I’m a big fan of early Broncos, but this one has me a little squeamish. Besides the snowplow, it appears to be a mostly original example from 1973, however, it’s pretty obvious there are some major issues. Once starting out as a beautiful orange Bronco, it has been reduced to a rusty shell that has little structure left. It can be found here on eBay with a buy-it-now price of $3,900! Now located in McKinney, Texas, it has Wisconsin plates and I would bet it plowed tons of Badger State snow over the years. Take a look for yourself and see if it is worth saving.
Here you can see the rockers are completely gone along with part of the floor pan. The body appears to sag in the middle, which isn’t allowing the door to close properly. I’m guessing by the time the rust is trimmed back to good metal, there wouldn’t be much left. Amazingly the dash pad doesn’t appear to have any cracks and the dash looks salvageable.
The ad says the engine is original. It is most likely a 289 or 302, but it’s hard to tell for sure. If you think you know, leave a comment. The seller says it runs and drives, which probably means the engine and transmission are salvageable as well. You can see the fenders are Swiss cheese, but amazingly the core support and grille don’t look too bad!
Here you can see the tailgate is nearly gone. The structure is so damaged that it almost appears to be a 2wd version of a Bronco (although none came that way from the factory). The top appears to be worth saving along with some of the aluminum trim. I doubt there’s $3,900 worth of usable parts, but I fear that’s about all this truck is good for any longer. What do you think?
I would say something about kicking a dead horse, but that action would likely snap the vehicle in half.
Pretty sure you can get a new tub and here’s the parts truck! Although may not surender the parts with any ease.
Yes, new tubs run from $8K up to 13K for a really nice complete body. For example https://www.dennis-carpenter.com/broncobodies
Can it be worth it? Is the running gear rebuildable? How many other parts will you need? And then there’s bodywork and paint.
You know, before even seeing the license plate, I thought, this must be a Badger truck, and lo and behold. As readers in rust free states gasp in horror, this is what 90% of them turned into. Usually, the top is what’s holding it together.What’s kind of fun, is seeing the good ol’ midwest ingenuity on what keeps them driving. Somebody in Texas thinks they hit the gold mine, possibly because there simply aren’t any left and someone from Wisconsin is jumping for joy.
This would be pure junk in any state for anybody…nothing here at all worth saving.
Looks like rusteoporosis. (automotive version of osteoporosis w/ collapsed vertebrae)
Wheel covers might be ok…
Really 3900.00 hundred dollar’s for a rusted out hulk. I don’t think so Homey don’t play that.
Loved the Homey the clown reference!
Wouldn’t a 1973 Bronco have a 302 ?
What’s the scrap value of paper machete?
If original it would be a 302. All you need is a repro body and some time
Auction ended. Can’t believe anyone would have the guts to prove the runs and drives claim! Not to ding the seller, but the name is fineautomobilesllc . . . Maybe not this automobile . . .
If my memory serves correct this Bronco looks identical to the one Dick Brantmeier Ford, located in my childhood home of Sheboygan, WI., used to plow their new and used car lots with in the late ’70’s and throughout the ’80’s. Pretty sure it was shod with the ’76-’79 F150 wheel covers found on this one too. Could just be a coincidence, if only rust could speak oh the tales it would tell.
Never understood the allure of these at all
I’m with Doc. Never understood these heaps of horse manure. Horribly built Ford junk. They are only on your site because loud mouth Rawlings made Aaron waste hours and money on a total rusted out heap on TV. Not even worth hauling to junk yard.
Also put me with Doc…I wouldn’t pay $3900. for one of these in perfect condition!
Remember what eventually happened to your Tonka truck after you repeatedly pushed it around the driveway under your body weight?
How much is the VIN worth? That’s all you’re buying here.
Maybe $39.00 or maybe $390.00 worth of usable parts.
no.
Please have the decency to crush this thing before the rust spreads to nearby objects!
Ugghhh
If you squint your eyes, you can make out the silhouette of what was a Bronco.
Has anyone checked the sealers temperature I think maybe he has Covid-19 he’s out of his mind
In looking at this vehicle closely I have to say the license plate looks salvageable, not the mount but the plate itself! As far as the rest of it, RIP!!
Since the BJ and Mecum car auctions are not being filmed due to social distancing this rusty POJ isn’t worth a dozen Dunkn Donuts. On a side note the bashers of the first generation Broncos have never owned one and used it as intended. My 68 rusty one but not this bad kept up with many jeeps in the woods and mud pits along with plowing my 1/2 mile country driveway and my 73 got pampered a little more but still seen it’s fair share of steep rocky hills and mud just cleaned up quicker when done having fun. Hoping some day the craze for these ends and I can buy another for the $5,500 I sold my super nice rust free 73 for in 1995.
Wait, what’s that song I hear in the background? Oh yeah, that’s it… TAPS.
Parts car. Nothing more.
I liked up the meaning of POS in the dictionary and there was a picture of this truck.
Nothing personal but in their hey day the couldn’t come close to following an FJ40 or any Jeep.
I love this site! It is hilariously enertaining!
lotta bits’n pieces worth it here. Make yer own glass or steel from 1/2 doz after mrketers. It’s all avail inc the frame. Some just buy em for the VIN & go frm there (isn’t that illegal?). Back in the day (’83) it took me 3 of these to make my 1. Still wrkin onit ! aahahahaa ~
There is really no point in rebodying a bronco that may not have a good frame!! For $3900 it wouldn’t be a chance I would take!! If it runs it could be a good candidate for a coupe body from a car with a similar length wheel base!! Something someone’s got laying around that would break the bank doing the swap!!
What? It’s fine. I’m sure the guy over at Jalopnik with the postal jeep will want it.