2-1/2 Inch Lift Kit/351M V8/C6 3-Speed Auto/Dana 44 Front Axle

1978 Ford Bronco XLT

The Ford Bronco was introduced to the public in August of 1965 to compete against Jeep's CJ-5 and International Harvester's Scout in the burgeoning recreational four wheel drive vehicle market. The first Broncos were very spartan without options such as power steering and an automatic transmission. Initial models were available only with a 105hp 170 cid six-cylinder derived from Ford's Falcon lineup. The only available transmission was Ford's 3.03 three-speed manual with a column mounted shifter.

For consignment a big version of the Bronco U-150 4x4 wagon. It is equipped with the Ranger XLT package, has a newer respray in Jade Green, and a matching fiberglass top. An additional 2-1/2 inches has been added on the lift of the suspension, and some all terrain Goodrich knobbies are wrapping Mickey Thompson Classic 3 wheels. This lifted truck gives you the ability to literally go anywhere and will do so with ease. Grab your gear and get off the main road into the wilds, in classic style.

Exterior
All straight steel is neatly put together and minding its gapping and is all bathed in a respray of Jade Green. A nice front shiny grille with bumper below and good looking contrasting trimmings surround the wheel wells and exterior glass. Badging is all correct and new, and a walk around will have you hyped up on the extra height and give you visions of wild out of the way places you can get away to. A lift kit adds 2-1/2 inches to the ride height and ground clearance. Mickey Thompson Classic III shiny 15-inch wheels are on all 4 corners, and 33x12.5R15LT Goodrich tires wrap them nicely.

Interior
Climbing inside I'm green with envy greeted with door panels bathed in more green and a highlighting panel of faux leather pattern vinyl in their centers. Seats are broadcloth inserts in various shades of green with shiny green bolsters. The driver's seat shows some cracking of the bolsters at the seams and revealing the foam padding underneath. The dash has a new dash pad and is nicely painted green to house the molded plastic square inserts for the instruments. Some wood appliqu is accenting the dash front too, and an aftermarket retro radio is now installed. New deep green carpeting is installed, and the headliner is tight. Lest I forget a rear bench seat is sitting in the middle of the bed, and looking slightly used, no cracks or errors.

Drivetrain
Under the hood is the original 351M V8 with a newly rebuilt carburetor atop. There is a C6 3-speed automatic transmission which pushes power rearward to a Ford 9-inch rear axle with a 3.50 gear ratio. An overall patina of surface rust and road dirt coats all under this hood, save for the rebuilt carb and air cleaner cover.

Undercarriage
Underneath we note some surface rusting that has begun to peel the black undercoat paint off several surfaces. Looking closely at the bodywork from underneath shows some invasive rust and some work on the floorpans. Frame is sound and all the mechanicals are working just fine. New brakes have recently been put on and noted is radius arm and coil springs for the front suspension. and leaf springs for the rear. Power disc brakes are on front and power drums for the rear. Also noted is a Dana 44 front axle.

Drive-Ability
This truck started right up, and we began our climb(sic) to the test track. Here it worked as it should, good acceleration, and decent handling. Brakes are good and should be as they are fairly new according to the consigner. All electronics were working just fine, and the lift kit adds an awesome view for the driver.

I have personally experienced driving one of these in the hinterlands of BLM in Utah, and we could not destroy it. One can assume this truck has the same toughness, as it is of the same vintage we were crawling around red rock territory, climbing things that put fear into my heart, especially when you are looking towards the sky but still moving forward! This truck is a nice example, may need some TLC on the floorpan areas but all is looking good and working just swimmingly, or should I say climb-ingly?! Drum roll please!

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 600 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.