Numberdummy, could you decode this please?
Well guys. Happy to say I have a 78 bronco to add to the collection. Well, most of one. Definitely has been abused in a mud hole and missing a few major parts like the roof and tailgate. But I got one!!!

 

 

I like the 76/77 grill in it.

 

Yes. It is ugly. And it has plenty of "WTF were you thinking" mods. Shave and Bondo corner lights, hideous bumpers(but functional), missing parts( weight reduction), half of a 77' grill? (Which is growing on me) . .
It also says custom but has AC, PS, PB, and quad front shocks option. .

 

I like the different look, now to just find one of these...



I should of never sold that one I had. HARD to find now days.
Yes that front bumper you have is fuggly. lol

 

Duh. That is a fishing platform on the front bumper. Nose the Bronco up to the edge of the creek, slide over the hood and your all set.

Or a cooler support so you can't have one in reach while driving.

 

Dude I could sit an entire folding chair on it. Lol forget standing


Now that is interesting. Is it removable? I've only seen permanent conversions. And if you were gonna do that then just buy a truck. Quit messing up broncos!!

 

Yes is it removable, it bolts on to the same place the Bronco top bolts on to. And you use a block panel below it (you can sort of see it in the pic) to make it a cab only.

Messing up Broncos......Oh really....Ol greeny is a retired tuff truck! #88 done came and gone on down the road. The brown "rearender" is breathing life into many other Ford trucks and Bronco's.

 

U15 = Bronco Station Wagon 4WD

H = 351M

L = Michigan Truck Assembly Plant.

CE0792 = 1978.

104" Wheelbase.

G = Chrome Yellow.

U150 = Bronco Station Wagon 4WD, 6100 lbs. GVWR

AZ1: AZ = Saddle & Tan all Vinyl with Saddle Appointments - Bucket Seats // 1 = Bronco Station Wagon 4WD

G = C6 Automatic Transmission.

H2J: H2 = Ford 9" Rear Axle / 3.50-1 / Limited Slip / 3,750 lbs. Rear Axle Capacity // J = Power Steering.

6,100 lbs. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.

1978.

21 = Atlanta GA Ford District Sales Office, where the original selling dealer ordered the Bronco from.

 

Thanks number dummy.
Is there a way to tell custom vs. ranger? Without the sticker in door jam.
Could you have gotten all those options on a custom? It has custom badges on the outside but I find it hard to believe that

 

Bronco Custom was the cheapest, had no body side mouldings.

Bronco XLT came with upper bodyside mouldings with black vinyl inserts and wheel opening mouldings.

Bronco Ranger was the most expensive, came with Race Track mouldings.

The thing is, dealers installed mouldings on Customs that weren't available from Ford on this model.

The factory punched out holes in the sheet metal for mouldings, while dealers and owners drilled out the holes, so will have burrs on the backside of the sheet metal.

Plus, over the years some people added mouldings, some people removed mouldings, then filled in the holes.

 

.

Could you get power steering and brakes, A/C, and the 4front shock set up on the custom?

The corner lights have been removed and bondo'd. If it had moulding that was too. Fender flares have been modified heavily also.

 

Yes, and these items were also optional on the other Bronco models.

However I believe that power disc brakes were standard equipment, as they were for 1976/79 F150 4WD

There were THREE different types of A/C: Factory installed and two types of dealer installed.

Are you aware that there's a 1978/96 Bronco forum?

 

Some Bronco info from a FTE Bronco expert.

