Bronco Barn Find: '73 Wagon

 This 1973 Wagon was discovered in a back yard, hiding under a tree. The purchaser took pictures attempting to discover the original color, thinking it might be Bahama Blue, but then found that maybe it was a brown color, Sequioa Brown or Hot Ginger Metallic.....

Anyway, the Bronco has been rescued and will hopefully be restored or rebuilt.

K Bar S Shop Builds

The end of the year seems to be the time for countdowns. This year I put together what I could find regarding the K-Bar-S shop built trucks. 

Legend has it that there were only twelve (12) K Bar S shop Broncos built, I assume this means Broncos that were owned by K Bar S or K Bar S employees, but it could mean Broncos built by K Bar S, some owned by customers, who wore the K Bar S signature paint job.

We discussed this a little bit in my article telling the story of K Bar S in 2022

I thought I would create a post with the Broncos and see if we can find all 12.

#1 Crazy Horse

Probably the most recognized of the "official" K Bar S shop builds

 #2 El Gitano

I am told this is the original El Gitano Bronco, still in Hal Sealund's collection.

#3 Blue Thunder

The most storied Bronco in history has got to be Blue Thunder, It is the Forrest Gump of Broncos.

This Bronco started as a test vehicle for Ford, then sent to Stroppe to be used as a test bed for aftermarket parts by Bill Stroppe's HMS Longbeach based race shop.

It was used in an ad campaign involving the Hearst Castle and was a participant in the inaugural Terre Del Sol trail run

It was then sold to Ed Perry, a member of the Vaqueros Bronco club, fellow member and Bronco builder Hal Sealund, who co-founded K Bar S in 1968, bought the Bronco from Perry after the 1968 Baja 1000 race

The Bronco was taken to K Bar S HQ in San Diego for some additional mods, then raced for several years more

At one point Hal made it street legal again (after K Bar S closed its doors the first time).

Another Bronco legend, Kurt Strecker, owner of a San Diego race shop named Viva Broncos/Viva Off-Road, talked Hal into letting him rebuild the Bronco his way.

The build was happening during a time when Viva Off-Road was moving locations, during the move the Blue Thunder's body tub fell off the trailer and was destroyed. The Rice Brothers rebuilt the Bronco, adding 10" to it's wheelbase and a fiberglass body

At some point the Bronco was sold to a man in Texas

In 2009 Ed Gudenkauf tracked the Bronco down, purchased it and started the long restoration

Blue Thunder was involved and sponsored by K Bar S, but was it one of the 12 "shop built" Broncos?

#4 Little Foot

Named no doubt, for it's Bigfoot blue paint job, Little Foot was one of the shop trucks

#5 Dust Devil

I had read that there were two of these 6-cylinder roadsters built, but I have only seen this one.

It was sold recently. 

#6 Shorty II

This 1/2 Cab Bronco appeared in the K Bar S catalogs and was sold at some point.

It surfaced a few years back when it was put up for sale, it still wore its K Bar S paint job and most of the original K Bar S installed parts

I am told the Bronco is now being restored to its K Bar S glory days

#7 Red Bronco Roadster

This red roadster appeared often in the K Bar S catalogs & ads.

Recently Beach City Broncos in San Diego started a restoration of a red K Bar S roadster, I assume this is the same Bronco seen above, but I don't know for sure.

#8 Big Horn '77

I don't have much info on this one, other than it is a '77 and wears Duff rear bumper.

#9 Unknown 1/2 Cab

This Bronco was sold from Hal Sealund's collection and did feature an El Gitano badging. Was it one of the 12 shop builds? It is possibly Shorty I? It had many of the signature K Bar S mods including the Duff fiberglass hood & fender flares, LeCarra steering wheel and Beard seats.

Here it is in Hal's shop next to Crazy Horse and El Gitano

#10 Yellow Roadster

#11 Black and Orange

Note that the front bumper changed on the Bronco at some point.

#12 Tenderfoot

This dark blue '77 Bronco was probably named Tenderfoot because it was mostly street driven

Steve Olliges, who raced the Blue Thunder Bronco for a time, bought and restored a K Bar S built Bronco, the question is, which one? Was it the #10 Yellow Roadster? It has the same front bumper, which also matches the bumper on Crazy Horse.

This Bronco was sold out of Hal Sealund's collection, the question is, was it one of the original 12 K Bar S builds (maybe the black and orange #11?) or was it built for a customer who allowed them to paint the shops livery on it? I don't believe this Bronco was ever seen in any of the K Bar S catalogs, at least not with this paint job. It does have the same push bar as the #7 Red Bronco Roadster shown above.

I also found these Broncos that wear many of the signature K Bar S upgrades.

Simply adding a Smittybilt roll cage, Beard Seats and a Duff fiberglass hood doesn't make me suspect a Bronco was built by K Bar S as those were all popular upgrades back in the day (and sold in the K Bar S catalog).

The front bumper on this orange Bronco is suspect though. This same bumper was on several of the K Bar S shop trucks (including Crazy Horse & Dust Devil). I have seen dozens of K Bar S ads and had several of the catalogs, I don't remember ever seeing this bumper for sale by them.

The Bronco below also has this bumper, along with the Smittybilt cage, Beard seats and 1/2 door inserts.

This Bronco has the bumper and the Crazy Horse/Baja Bronco inspired paint job.

This one is another possibility, a 1969 Bronco that was recently "freshened up" by Rocky Roads Bronco in California.

It has the 1/2 door inserts and Grote mirrors, Duff fiberglass hood, Beard seats, Lecarra steering wheel, Smittybilt cage and a Duff rear tube bumper, which at least two verified K-Bar-S shop Broncos (Dust Devil & Big Horn) had installed. Then there is the lettering on the front fender, which no doubt was repainted.

Another possibility is this yellow 1970 roadster. It has the 1/2 door inserts, Grote mirrors, Duff fiberglass hood & front fenders, Smittybilt cage, Lecarra steering wheel, 4-speed toploader and K Bar S suspension....

Some more: There could be dozens of Broncos that were built to replicate the ones in the K-Bar-S Catalog. If you have any information to assist us, please comment below.