1/25 Scale Bronco Models part 6: Tires and Wheels

 If you plan on building a modified Bronco or a tribute, you will want to upgrade the tires and wheels.

If you want to go the stock route and don't want to use the tires and wheels supplied with the kit, we don't blame you. The Revell wheels measure out to 13" scale, the '66 Broncos came with 15" or optional 16" wheels. Fireball Model Works has you covered. They have the correct scale 15" wheels and hub caps, plus they use the period correct Goodyear Suburbanite tires.

They will also sell you the matching spare and retaining plate

If you are looking for larger tires, there are many places to find tires & wheels online. You can also rob some other kits, a popular one is the MPC/AMT kits

They used a copy of the Formula Tires Desert Dog PVC tires in two sizes.

The ones on the Fall Guy/Deserter GMC pick-up were about 33-34" scale size

They were also used on a couple of the Jeepster Commando kits

A smaller version (30-31") of the same tire was used on the Jeep CJ kits

The new Jeep Rubicon kit has what are said to be 33" scale Goodyear M-T tires

Keep in mind the wheels on these kits may not work on the Revell Bronco and they don't have the correct bolt pattern (5 on 5.5")

Another option is to hop on over to Fireball Model Works

They have some excellent replica 10.00 series (about 30-31" scale size) Gates Commando XT tires, just like what came on the Baja Bronco

A popular tire and size are the BFG All-Terrain tire in 31 x 10.5 x 15"

If using a set of the tires above, Fireball has retro slotted mags in 15 x 8.5" scale size, designed specifically for the Revell Bronco

They have this great set of BFG Mud Terrain tires in 33x12.50" scale size

Fireball has rims for the tire set above, they are the M/T Classic aluminum wheels in 15 x 10" scale size and have the correct hubs and bolt pattern

you want bigger? How about this set of tires and wheels in 35" scale diameter designed to fit the Revell Bronco kit

Fireball also has these 35" BFG Krawler tires, but they are in 1/24 scale, so they will be slightly larger than 35" scale size

Wanna go larger? They have these 39" Mickey Thompson Baja Belted tires

Fireball also has the slotted 15x12 wheels for these that fit the Revell Bronco kit

Moving on to another supplier

Model Car Round Up has these retro Ground Hawg tires, they measure out to 37.5" x 12.5" scale size. 

I believe these are the old Monogram tires that came on the "High Roller" series of kits that included the Ramcharger, GMC pickup, Ford F-150 & Bronco (or a repop?)

It appears Revell has recently resurrected the GMC pick up model

Scenes Unlimited has a bunch of off-road tires for sale

This first one is a 35" diameter and is simply called the Maxx Track, it uses their 17" wheels

Another 35" tire and also uses their 17"-wheel kit, it calls the Maxx Track Gladiator

This next one has a 37" diameter and also uses the 17" wheel kit, it is called the Maxx Track Gator Grip

This next one is a copy of the BF Goodrich Baja T/A tire, in 39" scale size

For wheels they have the classic 5 spoke in 5 lug with front hubs, size is 17" x 9.5", these fit the tires above and will look correct on the Revell Bronco

Ma's Resin has some great off-road tires, you will need to check the size and see if they fit scale wise (most of them are in the 42" and taller size) here are some of the selections they have available:

Model Haus has these great Goodyear Terra Tires in the 34 x 15.5 x 15 size, perfect for a retro build

although currently sold out, they also offer the smaller (30-31") Desert Dog PCV tires

B-N-L used to have a line of Super Swamper TSL and Bogger tires, they seem to be out of business, you might find these for sale on ebay

If you really want something unique, how about some sno-cat tracks? This ebay seller has a detailed kit, sold in pairs.

Bronco Babes #10

 Summer is over, but we still have Bronco Babes......

Miss Hurst Dual/Gate with James Duff and James Griffin at the Baja 500 in June of 1969

Bronco of the Day: K Bar S 1967 Roadster

 Todays Bronco of the Day is a bit of a time capsule.

This 1967 Bronco U15 Wagon was originally Wimbledon White and equipped with a 289 V-8.

The Bronco underwent a complete transformation in the mid to late 1980s. The owner must have lived in Southern California as the DSO code shows it shipped to a Los Angeles dealer, then the engine was rebuilt by Standard Crankshaft in LA and the other work was performed by K Bar S in Las Vegas......and then there is the way in which it was set up....1/2 doors and bikini top suggest the owner lived in the Southwest.

At some point the Bronco was sold and ended up in Seattle and the owner contacted Hal Sealund (one of the founders of K Bar S) to ask questions about the Bronco, one thing led to another, and Hal bought the Bronco to add to his collection in Yuma Arizona.

Hal decided to start selling off his collection in 2017 and a collector in Texas bought the Bronco.

Then that collector (who probably bought it to impress his friends) sold the Bronco in 2020 at Mecum Auto Auctions in Houston.

At the time of the Mecum sale the Bronco still looked like it did when K Bar S completed the makeover in 1989.

The list of modifications includes replacing the 289 with a mildly built 302, replacing the 3 speed toploader with a 4 speed toploader and Hurst floor shifter. Replacing the factory equipped Dana 30 front end for a Dana 44. Then there was the dual shock mounts and axle truss.

The interior is standard K Bar S fare: Smittybilt 6-point roll cage, Beard seats, Lecarra steering wheel and smoothed dash. 

The outside features 1/2 door inserts, fiberglass hood with the Duff bubble, front and rear fender flares, a Smittybilt brush-guard and finally the signature two tone K Bar S paint job including custom lettering on the fenders.

Bronco Cryptozoology #9: The Bronco Hunter

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.

Ford had sent quite a few Broncos to Stroppe, some before the Bronco was even introduced to the public. 

In 1968 Ford sent a 1969 Wimbledon White Bronco to the Holman & Moody-Stroppe team. It was around this time that Holman & Moody parted ways with Stroppe. We don't know if that divorce happened before or after this Bronco was built.

We can assume the Bronco was assembled by Stroppes team as it has many of Stroppe's parts on it, not to mention the poppy red (orange) paint.

Stroppe's team built the Bronco for off-road use and gave it the name "Bronco Hunter". The reason for this is not known, some believe it may have been a feasibility for a special "hunter's model" similar to the Sportsman Special that came along later?

It could also be that this Bronco may have been the template for the Baja Broncos that began in 1971. 

HMS added bigger tires, fender flares, dual shocks, roll bar along with some motor mods.

When found it was sporting a winch and a red paint job

This Bronco was restored to original HMS configuration.

The H&M tag that signifies it as an official Holman & Moody rig