1978 Ford Bronco Ranger XLT

SOLD | GARAGE KEPT MOTORS | GRAND RAPIDS, MI

Update: This one sold. While you might have missed your chance with this rig, there's plenty more where that came from. Check here for hot listings!

If you’re into lifted 2nd generation Broncos with fresh coats of glossy Electric Blue paint, I think we’ve found your rig. This 1978 Ford Bronco Ranger XLT has been recently restored and is being offered for sale by Garage Kept Motors in Grand Rapids, Michigan for $29,900. This restored classic Bronco is one wild ride that’s ready to eat some dirt, so saddle up and go buy it. 

The Model.

It’s no secret that the first generation Ford Bronco was and is a true automotive icon. Restored versions of first gen Broncos fairly regularly fetch north of a quarter million dollars on today’s classic car market, which represents a shocking chasm between the original’s MSRP of just $2,480.

But the first gen Bronco was really a fairly compact SUV, and toward the end of its run, the market for SUVs started to move toward full size rigs. In order to keep pace with other competitors like the Dodge Ramcharger (like the one we featured yesterday), the Jeep Cherokee (SJ) and the Chevy K5 Blazer.

So, Ford went all-in for the 1978 Bronco. And when we say all-in, we mean they supersized the Bronco.

They added a full foot of wheelbase, more than two feet in length, 11 inches of width, and 4 inches of height (and that’s before the lift kit that has been added to this example) and between 1,100 to 1,600 pounds of weight. What a freakin' brute it is.

The 2nd generation Bronco adopted the same trim nomenclature as the F-Series, with the Custom serving as the standard trim and Ranger XLT as the top-level trim—no relation to the small pickup truck Ford introduced in 1982. For 1978, as with the F-Series trucks, Customs were fitted with round headlamps while Ranger XLTs had rectangular headlamps. In 1979, Ford went all rectangular, regardless of trim. 

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The Specs.

This Bronco recently underwent a fairly comprehensive restoration, including a new engine, a major suspension lift, a gorgeous coat of paint and a number of other awesome upgrades. That said, it’s not perfect, nor is it a truck that will win a bunch of awards at car shows, but that’s the beauty of it. It’s meant to be driven and to drive over stuff. 

MECHANICAL:

  • New 351-cubic-inch Ford V8 engine w/Ford-blue block paint
  • 4-speed manual transmission
  • Chrome air cleaner 
  • Manual Warn front axle lock-out hubs

INTERIOR:

  • Black-vinyl-covered front bucket seats 
  • Fold-down rear bench seat w/vertically pleated, charcoal-vinyl inserts
  • Matching XLT-style door trim 
  • Black carpet
  • Rear cargo-area stereo speakers 
  • Original dashboard w/factory instrumentation and controls are present
  • Woodgrain dash trim continues w/ “Ranger XLT” emblem on the glove-box door
  • Sony audio head unit 
  • Woodgrain-trimmed 2-spoke XLT steering wheel
  • Column-mounted SunPro Super Tach II tachometer
  • 4wd transfer-case lever is floor-mounted
  • Floor mounted B&M T-bar shift lever for 4-speed transmission
  • Light scratching present on the roll-up tailgate glass

EXTERIOR:

  • Fiberglass cargo-area roof
  • Gloss black diamond-plate rear bumper
  • Gloss black fiberglass fender flares 
  • Chrome trim: Restyled front grille, bumpers, mirrors, door handles
  • Badging: Tailgate “Ford” emblem, “Bronco Ranger XLT” side emblems,
  • “Bronco” windshield graphic
  • Aftermarket, polished, 8-opening, 15-inch wheels a
  • Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ 33x12.50 all-terrain tires
  • Side exit exhaust
  • Chrome exhaust tips 
  • Rust-inhibiting undercoating

Find Your Ford.

This Ford Bronco may have sold, but you can find your rare, classic, or custom Ford truck or 4x4 on Fourbie Exchange. Explore listings today.

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