Bronco of the Day: '66 Roadster Spy vs Spy

 

Today we have not one but two Broncos of the Day coming to us from Jeff's Bronco Graveyard.

Jeff is not just a seller of new and used Bronco parts, Jeff also is a collector of Broncos. He bought two 1966 Roadster Broncos and restored them, one in Raven Black and one in Wimbledon White. I nick named these Spy vs Spy from the old Mad magazine cartoons of the two competing spies (one wore all black, the other all white).

Anyway, here are the pictures:

Bronco Babes #45

 

Bronco Cryptozoology #45 The Mach 1 Bronco

Cryptozoology is the study of mythical creatures that may or may not exist.

This applies to Broncos how? Well, there is a lot of mystery and myths surrounding certain Bronco models and specialty-built Broncos.

So, this new segment at the blog will focus on these prototypes, one of a kind, special editions and the most historical Broncos ever built.

To keep the posts short, we will include only a brief story of each

We will try to separate fact from fiction and possibly come up with more questions than answers.

At first, I was going to compile this into one post, but it got waaay too long.

In March of 1968 Lee Iacocca was working on the new Mach 1 option for the 1969 Mustang. One day he was approached by Ford President Bunkie Knudsen about making a Bronco version of the Mach 1.

Iacocca was opposed to the idea, saying it would water down the performance image of the Mustang.

Bunkie was the boss and he pushed the program through, just as he did with the Boss Bronco.

The Broncos would receive a few of the Mach 1 upgrades beginning with the 290 HP, 4-barrel 351 Windsor motor, including the Shaker scoop. The four-speed top-loader transmission was also installed and shifted via a Mickey Thompson floor shifter. Underneath, the Bronco's axles got limited slip differentials with 4:11/4:10 gear ratios.

Colors were the same as the Mach 1 Mustang colors and the stripe kits were optional, some had the full stripes, others had no stripes, just the Mach 1 badging.

Ford enlisted Bill Stroppe to help with the necessary off-road upgrades including roll bars, rear fender flares, double shock mounts and power steering.

Other options included rear slider windows, oil coolers, off-road lights and the famous "cactus smasher" brush guard.

Only a couple dozen of the Mach 1 Broncos were produced in 1969, the program was dropped the minute the Bunkie Knudsen was fired in September of that year.

Few of the remaining Mach 1 Broncos are in original condition, most have been modified in one way or another. The one below is still wearing the Acapulco Blue with the Mach 1 Stripes.

Olson Brothers was selling a kit to convert your Revell 1/25 Bronco model to a Mach 1

Wondering why you never heard of the Mach 1 Bronco? The reason is simple, they never existed. I made up the story.

Orange Broncos #2

 I think a lot of people will agree that when they think of classic Broncos they don't think of the color orange first, yet a color of orange was available nearly every year from Ford.

In 1967 Ford began offering a color called Chrome Yellow, while it was called yellow it was definitely orange. Chrome Yellow was offered every year after that until production ended in 1977.

In 1969 Ford brought out another orange called Cordova, it lasted one year only.

1971 saw the introduction of Prairie Yellow, again it was more orange than yellow, it too only lasted the one year.

1974 was the biggest year for orange, Ford offered three orange hues, the aforementioned Chrome Yellow, Burnt Orange and Bold Orange, this was for '74 only.

In 1975 Parrot Orange was added to the palette, again for one year only.

For 1976 Ford introduced Mecca Gold, this was replaced in 1977 with a color simply called Orange.

Anyway, Halloween is around the corner, so I figured it was a good time for some Orange Broncos.