1978 Bronco: Perfection in Black and White

Low miles and a few welcome mods promise to keep this vintage American beauty on the road even longer. 

Life, in and of itself, can get pretty darn complicated sometimes. Yet many decisions we make on a daily basis are pretty obvious, like opting for extra cheese. Other things, however, aren’t so black and white (ice cream or pie?). Thankfully, this isn’t the case with Ford Broncos. Mainly because we love ’em all. Well, maybe not equally. But that’s why you need more than one, or at least that’s what we tell our wives.

Falling in love with a sweet ride like this 1978 Bronco isn’t very hard, however. Nor is it a complicated decision. Just take the fact that it’s literally black and white as an ominous sign. We spotted the iconic beauty on eBay, where it was recently up for grabs. The owner/seller claims that the unique color combination is original, as well as the 63,000 miles showing on the odometer. And judging by the overall condition of this classic ‘ute, we believe it.

Admittedly, it is kind of annoying for us enthusiasts that folks are flipping second gen Broncos these days. But such is life when you’re dealing with an explosion of popularity. This one enjoyed a mere two owners in the great state of Colorado before being uncovered. And obviously, it hasn’t seen too many salty roads, because there’s nothing more than surface rust underneath.

Despite the low miles, a bunch of normal maintenance promises to keep this time capsule on the road even longer. That includes an R-134 A/C conversion, carb rebuild, tune up, and new hoses and belts. The front discs are new, as are the fuel sending unit, dual exhaust, and door seals. Not to mention the full front suspension rebuild.

Being a Ranger XLT, this 1978 Bronco also comes fairly well optioned. And well, she sure is pretty. So, while we don’t necessarily like the fact that it’s being flipped for profit, at least it brings a nice, mostly original second gen to our attention. And our decision to grace your eyes with it was about as hard as opting for that extra dusting of Parmesan.

Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.