Polished Bronco Built to Hit the Trails Hard

Tinker Rig

What!? A vintage Bronco that actually collects dust from trails and not high-buck auction halls? Mike Maquet describes his 1966 Bronco as “a beater, weekend-wheeler, and tinker project.” That might have been true when he first got the truck, but now, Maquet has transformed the little machine into a tough rock-crawling rig that goes as good as it looks.

Photos courtesy of Toms Offroad

Tire Experience

In a video feature released by Toms Offroad, Maquet elaborated on the Bronco's thirteen-year build journey. The process all began in 2009, just prior to joining the U.S. Army, where he served as a helicopter pilot. Not only a veteran with multiple combat deployments, but Maquet also has a decade of off-road and rock-crawling experience under his belt, or rather, tires.

Curious Surprise

Some say that old machines have a soul or at least a few stories to tell. When Maquet started his build, the first-generation, first-year, Half Cab had a pleasant surprise in store. Fast forward to the finished result, and the capable Ford then revealed a couple of curious, but fun, coincidences. It all began with the truck's original title.

Number Prefix

When Ford launched their 'All-Purpose Vehicle' in 1966, it was offered in three different body styles, the Wagon, Half Cab, and open-body Roadster. For as long as he could remember, Maquet had wanted a Half Cab Bronco—otherwise known as a U14, from its serial number prefix. The Florida-based machine that he picked up in 2009 was titled a U15 or Wagon.

Frame Elation

Because the Florida Bronco did not come with a detachable Wagon roof, Maquet decided to eventually just turn it into the Half Cab that he had always wanted. After years of modifying and four-wheeling, the Bronco's full restoration began around 2020. When Maquet sandblasted the frame, he discovered, much to his elation, that the serial number actually started with U14, despite the contrary title.

Whim Tag

There was one slight problem. The truck's body tag was missing. Attempts to re-title the 1966 Bronco as U14 from the frame number hit a snag with local authorities, as the sheriff's department was only able to issue an entirely new number for both the frame and body. On a whim, Maquet's wife decided to track down the original owner.

Passion Updates

Miraculously, the original owner still had the original body tag. Maquet now had the numbers matching U14 of his dreams. Some would have seen fit to flipped the now high-value machine, but Maquet remained true to his passion and the Bronco's original purpose. In addition to numerous suspension and drivetrain updates, the U14 was fitted with a fuel injected 302 V8.

Conversation Clone

In 2021, Maquet attended Super Celebration West in Buena Vista, Colorado. There he met Michael Duff, owner of the Monster Garage Bronco built by Jesse James on his hit television show. If sharing the same first name was not coincidence enough, Maquet's Bronco is a close clone of Duff's. Catch that great conversation here. Also, be sure to check out the Toms Offroad feature.

>>Join the conversation about this Bronco right here in the forum.

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