The popularity of Ford’s Bronco in the eyes of collectors has seemingly trickled down from generation to generation. The first-generation Bronco (1966-77) has been hot for years, but when prices for those got out of hand, people looked to the “Dentside” 1978-79 second-generation models as a more affordable alternative. Then, they started picking up steam, so now people have turned to the “Bullnose” third generation for a more budget-friendly Bronco. The 1985 model is a good choice if you’re leaning in that direction, because Ford made some desirable drivetrain upgrades. This one is up for auction on Bring a Trailer in Happy Valley, Oregon.
While never as popular as the 1978-79 Bronco (the 1979 model sold a whopping 104,038 units, the best year ever), the third-generation Bronco sold steadily, and 54,562 left the line at the Michigan Truck plant in 1985. If you have a Ford from the 1967 model year or newer, you can order a Deluxe Marti Report, which breaks down options, build dates, and production numbers for your Ford; this Bronco was sold new in San Bruno, California, and it was with the same family until recently. It’s spent time up and down the west coast (and even in Alaska) before finding its way to its Oregon selling dealer.
The most interesting option? The “reduced noise exhaust system,” which wasn’t listed in the brochure. Extra points for the “super cooling package” and “sports instrumentation,” which included a tachometer.
Three engines were available in the Bronco for 1985, the big 300 six, the carryover 351 “HO” with a four-barrel carburetor, and this new-for-1985 fuel-injected 5.0 liter. For years, one of the major complaints about the third-generation Bronco was its gutlessness, but with the 351 HO and the injected 302 (which produced 185 horsepower), Ford finally gave the Bronco some guts. The seller has posted a startup and walkaround video, and the engine sounds like an ’80s 302 ought to sound. Recent work includes a tune up, new belts, a new water pump, and a new thermostat.
Ford continually updated its trim nomenclature throughout the first half of the 1980s; for 1985, the XLT package was the Bronco’s midlevel trim option. It included full carpeting (yes, the base Bronco still had a rubber mat), “woodtone applique” on the steering wheel and dashboard, map pockets, and extra bright trim on the exterior. This one has the desirable “captain’s chairs” and console, and you can tell by the gear selector bezel on the dashboard that this Bronco has the newly available AOD four-speed automatic, which was introduced a couple months into the model year. Paired with the injected 5.0, this was almost certainly the most civilized drivetrain combination.
Being a west-coast truck, the undercarriage is devoid of the salt intrusion us northerners are so accustomed to. In this image, we can see the Bronco’s 8.8-inch axle with integral carrier, although we’d know that it was an 8.8 by looking at the Marti Report; the axle ratio is 3.55:1. The 9-inch rear axle was still available in manual transmission Broncos, but its equivalent axle ratio would be 3.50:1.
While anyone who buys this Wimbledon White Bronco is certain to endure a certain number of tired jokes about a certain slow-speed car chase, the big Ford’s collectibility is beginning to outweigh its dubious reputation. Based on the current bids, the third-generation Bronco might be the next big thing, but I think we all knew that was coming.
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CC Capsule: 1982 Ford Bronco XLT Lariat – To The Manure Born (by Tatra87)
When I saw this truck I didn’t think OJ Simpson, I thought Sheriff Walt Longmire.
Same here.
The 1984 Bronco was my first (and only) new car. Ordered from the factory in two-tone brown and tan with white wagon wheels, just like the one on the front of the dealer’s brochure. 302 with 2 bbl carb and 3 speed stick with OD. Drove it for 15 years until the rust worms ate it down to Swiss cheese.
OJ Simpson escape vehicle! That is what I know about this generation of Ford Bronco. If I recall correctly there was a smaller one also called Bronco later in 1990s?
The smaller Bronco was called the Bronco II, and it was produced from 1984-1990. But then, the Explorer came along and kind of rendered the big Bronco obsolete (and the Bronco II outsold the big Bronco for its entire run, I believe).
The Expedition seemed to effectively replace the big bronco while the Explorer sport (the two door) effectively replaced the Bronco II.
We bought our 1998 Explorer new from San Bruno Ford, also with the 5.0. A generally decent experience…Until Ford panicked everyone a year later, told everyone to inflate their tires higher and bought every Explorer owner a new set of tires, us included. It’s amazing that they bounced back from that fiasco and still sell Explorers.
It’s nice seeing a big Bronco without the rear wheel arches rusted through as they generally look here in Colorado nowadays, it definitely marks this one as a West Coast car – or one that was never driven. Ford used several versions of the “wood” interior between ’80 and ’86, the one on this car is the one that seems to discolor to a sickly shade of pink. I think the ’86 got a much more “wood” looking hue that tends to stay the color it started out as.
I’m not sure about the full-size trucks, but when I was shopping for a new Ranger in 1986, most of the trim packages included that (to me) hideous burl wood plastic dash trim. It may have been a different shade than this one but in any case it didn’t look like anything remotely related to an actual tree. I ended buying a truck with the rather rare STX interior trim, though it didn’t have STX exterior badging. The dash trim was a tasteful matte silver plastic, and the steering wheel was a chunky leather trimmed unit, color matched to the interior upholstery and most of the interior plastic including the steering wheel hub and spokes. In blue.
I’m starting to like these more than the dentside. When they changed the front clip, it suddenly became the ugliest ever.
I feel like you’re in the majority on that one, Don, but interestingly, I’ve been reading Todd Zuercher’s book on Ford Bronco’s, and he thinks that the aerodynamic facelift was a big improvement. But I agree with you.