Family-owned, first-generation rig holds its value despite some wear and tear.
Intact Few
Like any good investment, first-generation Broncos are benefiting from a buy low, sell high trend. Yet, those who originally bought Ford's little utility vehicle probably never thought of it as a financial asset. Quite the opposite, it was meant to be banged around off-road and put to work on farms, making intact survivors few and far between.
Photos courtesy of BaT.
Inherited Fate
Finished in Medium Green Glow, this 1976 Bronco Ranger is one of those well-preserved machines. Lightly-used and family-owned for thirty-five years, it has escaped the fate that befell many other early examples. Originally a California truck, it recently sold it at auction for $70,000. The seller inherited it from his father in 2006, who had acquired the Bronco in 1987.
Package Option
The white and orange pinstriping is a key signature on this 1976 rig. Ford introduced the Ranger trim line on its F-Series trucks and the Bronco wagon model in 1972. It was the highest finish option available at the time. The Bronco Ranger package included body stripes, model-specific wheel covers, cloth seats, wood grain door panels, and carpeted interior.
Commodity Status
With its Ranger trim, this Bronco would have cost somewhere north of $5,000 when new—or around $27,500 today. By comparison, a 2022 Bronco Base has an MSRP of $32,895, while a top-of-the-line Raptor hits upwards of $70,000. Old Broncos have always been popular with enthusiasts, but their commodity status jumped when Ford announced plans to bring back the Bronco in January 2017.
Guess Issue
Part of the reason why old Broncos are fetching the same money as new models is simple economics. Production of the first-gen was relatively low, with just over 200,000 examples released over its twelve-year run. While an accurate count of remaining models is anyone's guess, rust issues and hard use have significantly whittled those numbers down.
Close Production
As a commodity, first-gen Broncos have gone down the same route as other desirable collector cars and motorcycles. Despite a few extras, like the dealer-added wheel flares and motor swap, this Bronco Ranger is remarkably close to how it rolled out of Ford's Michigan Truck Plant in 1976. Located in Wayne, Michigan the production facility is now known as the Michigan Assembly Plant.
Gear Combination
During the family's ownership, the 302 V8 motors was replaced with a matching unit. The remainder of the Bronco Ranger's running gear is all original, including the three-speed C4 automatic transmission, a dual-range transfer case, the limited-slip rear axle and manually locking hubs in the front. The wheel and tire combination is 30'' tall Maxxis Bighorn tires mounted on 15'' Eagle Alloys rims.
Wear Value
The all-original interior and factory-installed three-spoke wood steering wheel are in mint shape. Given its age, there are paint scratches and light corrosion along the roof drip rails, along with dings on the driver door and tailgate. While this Bronco Ranger might be showing a bit of wear and tear, it has definitely held its value, and then some!
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