1966 Ford Bronco Roadster

Introduction:

This 1966 Ford Bronco Roadster was for sale at Garage Kept Motors and has since been sold. It was such a beautiful example of a Bronco Roadster that I decided to preserve it here.

Quick Facts:

First Year of the Beloved Bronco / True U13 Roadster
One of 5,000 Produced / Less than 400 Known to Still Exist
California Truck / Fresh Rotisserie Restoration
2,110 Original Miles / 60 Miles Recorded Since Restoration
Concours Quality / Show-Stopping Bronco

Here are the key details of this California vehicle located in the possession of its farmer owner of more than 45 years. As found in Quartz Hill, CA, the Bronco was 100% rust-free and very complete with original body panels in place. Built in November of 1965 (and featuring the 1966 model’s characteristic “eyebrow” grille and metal fresh-air vent), and originally delivered to a dealer in the San Jose, California Ford sales district, the roadster is one of only 5,000 manufactured that year.

Factory specifications included:

170 cubic-inch, six-cylinder engine,
3-speed manual transmission with column-mounted shifter
Code “M” Wimbledon White exterior paint
4.11 gears front and rear
Front bucket and rear bench seats

Options included:

AM radio
Cigarette lighter
Heater assembly
Seat belts
Sun visors
Windshield washers
Free-running front-axle hubs
4-way emergency flashers
Dealer-installed Koenig PTO winch (for which a hand throttle was also installed)

The Restoration:

The restoration was carried out by a local professional Bronco lover, who has completed 25 frame-off projects. Other than sandblasting, powder-coating, and engine machine work, he personally performed the restoration work himself, to the highest degree of perfection while maintaining originality.

Body Metal Work: Complete disassembly, removal of rear quarter panels and rockers for dent repairs; sandblasting and epoxy primer treatment for 100% of the body tub while it was on the rotisserie; new OEM quarter panels and rockers (all other “body tub” sheet metal is original to the Bronco); hood and fenders are new as well. Finished body work was completed on the rotisserie with several iterations of priming and sanding using urethane primer and high-quality fillers; paint was sprayed in acrylic urethane and color sanded as needed.

Chassis Work: Complete disassembly and sandblasting of axles and all chassis components; axles, frame and rear springs wet-sprayed with urethane chassis paint; all other chassis components powder-coated; front and rear axles, transfer case and transmission inspected, and new seals and bearings installed. The following are new chassis items: drivelines front and rear; brakes front and rear; stainless steel brake lines; rubber flex lines parking brake cables; fuel lines; fuel tank; fuel-tank sending unit; fuel-tank strap; rubber bushings in the front axle; body mounts; period-correct tires mounted on correct “Ford” rims (also sand-blasted and repainted). The PTO winch was completely rebuilt including new main shaft, bearings, and seals.

Engine: (the period-correct solid-lifter cam motor showing correct date-code), transmission, and related work: The engine was bored .040” over with new pistons; the crank was re-ground, and the head was completely rebuilt with new valves. The following items are new on the engine and transmission assembly: clutch kit; radiator; alternator; starter; voltage regulator; starter solenoid; engine gaskets; rebuilt carburetor; water pump; oil pump; timing chain; thermostat; “Ford” engine hoses; “Ford” battery cables; rebuilt distributor with igniter insert replacing points. Every fastener was cleaned, stripped, and re-coated before reassembly. Every bracket and rebuilt component were sandblasted and powder-coated or repainted. All fasteners and small components have been zinc re-coated by a local vendor.

Additional Component Details: All of the following are either new or rebuilt: Fuel tank and sending unit; steering column; steering tie-rods; windshield washer bag; windshield washer pump and lines; air-box seal; floor mat; steering wheel; dash knobs and bezels; glove-box liner; front engine-bay wire harness; under-dash wire harness; dash knobs for holding the windshield frame; windshield and gasket; headlights; parking and taillight lenses; stripes and letters; seat covers, seat foam front and rear; heater box; heater ducts; transfer-case shifter knob and boots; rubber pedal pads; mirror head; alternator wire harness.

Other Period-Correct Components: Early production eye-brow grille; early production metal DS fresh-air box; early production body tub made by Budd manufacturing; PTO winch; OEM “Ford” fiberglass roadster door inserts and OEM backing plates for inserts; correct ’66-only tailgate; correct ’66-only rear bumper; correct ’66 dash assembly with correct ’66-only knobs’ correct ’66-only steering-wheel horn button with Ford Motor Company logo; correct ’66-only silver sun visors; correct ’66-only tall transfer case shifter; correct ’66-only silver seats; correct ’66 seat belts; Ford-script engine components, wire, hoses, cables, and voltage regulator.