Here are the differences between these models. I also have found out that for the 78/79 Bronco it was available as a Custom or Ranger XLT model only. They did not offer the Ranger package only on the Bronco.
Custom:
Pretty much your stripped down version although it could have been ordered with just about any individual option you wanted to put on it. A Custom model included: low back bucket seats, vinyl floor mat for the front only, 25 gallon gas tank, manual steering, 4 speed trans with the 351 motor and the 205 case.
Exterior features were:
hub caps, black painted bumpers and the stainless mirrors.
Ranger:
Not offered on the Bronco, only available in the F-series lineup. Those upgrades were:
The bench seat had a chain mail vinyl seat upholstery, it also included a color matching vinyl floor mat, sun visors, seat back covers in the regular cab model and white headliner with chrome trim.
Ranger XLT:
The front seat used a combination of cloth and vinyl, insulated woodgrain door panels, carpeted flooring, woodgrain around instrument cluster, passenger dash and the glove box, woodtone on the steering wheel horn button, chrome trim around taillights and halogen headlights. The XLT also got the body side trim.
Exterior:
Chrome bumpers, chrome molding around the windshield and side windows in the top, chrome molding around the drip rail by door, chrome wheel well lip molding, rear T-gate chrome pieces, and the body side trim.
Lariat:
Not offered on the Bronco, only available in the F-series lineup. Those upgrades were:
Full cloth seat trimmed in super soft vinyl, door trim panels that included padded inserts, map pockets on the lower door, button quilted padded headliner and extra insulation.
Options available:
These are the only options that I have prices on. Below are some additional options.
400 engine............................................ .....................$165.00
included 12 inch diameter clutch and 53 amp/hr battery
Traction lock front axle.............................................. ...$175.00
Traction lock rear axle.............................................. ....$175.00
Automatic trans............................................. .............$197.00
came with oil cooler and 53 amp/hr battery
Power steering.......................................... ..................$211.00
Heavy duty suspension........................................ .........$104.50
Forged aluminum wheels............................................ ... $218.30
Forged aluminum polished wheels....................................$304.30
When combined with the free wheeling package................$129.10
White painted styled steel wheels...................................$175.20
when combined with the free wheeling package.................$43.20
Rear seat.............................................. .....................$287.20
Quad front shocks............................................ ............$74.00
Swing away tire carrier Ranger XLT..................................$60.60
Swing away tire carrier Custom.......................................$81.6 0
Skid plates............................................ ......................$123.10
Rear stabilzer bar............................................... ...........$25.00
Tilt steering.......................................... ........................$72.00
Free Wheeling pacakge on a Custom................................$558.45
Free Wheeling Package XLT...........................................$385 .05
Ranger XLT package........................................... ...........$668.90
Additional options:
Appearance:
Chrome bumpers
Wheel well molding
Body side trim
GT bar with foam padding
Grilles. There were 3 different options for the front grille. Black, Silver or Argent with chrome accent. I have seen Black on an XLT and the Argent with chrome on an XLT. I am not sure how they decided what grille to put on what truck.
Audio:
AM radio
AM/FM mono radio (1 speaker in dash)
AM/FM stereo (speakers in door panels)
AM/digital clock radio
40 channel CB radio with antenna. This was available on all radio options. A simple way to tell if it had a CB originally if all wiring is gone look for an ash tray on the driver side cargo panel. If there is no ash tray it originally had a CB.
Comfort/convenience:
A/C
Comfort vent heater ( I think this was also the HI-LO option)
Insulation package
Rear floor mat (Custom only)
Front captain chairs (available in 79 only)
Front bench seat
Rear seat
Center console ( only available with buckets)
Convenience group ( intermittent wipers, map paockets and 12 inch day/night mirror)
Lighted visor mirror passenger side only
Privacy glass for top
sliding windows for top
tinted glass all
Western mirror, low mount(normal folding style mirror)
Recreation mirrors (towing mirrors)
GT sport steering wheel with simulated leather wrap ( not available with cruise)
Simulated leather wrapped steering wheel
Cruise control
Light group (ash tray, glovebox, underhood, instrument panel courtesy lights and dome light with map lights)
Swing away spare tire carrier ( stock when ordered with (5) 10x15 tires) with vinly tire cover
Performance:
Quad shocks (gas filled)
Handling package (rear sway bar, quad shocks up front and dual gas filled rear shocks)
Automatic trans
600 watt engine heater
Heavy duty suspension (HD front springs, HD rear springs and front sway bar)
Rear sway bar
Gauges (oil and amp)
32 gallon gas tank with skid plate
Skid plates for 25 gallon tank and T-case
Trailer towing package
Protection:
Tow hooks (front)
Locking hood release
Exterior protection group. Consists of door edge guards, front bumper guards and front bumper rubber strip.
Security lock group. Consisted of locking gas cap, locking hood release, spare tire lock and locking glove box.
Free Wheelin:
Standard features were:
Black bumpers front and rear, Dual black low mount western style mirrors, (5) 15x6 painted steel wheels in either white or chrome yellow with L78x15 raised white letter tires and of course the custom chromatic tape stripe found on the black Bronco. There were also 2 other stripe color combinations, Orange/Tan/Creme or Blue/White/Green.
Trailer Special:
Now according to my book the 1st year for the Trailer Special was 79. I have seen a few members here that have 78 Trailer Special's. There were 2 categories for the Trailer Special.
Light duty trailer towing package: Good for towing up to 2,000lbs.
This package included a heavy duty radiator, external oil cooler, seven lead trailer harness, heavy duty turn signal flasher and the Trailer Special emblem on the tailgate.
Heavy duty trailer towing package:Good for towing up to 6,000lbs.
This package included a heavy duty alternator, heavy duty battery, HD rear shocks, bigger radiator, rear sway bar, swing out recreational mirrors, amp meter, oil pressure gauge, HD front springs, external oil cooler and the Trailer Special emblem on the T-gate.
Transfer Cases
The T-case on an NP 203 (full time case) will have a shift pattern like this.
4 low lock
N
4 high lock
The NP 205 (part time case) will have this shift pattern
4 low
N
2 high
4 high

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Thanks for the info guys. I guess it is a souped up custom. Why you would spend all the money on the options and not get the ranger trim/moulding is beyond me. Lol, specially when you ordered it DOT yellow. I bet that thing looked awful new.

Should make a great addition to the crowd. 4 antiques and one new one. Now only to decide which one and when gets the money.