The 1st Generation Ford Bronco has become a highly-prized collectible, and clean and tidy examples can now command some very respectable prices. This particular 1974 model demonstrates the level of desirability simply by the fact that there are currently 196 people who are watching its listing here on eBay. The Bronco is located in Flora, Mississippi, and if the number of people watching proceedings is impressive, then the bidding can also be considered to be pretty respectable. A total of 28 bids have been submitted to this point. This has pushed the price along to $12,199, and at that level, the reserve has now been met.
The first thing to note about this Bronco is just how solid it is. Rust can be the mortal enemy of these vehicles, but this one shows a lot of promise. The owner admits that the front floors have been patched, and while it is serviceable, he feels that replacing those completely would probably be a wise long-term move. The rear floors are said to be solid, which is more good news. The panels look to be free of problems, while the same is true of the rear corners of the engine bay where the inner wheel housings meet the cowl and firewall. The doors open and close as they should, and the panel gaps appear to be fairly consistent. The Bronco started life finished in a color called Village Green, and evidence of this can be seen in a few spots around the vehicle. There are a few non-standard additions to the Bronco, and the one that will probably annoy purists the most is the fact that the fenders have been cut to fit bigger wheels and fender flares. It would be possible to rectify this, and as a bit of a guide to the sort of expense involved, high-quality lower rear quarter panels can be found for around $95 each. The other obvious non-original item is the bumpers, but correct reproductions are readily available.
Ford offered a choice of two different engines in the 1974 Bronco, and the most highly-sought today is the 302ci V8. That this is precisely what you get in this vehicle, and it is backed by a 3-speed manual transmission. A power output of 137hp was a respectable number in 1974, but it was the 230ft/lbs of torque that really helped the Bronco to hold its own when the going got rough. The owner claims that the Ford is in sound mechanical health, and says that even after it has been sitting for a few weeks, a couple of pumps on the gas pedal will see it fire right up. Over the past year or so, all of the seals and bearings in the front and rear ends have been replaced, as have all of the fuel lines and brake lines. He states that the only thing that it could really use now is some new tires, and with those fitted, it would be fit to hit the road once again.
Being the Ranger, this Bronco did come with a nicely appointed interior. This included cloth inserts on the seats and door trims, along with carpet on the floors. This added a touch of comfort to the off-road experience and gave the interior a very classy look. For this Bronco, that must seem like it was a long time ago because it now looks pretty sad and sorry. The interior will require a complete refurbishment, and it is possible to find full interior trim kits in the correct material and pattern for around the $1,700 mark. This includes all of the smaller items such as clips and screws, along with a full set of carpet, seat foam, and a dash pad. That should have it all looking nice and factory fresh.
In 1974, Ford managed to sell 25,824 examples of the Bronco, making that year the most successful for the 1st Generation vehicle. Their popularity continues today and is best reflected in the sorts of prices that these can achieve in the market. The first battle is to find an unmolested and original vehicle, and you will struggle to find a reasonable one for under $40,000. From there, values can skyrocket pretty quickly, with $60,000 or more not being out of the question. This one is going to need both time and money to return it to its best, but with those sorts of figures in mind, it could be well worth the effort.
Ranger with a 3 speed manual – not common.
Usually the C4 auto….
This is what Broncos are supposed to look like. There are enough stock units around to satisfy the purists, the rest of us will take these anytime. Nice to see one in good condition.
I am on my second one. They are great but hide a ton of issues. If this one runs and isn’t a total disaster with the frame and body, that reserve price is extremely fair. Best part about these is that if totally stock, they have tons of value, and even if not and you do tons of cool aftermarket stuff, they still fetch a ton of money.
Nice Bronco, pretty complete color change. Original color appears to be Limestone green, which looks amazing on these! Personally, I wouldn’t want an uncut version, as it limits them too much, and it is a period mod, which makes it acceptable now. Nice to see a later Ranger with a stick, however, there are enough pieces of Ranger equipment that I question if it is in fact a Ranger (though it does have the seats and door panels.) Chrome is missing on the windows, chrome is missing on the body, there is no pics of the headliner either. While it’s certainly possible someone just changed the top and removed the body chrome, I’d want to run the numbers.
Go w/what U can get, make w/it what you want – I say. Unless you want concourse correct (not me, unless it’s my 2nd).
It took me 3 to make mine 33 yrs ago (a ’66/70/79, yeehaaaw) and I’m still workin on it. This one is OK if the price stays down, but we all know about that. (Lots of nice bits here, tho).
Just needs a full once over (not piecemeal like last owner. For instance look at the interior and pass side/hood gap). We all know what that means. Drive it & wrk on the mechanicals, inspect the body, save yer $. When able (& if needed) do the whole chassy & body? By that time you may have researched the model to know it’s potential/limits and can lean 1 direction or the other (st? / rd?) like most multipurpose vehicle can do either but until ‘assisted’ can not do anything well.