An ORV, not SUV
The term Sport Utility Vehicle, or SUV, came into common parlance around the mid-to-late '80s. Before that, it showed up in marketing materials here and there, but not many folks called these SUVs per se. Instead, SUVs, at least the ones that can do SUV things back then, were called ORVs or off-road vehicles.
One of the original ORVs was the Ford Bronco. Introduced in 1965 for the 1966 model year, it was the brainchild of Donald N. Frey, who also pursued the Mustang idea. Ford's first civilian ORV faced the International Scout, Jeep CJ-5, and Toyota Land Cruiser. These were unapologetically off-road oriented, and absolutely not made for posing.
Jimmeeb/Bring a Trailer
The Backstory
While SUVs dominate the landscape today, ORVs were practically a niche in the '60s. Still, it was successful enough for Ford to build five generations of the Bronco. It started out as a compact, but eventually evolved into an F-Series-based model in succeeding years. Today, it's the first-gen that's the most valuable. Classic.com lists average values for the wagon version at $55,295, but interestingly, custom restomods average at $122,037.
That makes the one we spotted on Bring a Trailer worth mentioning. It was originally purchased as a work in progress, but unlike usual passed-on projects that spend years with little to no progress, this one was actually completed. Artistic Customs in Fall Creek, Oregon, finished the build. Its body is still that of a Bronco, but it has a Kincer Freeway chassis, so it runs on live-axle coil-spring suspension with extended radius arms. It's then powered by a Gen-3 5.0-liter Coyote V8 and even mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Even the transfer case is now electronically controlled, and overall, it's a thoroughly modern vehicle.
Jimmeeb/Bring a Trailer
The Offer
Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
Make | Ford |
Model | Bronco |
Year | 1966 |
Mileage | 393 miles shown |
Engine | 5.0-liter Coyote V8 |
Power | (unkown) |
Transmission | 10-speed automatic |
Drive type | Four-wheel drive |
Exterior color | White on red |
Interior color | Brown |
Wheels | 17-inch Mickey Thompson 8-hole wheels |
Suspension | Live axle front and rear |
Brakes | Four-wheel ventilated disc |
Steering | Hydraulic recirculating ball steering |
Current bid | $10,000 |
Interested in this car? View the listing here.
Jimmeeb/Bring a Trailer
Why it's Special
Restomods either ruin a car or unlock a greater potential. We say this one is in the latter camp, as it's practically a modern Bronco in all but its skin. If anything, the full live-axle setup should make it even more capable on the rough stuff. If your idea of an off-road rig is uncompromisingly old-school, this might be the ticket.
Jimmeeb/Bring a Trailer
Jimmeeb/Bring a Trailer