Ford Bronco®: A 4x4 Legend

In 1966, this new breed of off-road vehicle stampeded onto the scene and into wild hearts everywhere, setting the mold for the modern SUV.

1966-1977

Generation 1: The Original Ford "All-Purpose Vehicle"

Information on this page was sourced from "Ford Bronco: A History of Ford’s Legendary 4x4" by Todd Zuercher.

The standard Bronco Roadster is an all-purpose vehicle without roof or doors. Smoothly contoured door openings give it a sporty appearance. Optional doors were available with or without glass and frame. Vinyl doors and a convertible top were also available on this model. The windshield may be folded down flat on the hood and locked in place. The standard seat is a bench type with ample room for three persons.
The Sport Utility is the same as the standard Roadster except that it includes a short steel roof, metal side doors and roll-up windows to provide complete weather protection. The Sport Utility, along with the Roadster and Wagon, has a full-width 56-inch tailgate with a handy one-hand-operated latch. Wheel housings are flat on top for extra convenience. The sturdy rooftop weighs only 70 pounds and is bolted on for quick and easy removal.
The Wagon has a full-length roof with upper body sides installed on the basic body. The two driver-passenger doors are steel with roll-up windows. The upper body sides have large fixed windows. The rear liftgate also has a large fixed window and may be locked in the open position for ventilation. The tailgate may be left in the horizontal position for carrying long items. The entire enclosed area can be completely locked. The top and upper sides are bolted on and can be removed if desired.

Bronco History Gallery

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Designed to Go Wherever

Bronco challenged the competition right out of the gate. The first generation offered advanced capability, stability and maneuverability, while its rugged good looks singled it out from the herd.

Bronco came off the line ready to hit the trail. A coil spring front suspension provided a smooth ride (unusual for an off-road vehicle), and a radius arm design added durability and strength.
A short wheelbase enabled Bronco to nail tight off-road maneuvers that other vehicles would find tough to manage. With a turning diameter of 33.6 ft.—much lower than that of its peers—it could turn around in a small area and nimbly navigate obstacles in its path.
Bucking the status quo on yet another front, engineers amped up the Bronco track width. This innovation gave it a stability advantage on any surface, from paved highways to hillsides. It also boasted excellent approach and departure angles, break over angles, and ground clearance.

A 1970 Ford Bronco® Racing model pictured tearing across a desert terrain

Shortly after leaving the starting line, Bronco started grabbing gold in off-road competitions. From its first appearance to today, Bronco has garnered more than its share of off-road racing wins and saddled up driving luminaries like Bill Stroppe, Parnelli Jones, Rod Hall, James Garner and many others.

The Inside Story: Packages

Bronco needs packages worthy of its go-anywhere design and capability. Below we highlight some of the packages that were crafted with the outdoor enthusiast in mind-without skimping on style and comfort.

Explorer Package

1972 offered a more budget-conscious alternative to the Sport and Ranger options. The Explorer Package included select features from the other two packages, along with a unique Explorer badge on the glovebox and an Explorer spare tire cover.
Ranger Package

1973 infused a luxury vibe. Design elements conveyed a premium feel without compromising a rugged edge. Exterior highlights included a spare tire cover with Bronco Ranger lettering and bucking horse logo, along with white vinyl striping on the body and hood.
Sport Package

1967 upped the Bronco-style ante. Exterior highlights included an argent-painted grille with red Ford logo, bright trim surrounding the grille, headlamps and windows. The bold exterior look was capped off with an exclusive Sport Bronco emblem on the fenders.
Special Décor Package

1976 sent off the first-generation Bronco in style. Featuring a body-color top, a contrasting stripe across the hood and body flanks, and a blacked-out grille. This foreshadowed Free Wheeling packages to come.

A 1969 Ford Bronco® pictured parked with the doors off and roof removed to showcase the interior

The first Bronco offered a variety of seating configurations: bench seat only, single bucket seat, two bucket seats only and bucket seats with a rear bench. Vehicles equipped with the bench or bucket seats without a rear seat featured a bulkhead behind the seat(s) to create a cargo compartment in the back.

Old School Enthusiasts

Dig deep into some historical, all-purpose Bronco specifications.

A vintage illustration of a Ford Bronco® model connected to tow a pop-up camper