The seller says this 1977 Ford Bronco is a barn find, and they also say “All original frame on restoration,” which I’m assuming means original spec. There are a couple of modifications, but looks-wise, this Bronco looks fantastic, and finding one with uncut rear wheel wells is like finding gold. They have it posted here on craigslist in Menlo Park, California, and they’re asking $49,500. Here is the original listing.
I know, $50k for an old Bronco, but that’s the way things have evolved over the last couple of decades. If you think that’s bad, the average price of a home in Menlo Park, California is $2,860,000. $50k for an old SUV is 2% of the average house price there, or basically nothing. The median price of a home there is $3,300,000. $26,500,000 was the most expensive home sold there, and that was back in 2022. Enough of that, just some interesting numbers to kick around while we’re lamenting how much old Broncos sell for now compared to a couple of decades ago.
The first-generation Bronco was made from 1966 through the 1977 model years, so, from the last Studebaker factory closing, and the Flintstones airing their final episode, to the first Star Wars movie and the first Apple II computer. That’s quite a range. This example looks incredibly nice. Other than having a small dent on the leading edge of the right front fender, I don’t see any other body issues. The seller doesn’t mention the body condition, but the underside has been treated and coated, along with some modern suspension bits.
Woodgrain! This isn’t an early Bronco; this was the last year of the first generation, and there were several models. One of you Bronco experts will know which model this is, if it isn’t a “base” model. The dash pad is a bit worrisome, but if you can’t find parts for this Bronco, you aren’t trying too hard. The front seat inserts appear to have been redone, but the back seat looks like it could be original.
The seller says the original 302-cu.in. OHV V8 has been rebuilt, and it would have had just over 200 horsepower, and this one is backed by a column-shifted automatic sending power to all four wheels as needed. The seller says they’re the third owner and everything works great, and it runs and drives as it should. I don’t see 302 V8 emblems on the front fenders, but maybe not every 302-equipped Bronco had those? Any thoughts on this Bronco?
Not inexpensive, but not a total mess like you see for sale. It might find a buyer depending how negotiable the seller is. It would be easy to do worse than this one.
Steve R
Looks a little top heavy..
If you spend some time on CL looking at the photos you can see that this vehicle “appears” to be well preserved and tastefully done. The underside looks exceptionally well kept even with the modifications done to it which are minimal. I’m not sure I would spend $50K but this is a very nice truck for sure. Heavily modified Broncos are going for 3 times this amount on the auction circuit so this seems like a fair asking price. Throw some AC in there and some other pieces so that you can use the vehicle on a daily basis and save a few dollars.
Scotty – this is a Ranger model, which was top of the line for ‘77. Most had stripes but some were a stripe-delete. The engine had about 135 hp (net). 200 gross in earlier years. The 302 emblems on the fenders were 69-71 only.
That’s all great info, Todd, thanks much!
This one looks pretty good. I’m not a big fan of the first Broncos but this one would always be welcome on my driveway. The 302 is a decent engine and a few tweaks, like a decent carburetor, a set of duals and a recurve of the ignition make them perform reasonably well.
My older brother had a ’72 model. He traded it for a full-sized unit when they came out in ’78. The new one was a lot more stable and it did the job quite well but the 302 gave it a fast ride…
The people that can afford the $2,000,000,000 starter home? Also think $50,000 for this Bronco is a screamin’ deal.
I grew up in that area, a few miles north. Most of the people in my parents neighborhood have lived there for decades, they bought when you could afford a house working at a factory. It wasn’t until the factories were driven out by policy decisions in the late-1980’s and 1990’s that prices started moving higher. That coincides with running out buildable spaces on the peninsula. Prices didn’t skyrocket until the early-2000’s when Hi-Tech took off as a driver job creation.
Steve R
Sir (Big C), you are correct!
The main problem with owning a post-1975 car here in California is the fact that they still need to have factory emissions controls and pass SMOG checks. 1975 and earlier have no testing, so you are free to modify the powertrain however you want.
For now they are, sooner or later the state will likely roll back emissions testing to either 1968 model year, which is when the federal government set standards or 1966 when California set their standards.
Steve R
I thank the Lord ever day, that I live in a free state. The words “Car crazy California” will be a footnote in history.
You have it backwards, it’ll roll forward if anything. There is already talk of this. Rolling back doesn’t make sense and would never survive court challenges. Keep in mind old car usage is in an accelerated decline with respect to population growth and newer car production. CA is a classic car culture state regardless of tightening emissions standards.
Nic, you must not be familiar with how California works, the legislature likes to pass laws “for the greater good” without regard to consequences. Federal law states all original emissions equipment must be installed, which started in 1968, they are just choosing not to enforce that aspect, but that could change very easily. That’s how California ran their emissions testing until the early-2000’s, visual inspections were part of the test, if it didn’t pass you couldn’t renew your registration.
