As most are already well aware, the Ford Bronco market has been going bonkers for years now after collectors slept on the rugged SUV – sans the first-gen models, at least – for years. That is no longer the case, and even newer fifth-gen models are selling for huge money, particularly nice, low-mile examples. This 1979 Ford Bronco up for grabs at Bring a Trailer isn’t one of those, but it has been masterfully modified in all the right areas, making it as close to perfect as a second-gen Bronco can possibly get.
That fine work was completed by Firehouse Vintage Vehicles in Statesville, North Carolina just last year, starting with a respray in the SUV’s original shade of Raven Black, which is accented by a set of Chromatic tape stripes that were featured on the Free Wheelin’ Bronco of this era. The exterior presents a mostly original look, which we’re digging, save for the addition of a set of retro-styled forged 17-inch turbine-style alloy wheels wrapped with LT285/70 BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A K02 tires.
The same goes for the interior, which features a mostly stock appearance, albeit with a few upgrades including red leather-covered seats, a Fat Fender garage climate control system, a RetroSound radio, Kicker speakers, and Dakota Digital gauges. Mechanically speaking, the upgrades go quite a bit deeper. Underneath, the 1979 Ford Bronco has been treated to Rancho shocks, new springs, Warn hubs, a Borgeson steering box, and a hydroboost brake conversion with front discs and rear drums.
The big news lies under the hood, however, where the original powerplant has been kicked to the side in favor of a modern 5.0-liter Coyote V8 that’s been fortified with a JLT Performance cold-air intake, headers, and an aluminum radiator. It sends its power to either the rear or all four wheels via a 6R80 six-speed automatic transmission.
The end result of all these upgrades is, quite simply, utter perfection. It’s hard to imagine a 1979 Ford Bronco being any nicer than this, and the bidding thus far reflects that fact. As of this writing, the high bid has already crested the $112k mark, with a couple of days to go. But given the eye-watering prices of old Broncos these days, that doesn’t surprise us one bit.
Source: Ford Truck Enthusiasts
