1969 Ford Bronco

Description

Well, you can finally stop searching. You've just come across the nicest fully-restored and uncut Early Bronco on the market. Having sold more of these early Broncos than just about any other dealer, we have a pretty good handle on what makes them so special, and this uncut 1969 Ford Bronco is a stunning example of the world's first proper SUV. Finished just over 5k miles ago, it offers a fuel-injected 302 V8 Blueprint motor, a 5-speed manual transmission, a showroom quality paint job, and a comfortable A/C interior, making this the nicest Bronco we've probably ever featured. In a world filled with pretenders and patched-together vintage haulers, this Early Bronco stands out from the crowd with killer good looks and an impressive build that would likely cost way more than the asking price to duplicate. If you're looking for the best, then your search is likely over.

The best Broncos stick to the factory recipe instead of going too hardcore, and these days it's getting harder and harder to find one with 'uncut' rear fenders like this. Modifications are a matter of taste and for some it's the way to go, but for our money, maintaining the factory look of the Early Bronco is paramount, and the restorers of this two-tone '69 did exactly that. Matte Frost Green and Wimbledon White are the two-tone colors, and although it's not exactly a typical combination, we absolutely love the finish and how it perfectly captures the feel of the era. Just about everyone can agree that this little 4x4 is a great-looking truck. Completed to showroom standards, we could find no flaws in the finish and bodywork (and trust us, we looked), which means that this beauty is ready for the show circuit if that's your cup of tea. But it could just as easily handle itself out on the 4x4 trail too. Near-perfect panel fit and a great shine to the paint hid no secrets underneath, and although it's impossible to guarantee a truck like this hasn't had its share of fun off road, we'd be surprised if it's seen as much as a puddle since it was restored. By the look of the sheetmetal, it may have never seen one before the restoration either. The removable white top has a mounted roof rack and offers some nice contrast that matches the painted grille up front, and the bumpers are just simple stampings with chrome plating, emphasizing the Bronco's no-nonsense attitude. All the factory badging is still in place where it's supposed to be, and the spare tire mounted out back finished the factory look perfectly. Wow, what a fantastic truck!

The completely restored interior is mostly basic, yes, but it does basic better than we've ever seen before. The high-back bucket seats are modern units that do a great job fitting in with the utilitarian feel of the Early Bronco, and they've been reupholstered in comfortable Birmingham Brown leather with vertical pleats with a rear bench seat to match. Oh, and the seats up front are actually heated, adding a little bourgeois to the brawn. The rest of the cabin offers restrained luxury in the confines of Ford's factory parameters, with a Tuffy box between the front buckets, durable vinyl coverings on the floor, Vintage A/C under the dash, a leather-padded dash, a custom wood headliner (one of the coolest features we've ever seen inside any vintage hauler) and an all-around well-tailored feel, so it's really not at all as basic as you might think. The dash puts all the gauges in a single round pod to the left of the original steering wheel, while the secondary controls are arrayed across the middle. Entertainment comes via a Kenwood AM/FM/CD/USB head unit inside the middle console, and the tall shifter that falls easy to hand manages the 5-speed manual transmission below. The second lever on the floor is, of course, for the 2-speed transfer case, and the combination of the big steering wheel and quick reflexes make the Bronco easy to handle even in the suburban jungle. And while your first choice will always be to drive the Bronco alfresco, the hardtop does seal up nicely thanks to all new glass, weather strips, and door seals.

The Blueprint 302 cubic inch V8 motor offered in this Bronco is a welcomed upgrade, offering added power and torque for the relatively lightweight SUV. Responsive, smooth, and way fun to drive, it matches the Bronco's personality perfectly, and with an MSD fuel-injection system and full MSD ignition, it sparks to life with ease just like a modern vehicle. It's presented as fairly stock under the hood, with a Ford Blue heavy-duty snorkeled air cleaner and painted inner fenders and firewall that match the exterior, although the tasteful upgrades are easy to spot as well: finned aluminum valve covers, a big aluminum radiator, and a yellow-top Optima battery. If you can tune a vintage Mustang, you can tune this Bronco and the soundtrack from the newer exhaust system makes it a lot of fun to run it through the gears, on road or off. Power steering and power front disc brakes dramatically improve the driving experience, and combined with the low-mileage motor, help this Bronco drive like a modern SUV without losing the spirit of 1969. The 5-speed manual transmission shifts crisply and the heavy-duty axles never seem to mind the work off-roading, thanks in large part to the help of the fully restored suspension. There is a recent set of shocks under there, along with what appear to be fresh coils up front, giving it a perfect stance that allows plenty of room for those 235/75/15 off-road tires on simple steel wheels with correct hubcaps.

Make no mistake, early Broncos are red hot and this one is an unbelievable example that's ready to enjoy or show. Whatever the terrain, the Bronco is always entertaining. Call today!