Beautiful Bright Red 1978 Ford Bronco Packs a Coyote Surprise
This 1978 Ford Bronco looks mostly original inside and out, but it’s been upgraded where it counts.
Few vehicles on earth are as appealing – to us, at least – as the second-generation Ford Bronco. The only problem is, the two-year-only model has exploded in popularity over the past couple of years, which has sent prices skyrocketing to new, obnoxious levels. That’s obviously a bad thing for buyers, but if you have the means, this gorgeous 1978 Ford Bronco up for grabs at Bring a Trailer looks like a great find. However, while it looks fairly original from the outside, it packs a modern Coyote surprise underhood that makes it even better.
Luckily, the previous owner had the foresight to not fix what isn’t broken with this 1978 Ford Bronco, as it was refinished in its factory hues of Bright Red and Wimbledon White. All of the chrome and trim pieces are present and accounted for, looking good as new. The only real deviation from stock is as set of period 17-inch polished alloy wheels wrapped with 285/70 BFGoodrich K02 All-Terrain T/A tires, which look right at home on the big SUV.
The same goes for the interior, which is also finished in red with woodgrain trim, fitted with little else besides a retro-style radio. Most everything else here is what you’d expect to find inside any OEM-style Bronco of this generation, and that’s certainly not a bad thing by most anyone’s standards.
Pop the hood, and it’s a different story, because this 1978 Ford Bronco is powered by the modern-day 5.0-liter Coyote V8 that was sourced from a 2014 Ford Mustang GT. It’s apparently stock, though it provides plenty of power as-is, and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission for easy cruising. The front differential and transfer case have been rebuilt, ensuring that everything works as it should.
While the seller could have gone wild and tried to modernize the look and amenities of this particular SUV, they showed some serious constraint and merely made it more fun to drive, as well as more reliable, arguably. And in our book, that’s one of the few ways we’d personally mess with what is already an essentially perfect vehicle.
Photos: Bring a Trailer
Join the Ford Truck Enthusiasts forums now!
