$21,500 is the asking price for this 1968 Ford Bronco, and while it seems steep, the seller claims it is rust free and completely original. Often times, these Broncos lead hard lives in snowbelt states leading to extensive corrosion issues, or are hacked up for off-roading exploits, so preserved examples are hard to find. Check out this example here on craigslist in California or go here if the ad is archived.
Personally, I love the old-school bushwhacker details captured in the first photo, with the brush guard and the vintage “smiley face” driving lamp covers. It’s silly, but details like that just win me over on a roughneck Bronco like this. The body is far from perfect, but it does appear to suggest the seller is being forthright that you won’t find too much rust on this body. The rear bumper, however, has been nudged a bit.
The interior is far from perfect, and I wonder if the shifter handle coming out of the console indicates the column shift unit is no longer functional. Someone help me out: it has three pedals but an automatic shifter gate – what gives? The dash is pleasingly intact but a later radio has been installed. It appears at least one door panel is missing and there’s a fair amount of debris in the cabin. Glass looks good but the interior overall seems to match the state of the exterior.
The 289 was the optional motor for the ’68 Broncos, and we’re assuming it’s the original unit based off the seller’s description. Not too much else was unique for the 68s, aside from transitioning to a washer fluid bottle instead of a bag and a revised door striker design. Is $21,500 a bit ambitious for a Bronco like this, or does the rust-free condition give the seller some latitude to shoot for a higher sale price?
Crazy money, thats all I got.
I believe that floor shifter is for the 4 wheel drive controls…and although the price is a bit high, these things have been bringing stupid money of late…
Jeff – that’s a 3 speed column shifter. No auto shifter gate anywhere. The floor shifter is the transfer case shifter – used on 67-72 Broncos. They’re banking on the rust-free status of the truck tontry and get thatnpeice for this particular example.
‘To try’ and ‘get that price’.
’68 originally had the separate radiator fill/surge tank in it but it’s obviously been displaced for the a/c compressor in this example.
$5K truck at BEST, What the seller doesnt know is the back wheel wells are cut out already. Thats a huge hit!!!!
Yep, agree on that rear wheel wells. Cut and no longer original. However, Bronco pricing seems pretty crazy. If someone already had plans to cut on an original, this would fit the bill and they might pay more for it.
I TRULY wish I had a barn full of early Broncos…I could retire! Love all of them!
Like the half cab in Texas a while back, this shows, how these things can snowball in price because they are scarce. These withered away in the rust belt, where they were very popular for a time, but when the frame let go, they became one of those plow trucks that sits up north next to a shed. These sellers are banking on that rarity, like Landcruisers, but even that has leveled off some. Probably after actually driving one, and find out, there’s better $20K 4×4’s out there. The T handle shifter on the floor (that looks like it came out of a Pinto) had the 4 wheel Lo-N- 2 wheel high- 4 wheel high positions on the shifter.
there’s a 5th position U left out. 2 w lo.
4w hi
4w lo
N
2 w hi
2w lo
That wuz up to ’73 tho (the “T handled”). The nxt’n last – the “J patterned” wuz different.
To the 2nd point:
been wrkin n the Toy FJ40 in the buddie’s shop – it’s a ’82 (only 81&2 hada 6 cyl) he just paid $30K for. Appears in similar condition to this’un.
Um, I don’t remember a “2 wheel lo”.( unless you had it in 4 lo and the front hubs disengaged)
https://www.cjponyparts.com/scott-drake-transfer-case-shifter-cover-bronco-1966-1977/p/ASC14/?year=1972&gclid=CjwKCAjwopTYBRAzEiwAnU4kb2FuqxB8SBjKHReqk4RY1_2g9S0NhZxxtUFLs0YMfQCdDKwyASx39xoCROIQAvD_BwE
Howard A. is correct – there wasn’t a 2WD Lo on the shift indicator. There was a decal used briefly on the late ’66 trucks that showed a 2 Lo. Smart drivers knew you could shift into 4 Lo without the hubs locked to get 2 Lo or you could usually find a spot on the long gap between neutral and 4 Lo where you could get 2 Lo, but there wasn’t officially a 2 Lo spot on the shift indicator.
My dad’s First Gen Bronco, and his ’61 SL certainly turned into our family’s “If Only” vehicles… Maybe not-so-much the SL, but if you had told me back in the day (as they both left the yard at the end of a wrecker) that a car that they could not keep from breaking down would someday be worth Mega Bucks, I wouldn’t have taken that bet.
I can’t say for sure where it was headed hooked to that wrecker, but likely it was the bone-yard.
Our’s was in better shape than this one was, AND the rear wheel-wells weren’t cut!
If only.
I love these Broncos they cost more to buy and to restore but they look amazing when you are done. I got an 87 Bronco that’s stock right now but the radio brand new. But man if this Bronco was cheaper I would some how buy it.
“…Not too much else was unique for the 68s…”
also last yr 4 the ‘flush’ turn sig grill, hood (missing) windshield latch’n removable window frames in the doors. W/the 2 gass tanks, spare tire carrier’n color/cloth seat inserts (called ‘Sport’ model) I’d think it would have 2 ext. rearviews. The winch may B factory optioned (Koenig PTO). Like 2 C the ‘dor cards’.
A bit of an upgrade all round 4 ’68 model.
$21,500 for this Bronco is crazy and so is anyone who paid that much. I love these first generation Broncos but I am also smart enough to know they are not worth the crazy prices they are asking these days. JMHO take it or leave it.
The 289 was replaced in the ‘68 lineup by the 302, was it not?
Jett – the Bronco got the 302 in ’69 – a year after the car lineup got it.
Far from original. ..i would inspect it close. Some folks idea of rust free don’t mean the same as others.
Asking price us one thing but getting it is another
A lot going in in this post. I’d say I really do LOVE this vehicle, but the left coast and asking price not in my view – as to “worth it” – market drives that, not opinions. ’68 was an interesting year for FoMoCo small blocks. It was a cross-over year from 289 to 302. I had a ’68 Cougar XR7 with a factory 302. Imagine my surprise when the first time I popped the valve covers and heads were stamped 289. Known a lot of CA cars to be well protected from rust for decades – potential buyer just needs to realize close to purchase price will need to go into it to get her right…
That is the deluxe shifter option for the transfer case. It has an indicator window on the base of the shifter to show which range is selected.
I had a 1972 sport model that had the same shifter, a headliner, deluxe wheel covers and some extra trim.
The spare tire has to be swung out of the way each time the tailgate is opened. I moved the tire carrier latch on the tailgate to the passenger side rear quarter panel. Instant side mount spare and no longer in the way.
I bet it will bring close to the crazy money being asked for it.
“I bet it will bring close to the crazy money being asked for it.” — agreed.
Wow, seems like crazy money for the condition…those ‘details’ that need attention would add up pretty quick. Somewhat off-topic, but I’m finding that Bronco II prices are getting crazy high, however a full size Bronco can still be had at a good price.
Seller deleted the post-that usually means it sold. Maybe the price wasn’t so crazy after all? The A/C is add-on (hacked-up fan shroud) but the hard to find original air cleaner is present. Manual steering is all that came originally, and fat tires made it a bear to drive. Optional rear seat and cloth inserts are a good find. Its obviously lived under the oak trees for years and I would be surprised to find rodent-chewed wires and rubber parts.