Only $9,000 for this seemingly-perfect 1966 Ford Bronco U14 Half Cab?! That, my friends, seems like it’s almost too good to be true with the values of these first-generation Broncos going through the roof over the last few years. This sharp-looking ute is on craigslist somewhere in Minnesota, but I’m not really sure where in Minnesota as there is no phone number in the CL listing. It basically doesn’t matter if it’s in the Minnesota section of Iceland, if there is such a thing.. it sure looks like it’s worth any shipping costs that may be involved to get it into your (or, my?) garage.
Ok, so a person will have to source some OEM seats, but look at how crisp that door jamb looks. With nice, restored examples selling in the $20,000 to $30,000+ range, it sure looks like whatever work this one needs would pay off. The seller says that all “switches and gauges work except the odometer.” The first thing that would go under my watch would be those seats, and then the rear fender flares. I’m guessing those are on there to cover up rust? There aren’t any on the front wheel openings, and the seller says that there is “rust in the floor boards like most and on the inside of the fender skirts under the hood.” I wonder what the underside looks like?.. hmm.. (insert wavy dream sequence here)
Ahhh.. what a nice dream! Wait, this is what it looks like under there! It looks far too nice to be a $9,000 Bronco so far, doesn’t it? Hagerty lists a #3 good condition 2-door Bronco “pickup” as being valued at $18,600 and a #4 fair condition example as being worth $8,000. Maybe $9,000 isn’t as far off as I original thought it was? It just looks so crisp and clean. But, believe it or not, there are only five photos in the listing. I know, right?!
As a first-year model, I’m of the mindset that they’re more valuable, at least to me, than any other model year. Of course, that isn’t always the case and in a lot of cases a person doesn’t even want a first-year model because they were often rushed to market with deficiencies that were corrected in later years. This is Ford’s 170 cubic-inch inline-six that would have had 105 hp. A 289 V8 with 200 hp was also available until 1969 when a 302 was offered. This engine and engine compartment needs some serious sprucing up to get it to the level of what the exterior looks like from the one photo provided. But, if it runs good it could be tackled on weekends in-between driving and enjoying this thing. If this Bronco checks out, this could be an absolute killer bargain. This is the body style that I would want in a Bronco, too. What do you think about this one?
Seems like a great deal
A 51 year old rust-prone vehicle from Minnesota where they salt the roads? No thank you.
I call a scam. No way, no how. That Bronco building company woulda picked this up. It’s a hell of a great deal if it’s legit. Looks like it is down in Phoenix by the pictures. Probably be some kinda western union scam…..
I was thinking the same thing. The pictures don’t look like any part of Minnesota to me.
Figures it’s a scam. I’m sure all the guys who still place a value on cars as if its 1988 are crying on their keyboards as they are deluging the “seller” with emails.
Steve R
It’s a scam. The truck has been for sale here in Phoenix for months for a lot more than that!
Here’s the real ad:
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/d/1966-ford-bronco-u14-half-cab/6394146635.html
To writer. Scotty. Members have verified its a scam why don’t you remove it ASAP. Before someone gets ripped off.
FYI It only takes minute to verify these scammers. Just copy photo & use google images to see if someone else has posted it.
Barn Finds is beginning to loose a lot of integrity with listings like this becoming more common. Almost becoming a shill site IMO.
Shill site? That seems harsh. There are more scams everyday, but we do our best to avoid them. Good thing there are open forums like our site that can help people identify scams before they get taken.
I don’t believe BF “loses integrity” in any of its stories, Jesse (well, maybe the Beverly Hills Cur Club pieces, but that’s just me….). In the final analysis, if someone is interested in buying a car, I’d expect them to either go take a look directly and verify its legitimacy, or hire/ask someone to do so for them. I know people for whom $9K would be pocket change (not true for me, alas), but they’re all fairly smart, and not likely to be gulled by a scammer.
I have no complaint with BF’s write-ups. Oh, some occasionally strike me as — shall we say — overly enthusiastic, but that’s not worth beefing about. It’s still the buyer’s responsibility to make certain they aren’t being rolled. For the rest of us, it’s entertainment!
Harsh & rude. Its difficult to discern truth from lies sometimes. BF bring us the info and we decide if we like it or not. I find no fault on Barn Finds.
Haha
Man I love Bronco no matter what year they are. In my family we have two Broncos that me and my stepdad came to buy. He brought his some time in the early 2000s which is hard to believe because its a 1991 Bronco. But mine on the other hand is a 1987 Ford Bronco that I got from a Marine friend for 1400 three years ago and every thing is from 1987 and nothing like K&N stiff till I get a better job.
