all around and I was in awe. A friend of mine that I hunted with in high school drove his dad '76. I think it was a Ranger, green with all of the chrome trim. I remember going out with him after his dad wounded a buck during bow season and needed us to help him track it. We found the buck in a briar thicket. His dad drove the Bronco out there no problem. A guy on my high school football team had a 1977 blue and white wagon, lifted, 35" tires. It was sweet! I always wanted one and it's crazy it has always been a dream of mine to own one. I had some chances when I was in the Marine Corps stationed at Camp Pendleton but it never worked out. School, life, and raising kids just kept it on the back burner. Well, December 2015 was finally my time. I bought a really sweet '75 U15 and I drive it every day! I get waves and thumbs up all the time. It's a simple and tough classic and I can't wait to buy another one. Once the kids free up space in the garage, I'll be filling that spot with another EB.

 

[Bronco Junkie]

I wish I had a family/dad story but...

A friend of mine had two of them at separate times in the early and mid 80's and I always loved the look and ruggedness better than other vintage 4x4's. When my mechanic buddy explained to me that they have coils in the front and already come with very strong axles....SOLD.

 

[gooch66]

My Dad bought a 66 and never looked back. He had at least a doz. Bronco's. I grew up hunting and fishing with him in his Bronco's. When I got my DL he helped me get my first vehicle. You got it, a 71 Bronco! Loved them and bought and traded for them my whole life. Had at least a doz. myself. I restored a 76 and a 77 and then got out of them for about 10 years. My Dad passed away and I immediately told my wife I had to have another Bronco for the memories I had with Dad. Both my kids argue about who is getting my Bronco when I'm gone! LOL
Probably going to get another before long so they will both have one!

That's a great story. My kids are finally seeing how much I love my Bronco and I hope they will feel the same way as yours.

 

[Slednut10]

In my late teens I bought my first car from a guy I knew that had this uncanny ability to find very solid vehicles really cheap. Of course, right after I bought mine, he found a 68 Bronco that was in really nice shape. I wanted that in the worst way, but I was still in school and had disapproving parents so..... He quickly flipped it for $750 (I know, right?) and the dream faded until several years ago I was working in western NH and saw this really cool yellow EB ( had a strange license plate,paid-4) and needless to say, I was hooked again. As others have said, the best part has been the folks I've met and the friends I've made (yep, including the guy with the cool yellow one).

 

[Nemisus]

The very first car I ever bought, at the age of 16 was a 1984 Bronco II. Paid 2500 $ for it working at the local hardware store. 2500$ is a ridiculous amount for any Bronco II but I liked it and really wanted it.

I always wanted an early bronco from that day I just couldn't afford one. Not that 2500 was afforded back then but it fit and the seller worked with me. I managed to cherish the BII for what it was and ended up owning several more throughout my life. One I did a custom chop to, featured in one of TRS's virtual magazines, another I did a complete SAS to as well as many other customer upgrades.

Even though I was happy with the results I could never get satisfied. Something about the EB just can't be achieved with anything less. After moving on from the BII's and dabbling with Mustangs and Porsche's out of all things, I decided my next project would be an EB without fail. Two months ago that dream came true!

Today I now own a 1974 and couldn't be happier!

 

[jmangi62]

I had one in high school,a 71 302 with a 3sp on the floor (Hurst) loved that thing,had it painted light blue,it had old school white wagon wheels with 33in Co-Op Grip spurs on it and they felt like 44s on that lil thing.Wish I still had it,I often wonder what ever happened to it,but I was bitten by the bug way back then.I have a 70 restomod now that I will be buried in LOL. ;D

 

[RPM289]

When I was 5 I remember going from WV up into Ohio to my grandparents and got stuck going up a snow covered mountain in a 65 4 speed Mustang I can still hear the screaming dual exhaust of the 289 then a guy came up in a Lil Bronco and pulled us to the top of the mountain loved mustangs and bronco's ever since. Then when I was in 1st grade my dad bought and painted a 66 bronco Black with a white top still can see it sitting in the driveway!!! Memories burnt into my mind and part of who I am now. BTW I have a 66 Mustang and a 70 Bronco!!!!!

 

[RPM289]

The very first car I ever bought, at the age of 16 was a 1984 Bronco II. Paid 2500 $ for it working at the local hardware store. 2500$ is a ridiculous amount for any Bronco II but I liked it and really wanted it.

I always wanted an early bronco from that day I just couldn't afford one. Not that 2500 was afforded back then but it fit and the seller worked with me. I managed to cherish the BII for what it was and ended up owning several more throughout my life. One I did a custom chop to, featured in one of TRS's virtual magazines, another I did a complete SAS to as well as many other customer upgrades.