Steve R
Steve, I’ll cite Leno’s law SB1392 and keep my fingers crossed that pre ’81 cars will become exempt
Nic, I hope it eventually passes, but it died last year, 2025, without a final vote and I’d be surprised if that doesn’t happen again this year.
Steve R
Steve, do you still reside in California? I am from the Midwest, and I just do not understand how anyone with common sense can live in California. Especially in LA.
JWK, I do, I’d like to leave, but my dad’s 91 and his health isn’t great. When the time comes I’d like to leave, but the weather and healthcare is hard to beat, the area he lives in is not subject to most of the problems that make the news other than high prices, especially gas. My parents bought a small house in a great area in the early-60’s. I’ll have to see what property taxes will be and how much it will cost to buy my sister out of her share. If my only option was to stay in my house or move out of state, that decision would take about 2 seconds, it’s more typical of what you see on TV, even though the newer houses in my neighborhood sell in excess of 1 million it’s a s**t hole.
Steve R
Scotty have ya been on Jeopardy since we last heard from ya? Win big $ on TV trivia & real estate categories? 😂 As for this Bronco, high dollar imo but someone will pay it. Btw nice write up, as always, SG!
Ha! I’ve been in jeopardy, but not on Jeopardy. You are way too kind, Rickirick!
Lol. Love your write ups man. I never know what I’m gonna read on your posts. Plz keep em coming brother. Be Blessed
good write up …where I am this represents a small frame house and couple acres of land
if you have 2.2-3.3 mil to drop on a house the 50k is beer money. for the working stiff 50k is a lot. personally, i don’t see these truck being worth that much nor would pay that much for 1. to each their own.
$10,000 max
I do quite a few auctions per year to include the big ones (Mecum, Barrett Jackson, Indy, etc) and concentrate my efforts on the overflow lots or car corrals as they are commonly known. Most people would not realize it but this truck is priced close to an auction price of $35-45K for similar vehicles. The question is “would someone pay it?”
Usually at these auctions OR on BAT the answer is “yes” as vehicles like this are getting harder to find so his ask of $50k is not out of line with market demand.
Typical supply and demand issues at work here.
Well, as the sites wet blanket, it’s tough to say anything nice in regards to these. I’m particularly surprised with people that might want one of these, and even consider buying ANYTHING from California, the home of fleecing.
Now, is California a bad thing for all? Not according to my daughter and SIL, whose house in L.A. has doubled in value, in just 6 years. I don’t know their incomes, not my business, but if you are on a budget, meaning daddy didn’t leave you money, or unless in movie production, you have no business in or around California. Like shopping at Safeway, when Walmart has the same items for a lot less. You enjoy spending extra money for nothing? Maybe if these people had to watch every penny, be a different story..I see some 1st gen Broncos out here, and have much lower price tags and no rust, and plenty of southern areas with these. If, and a big if, they happen to snag some fool, you can rest assured it will be the last time. They were so-so 4x4s then, and you’ll find out why they’re called “Broncos”,,,they ride like one.
This is great, this “AI” thing is amazing. I typed in, “is there remorse for people that buy classic Ford Broncos”?( waiting 1.3 seconds) get this, the answer was ” Yes, there is a large remorse after buying one, that stems from the appeal of a classic, to the harsh realities of actually owning one”,,,there you have it.
If you search “are buyers happy with early Broncos” you get the exact opposite. AI is a tool that’s not well refined, the response it gives shouldn’t be taken at face value and accepted as accurate. My dad used to say this about computers in the late-1970’s, “garbage in, garbage out”, that applies to AI too.
Steve R
You know this “AI” is getting a little monotonous. Growing up on a cattle ranch 55+ years ago, we used AI back then. Dairy farms used it almost exclusively to maintain their herds. The “A” is the same: “Artificial.” The “I” is pretty much known to the rest of the world as, “intelligence.” You could almost apply it to the rancher’s dictionary because the tiny creatures you’re dealing with at least know what their job is…
Says the guy that waxes poetically about his YJ Wrangler :).
Ha! Yeah, the guy talking into a flat iron,,look, I’m the LAST person to accept a computer generated response as gospel, I lived too long without it for any credibility, YET, its out there, BIG TIME, and there are folks that DO take whatever that silly Alexis belches out as 100% truth. Even a coot like me admits, this AI is pretty amazing and I’m sure the site uses it , perhaps without even knowing it. I think it will eventually take down our society, what’s left, and hopefully I won’t see it.
Are people disappointed after spending 5 figures on a vehicle like this? Probably not, if so they wouldn’t be buying it in the 1st place. After spending almost FIFTY BUCKS($50 with tip) at a local sports bar for 2 crummy hamburgers( that weren’t that good and 17 French fries, I didn’t even get a drink, and rest assured the last time I do that), it’s painfully obvious, there is a LOT of money out there. It’s inconceivable for someone who makes $1500/month on SS, to try and compare that to someone that spends that on a lunch. Regardless, bottom line,,I hope they are happy, despite what “Alexis” says,,
The seller has lowered their asking price to $48,000.