When the seller located this 1978 Ford Bronco XLT Ranger, it had been sitting in storage for more than two decades. When he dragged it into the light of day, it revealed itself as a solid and original survivor begging to be returned to active duty. He has breathed new life into this classic, and adding the final touches to return the Bronco to a roadworthy state will fall to its next owner. If you feel up for that challenge, you will find the Ranger located in Springtown, Texas, and listed for sale here on eBay. Solid bidding has pushed the price to $20,100 in a No Reserve auction.

It seems that a previous owner parked this Bronco in a shed in 1999, and it has only recently emerged. It wears its original combination of Code “T” Red and Code “M” White paint. It still holds a good shine, which is all the more impressive when you consider two factors. The first is that it has been sitting covered in dust since 1999, which is a state that isn’t conducive to paint preservation. The Bronco has spent its life exposed to the Texas sun when not in storage. Given its overall level of presentation, I would be tempted to retain this Ford as an original classic if it landed in my workshop. That dry Texas climate has done a marvelous job preserving the steel because apart from dry surface corrosion in a few locations, this off-roader is rust-free and structurally sound. The chrome and trim look respectable for a survivor, as does the glass. The larger wheels and tires are a recent addition by the seller. If potential buyers crave originality, it would be worth enquiring about the factory wheels to see if the seller still holds them. If he does and feels generous, a persuasive buyer may be able to convince him to throw them in as part of the deal. You never know, but it costs nothing to ask.

Ford offered potential buyers the choice of two motors to slot under their new ’78 Bronco, and the original owner selected the 351ci V8 that produced 156hp and 262 ft/lbs of torque. The rest of the drivetrain includes a three-speed automatic transmission, a dual-range transfer case, power steering, and power brakes. At 5,996lbs, the Bronco would rarely be called a lightweight, and when you factor in Ford’s off-road focus with this model, it makes the ¼ mile ET of 19.8 seconds look pretty impressive. When the seller located this Bronco, it had been inactive for more than two decades. He flushed the fuel system and replaced the tank. He also added a mountain of new braking components and flushed the fluids. He has the vehicle to the point where it runs and drives, but there are still a few small jobs for the buyer to tackle on the path to roadworthiness. One of these is an issue with the carburetor. The seller indicates that it needs a rebuild or replacement, and how the next owner tackles this will be dependent on their desire to maintain originality.

If considered purely as an original survivor, this Bronco’s interior remains serviceable and has no immediate needs. The upholstered surfaces show some wear and discoloring, which is also true of the carpet. There’s nothing horrendous, and if the buyer added some aftermarket slipcovers and floor mats, it would look quite respectable. The big-dollar item will be the badly cracked dash pad. This is beyond repair, and with the crack edges curling significantly, even a mat or cover won’t camouflage the problem. This is one aspect of the interior where the next owner may need to bite the bullet because replacement pads leave little change out of $350. The factory radio has made way for a Jensen radio/cassette player, but there appear to be no other additions. Life on the road will be made pretty pleasant by the inclusion of ice-cold air conditioning and cruise control.

We see our share of Ford Broncos here at Barn Finds, but it is interesting to note that nearly 50% of those vehicles are First Generation examples. It is also fascinating to reflect on the relative sales success of the First and Second Generation vehicles. First Generation Broncos accounted for 225,585 sales during twelve model years on the market. The Second Generation achieved 181,955, or 80% of that figure, in a mere two years of production. It seems that people liked what they saw when this Bronco was new, and this remains true today. That helps to explain the twenty-three bids already received and makes me believe that there will be many more before the listing ends. There is the potential that it could threaten $25,000 by the time this happens, and even if you’re not tempted to drop a bid, the auction should be worth watching.