The Ford Bronco is one of the most well known
Ford vehicles. A 4x4 SUV, the Bronco was produced from 1966 through 1996 and had four very distinct generations. The Bronco was first produced as competition for the Jeep CJ-5, and during the 1980s the
Bronco II accompanied the full size Bronco in the
Ford lineup. Perhaps the most famous Ford Bronco was the white vehicle that O.J. Simpson traveled in during his well known chase around Los Angeles.
The first Bronco was popular for its small size and off road capabilities, since it was a small SUV. This model of the Bronco was not considered great for towing, though. The Bronco was considered a true original because it did not share its frame, suspension, or body with any other vehicle. A 170 cubic inch straight six engine that had solid valve lifters, a six-quart oil pan, a heavy-duty fuel pump, oil bath air cleaner, as well as a carburetor with a float bowl that was guarded against tilting powered the first generation of the Ford Bronco. The style of this first Ford Bronco was very simple and had affordability in mind. The glass on the vehicle was flat, the bumpers were simple, the frame was a simplistic box section ladder, and the basic door skins were the same except for the mounting holes.
The base price for this first Bronco was just over $2,000 but there were some great options such as bucket seats, rear bench seat, CB radio, a tow bar, snowplow, a winch, and a posthole digger. There were always things such as special wheels and tires that would make the Bronco more attractive, as well. By 1973 power steering and automatic transmissions were added to the Bronco, making the options even more attractive.
In 1978 the Bronco was redesigned and was now based on the F-100 truck. The Bronco was now bigger than the first generation and could compete with the Chevy Blazer and Dodge Ramcharger. The Bronco was redesigned again for the 1980 model and was based on the Ford F-Series and this generation would last until 1996. Most of the changes from this year forward had to do with the chassis and power train. By this time the Bronco had a variety of V6 and V8 engines.
For the 1997 model year the Ford Expedition was introduced and it proved to be more effective in competing with the Chevy Suburban. It was the same year that the Bronco would be dropped from the production lineup, but the name would be used again in the future as a concept car. Ford has yet to produce this new modern Bronco, but some say we'll see it in the next five years.
