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Perfectly Restored 1966 Ford Bronco U13 Roadster

 The 1966 Ford Bronco hit the show by September and was a complete success. Donald Frey, Ford General Manager, said that the Bronco was a mix between a car and a truck that is perfect “for men and women who seek adventure as well as practical transportation.” The design focus of the Bronco was to be an all-terrain vehicle. Ford probably wanted to have their own version of the Jeep. Probably the most interesting Bronco is the Bronco U13 Roadster which is the closest to a Jeep of all Broncos. It did not have any doors for easy access, the windshield could be folded flat, and an optional canvas covered vinyl top. Later Bronco models came with standard doors and a hardtop.

If you look closer, the Ford Bronco Roadster even has more similarities with the Jeep. It has flat metal panels with visible overlapping joints in both the engine bay and interior. The floor panels are also exposed and painted with the same exterior color. Even the dash is also just painted metal. Warn hubs in the middle of the front wheels can be turned to adjust the ride height. Fiberglass door inserts with the same body color are added for some refinement. For those who have owned or driven a Jeep CJ will probably be familiar with the placements of the pedals and switchgear. The Bronco Roadster came with the 170 ci straight-six engine capable of producing 105 horsepower with a more powerful 289 ci V8 was available as an option. Although Bronco Roadster was a frequent feature on Magazine covers, the Bronco U13 Roadster only sold less than 5,000 out of the 225,585 1st generation Broncos sold. The highly celebrated Bronco U13 Roadster had a short production run between 1966 and 1968.

This featured 1966 Ford Bronco U13 Roadster was beautifully restored and perfected down to every single detail. Everything has been restored to factory specifications and comes in the correct Caribbean Turquoise with matching white trims that were only available in 1966. Other notable features include the metal dashboard painted in gray, square-end bumpers painted in white, and a painted driver’s side rear view mirror. Under the hood, it featured the standard 170 ci six-cylinder engine and matched to a 3-speed manual transmission.

The Bronco Roadster had different options including the seats. Standard Broncos came in with a front black vinyl bench seat. A left-hand bucket seat, right- and left-hand bucket seats, and rear bench seat came in as options. All seat options came with seat belts which were only available for the first year. The seat options came in with complementing padded sun visors. A rubber floor mat with a printed Bronco logo covers a small part of the floor under the dash. This Bronco also features an emergency flasher light switch, defroster, and heater controls. A modern radio with a correct period style on the austere dashboard behind the black two-spoke steering wheel. You can also see a spare tire mounted on the inside of the tailgate. It has chrome wheel covers and proper white side accents stripes that were probably inspired by the rocker stripes of the Mustang GT. It rides on 15” wheel fitted with modern BF Goodrich T/A tires.

Under the hood, everything is beautifully done in period correct specs. The simple engine bay is painted with the same body color. The engine is done in the correct Ford blue finish and has an oil bath-style air cleaner that was unique to the early Bronco models. All the hoses, belts, fittings, and the battery are freshly installed. A proper FoMoCo windshield washer bag is installed on the front fender case that adds to its original look.

This incredible restored 1966 Ford Bronco U13 Roadster looks like it just came out of the showroom in 1965. Almost everything is period correct and certainly, has the chance to win a councours event. With the Ford Bronco celebrating its 50th anniversary, this one is a perfect example to represent its debut year. A Bronco Roadster that will certainly impress the various Ford Bronco collectors and fans. It’s hard to find anything better than this Bronco.

 

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FORD 1966 BRONCO U13 ROADSTER [01.JPG

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