Even though I was happy with the results I could never get satisfied. Something about the EB just can't be achieved with anything less. After moving on from the BII's and dabbling with Mustangs and Porsche's out of all things, I decided my next project would be an EB without fail. Two months ago that dream came true!

Today I now own a 1974 and couldn't be happier!

Welcome to the family!!!!!!

 

[BluebroncoNC]

Always looked up to my older cousin. He has a Bronco he's owned since the 1970's. He would take me four wheeling in CA when we went to visit. Pops and I had talked about my desire to own one and finally he purchased one for me as a gift for coming back and working in the family business. This was back in 1989 and it only needed a "paint job". Alzheimer's claimed Dad in 2010 and while I couldn't fix him, I sure as hell was going to fix the truck he bought me. I drive it all the time.

 

[904Bronco]

I worked at a gas station in High school, we had a regular with a beautiful 1976 root-beer brown Explorer. Chatted frequently with the owner. I always remember that rig %). But I was into speed and had bought a money pit of a 69 Mach 1 mustang My Dad worked for Ford Aero space and leased a new 79 F250 P/up and the wheel'in bug hit me bad. Fast forward through a 75 FJ40 that I did a poor V8 conversion on, a 81 Toyota 4x pickup truck (my first brand new car), a 79 full size Bronco, then a 77 Landcruiser with a V8 conversion done. I wheeled it for a few years, but then kids came along and it was just too small to haul the family in... I started looking on EBay and the Bronco bug found me again... I have owned bronco(s) for the last 16 years and have enjoyed the builds, lasting experiences, and the many friends that I have made over the years.

I added some pictures from over the years...

 

[brianstrange]

When I was 13, I started working at a gas station. They had a 1966 2WD F100 with a plow. The house next door had an early Bronco, and another service station down the road had (and still has) an EB with a front Fisher Plow, and a rear mounted dragger.
In the Late 80's I owned a 78 Full Size Bronco with an EB back seat in it. At that time, I felt the 78 was superior, but in hindsight, I realize the rear seat was sending a message. During this time, I was working for a Ford dealership, and at the age of 17, drove a 66 Hertz GT350. This was when my passion for vintage cars (and a Musting II guilty pleasure) was set in stone. I always liked building cars (2 MII restos, a FFR Cobra (one of their first production units) and a 67 Mustang Convert. They were all rebuilt ground up. After finishing my 67, I needed to either restore my 92 Yj or find a build. I knew two others that owned EB's, and reallythought they were cool. The chance to end the Jeep wave was what put it over the top. Now I own two, and a core restoration on the 2nd is about to start. -Bronco Pictured is the one with the front and rear plow.

Big shoutout to the guys in this community! It's a great brotherhood for sure!

 

[Mtgrizzlymn]

Since the first one I saw when I was 13 then finally at 45 I have one as my daily driver. 50 miles minimum per day


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[ncr1975]

My parents always owned Jeeps growing up. It started with a 1959 Willy's wagon and progressed from there. Next was a 1969 Wagoneer and finally a new 1976 Cherokee Chief. 4 wheeling was in my blood. I drove the 1976 Jeep Cherokee Chief to high school and it was just a spare car that my parents owned. The first car I owned was a 1965 Mustang and after that all I thought about were Mustangs. One day a friend told me an Early Bronco was just a 4x4 Mustang. Later while going to my local high school football games on Friday nights with my kids I started to notice a cool green early bronco in the parking lot. I told the wife that it would be cool if my son could drive a 4x4 Mustang to high school. I like Mustangs and like 4x4's so I thought what the heck. I knew how to work on small block fords and 9" rear ends so what could be so hard? All of a sudden the prices were taking off and so I jumped in and bought a "fixer". I went to several Bronco runs and was amazed at how they perform off road. Now I own a Bronco and spend most of my free time working on improving it and look forward to any and all events that give me an opportunity to exercise the 4x4 Mustang. Owning a Bronco means do what you want and modify how you like. After all it's just a 4x4 1965 Mustang; with a family cage roll bar, and dual posi diffs, and a transfer case, and a winch, and a high lift jack, and a CB, and suspension seats, and ....

 

[sriha]

I asked my dad why he got the Bronco the last time a thread like this came up. Back in the 90s he was looking for a vehicle to rebuild and wanted a sleeper car. There was an article about sleepers, he had a 69 Camero 10 years earlier but crashed it and turned it in for insurance money since the family was young. The early Broncos were on that sleeper list and he knew his uncle had one in the yard. Dad negotiated and we pulled it out. It was pretty rusty since it was a midwest plow truck. We didn't know a whole lot about them but somehow came to find JBG for parts. I have the old catalog we ordered many parts from and a post card for Bronco Driver around that time. There are many things I wish we/he did different on the Bronco but it wouldn't be my Bronco without those features.