With demand seemingly on the rise for the sixties and seventies Ford Broncos, even project-type examples are fetching some pretty big bucks these days, and this 1977 Ford Bronco Ranger here on eBay was the last year from the first-generation offerings, which were produced from 1966 through ’77.  With some of the rusty vehicles of all makes we run across here at Barn Finds with owners who seem to think the corrosion is no big deal, the seller of this one must be really honest, as he says the rust issues may be even worse than they appear in the photos, so let’s have a look and try and figure out the severity.  The Bronco is in Sarasota, Florida, with bidding already up to $18,100 with the reserve not yet reached.

Checking this one out all the way around outside, sure, I’m seeing some rust, quite a bit in fact.  But with the preface given by the seller, I was actually expecting to view more, and this isn’t one of those cases where I felt like going for a tetanus shot after just looking at the pictures.  One area he may be referring to specifically is the passenger side rear quarter, as there seems to be some decay along the body line near the roof, which the hardtop itself is another section specifically mentioned as showing rust.  On the driver’s side, there’s a dent in the front fender, but an extra door in better condition will be included with the sale, so whatever is going on there should be easily remedied.  However, with the seller suggesting thorough metal replacement, I’ve got to believe he knows what he’s talking about and I’m guessing the buyer should be prepared for a considerable amount of work to get the body solid again.

The 302 is said to actually run well and will apparently start right up, although there’s no mention of whether or not it’s ever been overhauled.  A transmission rebuild is definitely in the near future for the next owner, as the automatic is only operating in one forward gear.  But some good news is the seller’s belief that the actual frame is fairly solid, and there are new shocks and springs plus a 3-inch lift kit, so maybe you’ll be spared having to make a lot of immediate repairs on the bottom side.

Things inside aren’t looking all that bad, with the dash, seat covers, and carpeting appearing to be in decent shape overall.  A few cracks are visible on the steering wheel, so I’d probably pop that off and put a replacement on pretty quickly, then maybe sand the ashtray door and spray some new paint on it then call it a day on the interior, at least until sometime later down the road after everything else has already been dealt with.  I’m also a bit curious about what the story is on the red Grand Prix that can be spotted in the driveway.  What would you do with this 1977 Ford Bronco Ranger?