Introduced in 1965 for the 1966 model year, the Ford Bronco was offered with three body options: a three-door utility vehicle, a doorless roadster, and a half-cab pickup. The latter is codenamed U14, and chassis number U14FL773159 is probably the neatest one available to purchase right now.
Early builds are obviously collectible in this day and age, but few can match the allure of the pictured truck because it shows 4,124 miles (6,637 kilometers) on the odometer. Initially used for utilitarian tasks like parts hauling and parking lot plowing, the red-painted Bronco spent decades out back of a dealership. The right buyer brought down the dealership owner’s wall of sentimentality, determined to restore the truck to its former glory.
With fresh gasoline and a brand-new fuel tank, the straight-six powerplant fired right up without skipping a beat. According to RK Motors Charlotte, “the truck ran so well that its restorer plowed his driveway before totally disassembling the rig.” The ground-up restoration kicked off with the badly weathered bed. Instead of cutting into the original metal, a rust-free body from another 1966 Ford Bronco half-cab workhorse had been transplanted.
Decked in Rangoon Red and Wimbledon White two-stage paintwork, this blast from the past is rocking the period-correct eyebrow grille, front bumper, and old-school halogen bulbs for the headlamps. The 1966-exclusive hood is complemented by windshield washers and a catch loop.
Typical of an early Bronco, this fellow also flaunts the 1966-exclusive lock cylinders, polished handles, and fender-mounted mirror. The inline-six mill sends the goodies to a 9.0-inch rear axle and Dana 30 front axle with the help of a column-shifted manual transmission and a floor-mounted transfer case shifter. Kelsey Hayes steelies, Power King Extra Traction rubber shoes, match-stick vinyl upholstery, and the correct horn also need to be highlighted, along with a price tag of $79,900 at the moment of reporting.
That kind of money is more than enough to purchase a brand-new Bronco First Edition four-door leviathan, but nevertheless, the current-gen Bronco can only dream of being as cool as the original from the Swinging Sixties.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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