The first-generation Bronco has reached a certain point of ubiquity: It’s become a popular subject for retro-styled T-shirts at the local department stores, and no wonder. With handsome and rugged looks, usable size, and common parts, it’s a no-brainer that an SUV-crazed world would snap them up. Ford wisely jumped on board with the modern Bronco, and it doesn’t seem that Bronco Mania will cool anytime soon. Therefore, we have to assume that it will be good fun to watch the bids on this original “Half-Cab” Bronco Pickup.
The values of early Broncos make finding a good one even more important. It’s a big help when the seller realizes that and obliges the potential buyer with pictures not only of the shiny bits, but also of the problem places. Luckily, this seller has captured many of the Bronco’s nooks and crannies on film for you to peruse at your leisure. Although the truck is located in Ann Arbor, MI, it clearly has infrequently seen a salty road.
It has, however, seen some use. The seller feels that the 93,000 miles on the odometer are original, and that’s enough to give the undercarriage a lived-in appearance.
Under the Bronco’s Pebble Beige hood is the optional 302 V8, which produced 205 horsepower in 1969 tune. Interestingly enough, Ford still used the old 170 cubic-inch six as the Bronco’s standard engine; both engines were backed by a fully-synchronized three-speed manual. The seller says that the engine runs flawlessly and the transmission shifts easily. There’s no shortage of parts for a Ford small block, and I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t enjoy its extra power almost anywhere they drive. In reality, the 302 likely enjoys similar fuel mileage to a 170 that’s being driven with the throttle on the floor 87 percent of the time.
The interior has a rip or two, but such a functional and spartan cabin doesn’t need to look perfect for someone to enjoy driving it around. A seat cover is reasonable enough, and although the combination of beige exterior and beige interior is about as plain vanilla as it gets, there’s something about a beige survivor that works.
This little Bronco pickup is right on the margin between deserving a restoration and deserving to be left alone. I’d leave it alone because that’s how I am, but being as solid as it is, a cosmetic restoration at the least would be economically feasible, especially considering the prices these things have been pulling in for the last decade. It’s currently for sale on eBay with a high bid of $14,544. There’s still eight days to go, however, and the reserve has (unsurprisingly) not been met.
Another day, another nice early Bronco, this one wearing an uncommon bodystyle. What would you do with it?
I imagine that more than a few Barn Finds readers will fall asleep tonight thinking about this vehicle…
That bed is the same size as all new pickups now, what a waste, I would only use an 8 foot bed since I was 16 years old.
I’m with you. It’s not a truck if it doesn’t have an eight foot bed.
And then there is the Dodge D/W-300, with a nine foot step side bed, even longer than “normal” trucks. Sort of like the Marshall amps in Spinal Tap: “These go to eleven.”
It’s too bad that the current designers at Ford didn’t use more of the old design when coming up with the new Bronco. A mini-truck like this would sell like hot cakes!
One would like to think so but you can’t build a truck like “this” anymore. Everything is far more complicated than 55-years-ago. People say the same thing about the Jeep Gladiator, myself included, 2dr short box, but when the thousand or so show up and see the $40,000 price it’s no sale.
I like these first gen Broncos as pickups. I just think they look cool. But I doubt something similar would sell today. The market has dramatically changed; witness the Maverick, being Ford’s smallest “truck”: it adheres to what today’s market wants: it’s bigger, and it has four doors.
Super clean, rare body style, a V-8 and it runs. Let’s see what it goes for. I shake my head when I think of all these Bronco’s I passed on, when they were $1,000 used trucks.
Add a 6′ plow for lite duty around the snowy 🌨 homestead, clean some neighbors driveways, and plow the outdoor rink for the kids 😀 🏒
Cool 😎 Bronco.
basically mine, Stan (no 8 tho, a 4L i6, better low rev tq for no spin tire on the loose stuff).
Some of it gets me curious if it is a ’69. Most dont no whhat they sell most dont no what they buy. Does it matter? No. Only in full on concourse rehabs. Get in’n drive. 9 mo / 1 yr later most begin to mod for purpose/application. ’S Y we buy them, not to sell (well… ok, plenty flip ‘em). What good’s that? Nuttin!
Curate ! (store what is taken off to return @ sale).
It’s very much a ’69. The reflector locations and the ‘302’ engine badges are the first dead giveaway – a one-year only configuration.