I never did care for the “small” Bronco. I did become a fan in ’78 when they grew up.
I call scam on this listing. I’m sure the scammer is happy BFs brought it multi-national attention.
@jw. Multi-international attention. However, thanks to sharp sighted Ted, prospective buyers have been warned off to the big scam.
My comment was a bit of sarcasm. The meaning is that the scammers have been exposed “multi-nationally” which, I’m sure makes them very “UNHAPPY”.
I recently lucked into one of these half-cabs. It’s a project to be sure but all there so I couldn’t pass it up. What’s cool is that, I believe, it has a dealer installed Western plow.
Beautiful truck, Paul. Looks like a boxwood green ’69. If I may ask, where is it located?
Hi Todd,
Apologies for the late response. It is located in Missoula, MT. Spent it’s life here doing gas station duty. The station is no longer a going concern. I found the original invoice in the glove box. $3,100 new in ’69’!
Regards
For those that want to check out “too good to be true” listings like this, the secret is “Search Tempest”. It lets you search Craiglist within a several state region, or even nationwide, in a few seconds.
At first I tried a Google image search, using the keywords “1966 Bronco Pickup Minnesota” and nothing came up, so I thought the ad was OK. But then I searched Craigslist and sure enough, a big time scam as Ted said.
I think Scotty alludes to the fact that it’s probably too good to be true. On the other hand, I like the seats, they add a little creature comfort and I think they fit in the cab well. Being on a fixed income, I’m not looking to purchase any of these write-ups, but I can always dream. Barn Finds is a wealth of entertainment, and I’ve gained a ton of knowledge from the writers and the readers as well!
Thanks, Kevin. We would never knowingly publish a scam ad, obviously. I knew that it sounded too good to be true, but with Hagerty’s #4 fair-condition $8,000 number and the “seller” talking about rust, I just assumed that it was a gooped-up rust bucket that would need a full, expensive restoration, so maybe $9,000 wasn’t too far off.
Kudos to Todd Zuercher , nice job
Glad you post regardless of the situation Jesse. I read comments to learn and this is posted clearly for that reason.
Now that’s what I call a Bronco.
Any first generation Bronco lover would pick up on this scam right away, but in defense of the author someone not that familiar with the ridiculous prices these are going for I can forgive.
Look on the bright side folks, we all quickly identified it’s a scam. Sadly, there’s some poor sucker out there getting caught in a scam. Scammers beware… we are watching you. And you will get taken down by us!!!!
Scotty, I loved the “dream sequence and picture in the write up.
Looks like a nice rig. Dreaming on that price!
Personally, I like early Broncos better than Scout 80/800’s. But I still dream of owning a 72-80 Scout 2 or Traveler some day. I do have a soft spot for 79-era big Broncs too.
Keep sending us dreams, Scotty!
I’m thinking 22.5 K may not be too much out of line, price wise, but 22,588 completely over the top. He must be smokin something less than legal. LOL
Ok, let’s call a spade a spade here. 1st, BF’s is a great site, don’t trash it with your negativity. Posting scams, that’s preposterous. 2nd, most of us here, it seems, are just “tire kickers” anyway, and very few actually buy anything, for me, and most others, this site is “memory lane 101”, and that’s the fun part, how these different vehicles touched our lives.
The half cab Bronco is rare indeed. Most were relegated to gas station or maint. dept. plow ( or push) duty, and few survived. They probably sold 100 full cabs for every half cab. Highly sought after, and as with anything today that is sought after, you’re gonna have shysters. I agree, should go without saying, but buyer beware.
I would like to say that thanks to this site AND the readers who care enough to participate in putting up proof of the real ads(Todd Zuercher) , people are avoiding these scams but more importantly learning to recognize crap ads. Thanks Barn finds and Todd Zuercher.
Newfields’ & gto’ got it right – it’s Todd not Ted. Just like Scotty, some can be taken in like many. Can we fault them?esp when we get the straight poop?
22 thous $
2 thous
or nine ?
unless an actual buyer, no scam just more learnin for all.
(nother 1/2 cab)
Thanks for the kind words, guys. I don’t begrudge the BF folks for posting it – it’s up to us as a community to ferret out the bad apples. I just happen to be a Bronco enthusiast that lives in Phoenix. I don’t check CL every day but I surf it frequently enough to recognize the truck.
Just like a few months ago when another Bronco was posted and several of us in the community posted that it was for sale by a felon that had gone to prison for scams and was back at it again after being released.
And there are experts here on nearly every make and model that’s posted who can help educate us on the stuff they know a lot about.