Welcome to the Full-Size Ford SUV and Bronco Forum!

[Moses Ludel]

I was a a high school junior when the Ford Bronco came into the market. Our local (Minden, Nevada) dealership, Neddenriep Ford, sent its very first Bronco floor model to El Dorado Canyon, where a Jeep hill climb was taking place. With great anticipation, the crowd watched the 170 cubic inch, inline Falcon/Mustang six-powered utility vehicle take on the new Jeep CJ 225 Dauntless (Buick) V-6 models. The Ford cloth-top looked quite sturdy with its 92-inch wheelbase. As the '66 Bronco leaped from the start line toward the steep hill, the load and sandy soil made the coil-sprung front axle hop violently! The Bronco lost traction near the base of the hill, backed up slowly and pointed toward the highway...Ford would remedy the wheel hop and coil spring oscillation issue, and by the Spring of '66, a potent small-block 289 V-8 option had the classic Broncos eating up the asphalt and backcountry! A beloved icon had been born, and the steed grew into a full-size model in 1978, based upon the F100/150 chassis with a shorter wheelbase. This set the stage for later full-size models like the Explorer and Expedition, and even the Excursion received benefit. Later model IFS 4WD on the lighter chassis and a beam axle on the Excursion 4WD kept Ford's noted reliability, ride and handling intact...At this forum, share your Ford Bronco and Ford SUV 4x4 experiences and projects, Ford technology and four-wheeling with the Bronco!—Moses Ludel