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1979 Ford Bronco Custom 4x4

Final model year for secondgeneration Bronco
Very desirable factory 4speed and factory air conditioning Bronco
Fourinch lift kit
Light Medium Blue exterior (code K) with white hardtop and black interior
Cleveland 351 CID V8 engine (VIN code H) with dual exhausts
Rare BorgWarner T18 fourspeed manual transmission (code F) and 3.50 limitedslip differential (code H2)
35 tires and American Racing wheels
New paint and interior
104inch wheelbase



No longer content with its multipurpose vehicle being the runt of the Big Three, Ford upped the ante in 1978 with its Bronco model. MotoeXotica Classic Cars is pleased to present this 1979 Ford Bronco Custom 4x4 with the very desirable 4speed transmission and air conditioning. Nineteen seventynine was the secondgeneration Broncos last model year.

The Bronco Custom served as the standardtrim model. Rectangular headlights became standard for all 1979 Broncos. Made in Fords Wayne, Michigan (VIN code L) truck factory in March 1979, this example is finished in Light Medium Blue (code K). This Bronco was delivered new to our local St. Louis, Missouri region (trim code 55).

The trucks paint and trim are in overall very good order, with only minor imperfections noted at close range. This Broncos bodywork is straight, has a fourinch lift kit. The engine bay is very tidy, the battery appears new, the rear cargo area is quite tidy (and comes with a new spare tire with cover) and the trucks chrome bumpers are in very good condition.

Under the hood is a Cleveland 351 CID V8 (VIN code H) engine breathing via dual exhausts. For 1979, Ford added emissions controls to its lighttruck engines; the Bronco gained a catalytic converter (among other equipment). Backing this engine is a BorgWarner T18 fourspeed manual transmission (code F). Only 21.2 percent of 1979 Broncos came with a manual transmission and even more rare with factory air conditioning

Broncos in 1979 were fitted exclusively with fourwheel drive; a parttime system was standard with a New Process 205 geardriven transfer case with the option of permanent fourwheel drive and a New Process 203 chaindriven transfer case. Out back is a 3.50:1 limitedslip rear end (code H2). The secondgeneration Bronco is fitted with a coilsprung Dana 44 front axle and has a leafsprung Ford nineinch axle in the rear (similar to the later firstgeneration Broncos). The first and secondgeneration Broncos are the only versions designed with nonindependent front suspension (solid front axle).

This truck rolls on new Terra Rader light truck tires, size 35x12.50R20 at all four wheels. Each big donut wraps around a chromed and vented American Racing wheel. The wheels are in excellent condition.

Inside, a new black interior looks great The front and rear bench seats, shot through with white and gray, look great, the black carpet and mats look excellent, A thickrimmed, threespoke aftermarket steering wheel faces the driver. The instrument panel, with its trim accents, features a full array of gauges and is in satisfactory order, as are the twotone inner door panels. Completing the interior is a modern AM/FM stereo with CD player. While a twoseat interior remained standard, the 11inch wider interior allowed for a threepassenger front bench seat; with a folding and removable rear seat, the Bronco became a sixpassenger vehicle for the first time.

In place of a modelspecific chassis, the Bronco was adapted directly from the Ford FSeries, becoming a shortened version of the F100 4x4. Originally intended for a 1974 launch, the secondgeneration Bronco (named Project Shorthorn during its development) was postponed to 1978 in response to fuel economy concerns related to the 1973 fuel crisis; the secondgeneration Bronco was released for sale after development was nearly finalized on its 1980 successor.

While most other vehicles focused on downsizing, the secondgeneration Bronco added 12 inches of wheelbase, approximately 28 inches of length, 11 inches of width, and four inches of height; based on powertrain configuration, the Bronco gained 1,100 to 1,600 pounds of curb weight over its predecessor.

The secondgeneration Bronco marks the introduction of design commonality with the Ford FSeries and retained the liftoff hardtop bodystyle for the threedoor wagon, though now fiberglass over the rear seat area only (and not a fulllength steel top). Replacing the multiple body configurations of the first generation, the secondgeneration Bronco was offered solely as a threedoor wagon with a liftoff rear hardtop. As with its chassis, the secondgeneration Bronco derives much of its body from the FSeries truck line, sharing the doors, front roofline and sheetmetal, and interior with the FSeries.

Retaining the wagon body from its predecessor, Ford designers shifted to a liftoff hardtop from behind the Bpillars. Designed by Dick Nesbitt, the configuration achieved higher commonality with the F100 (sharing the doors and overhead roof stamping); attention was focused on minimizing leaks around the top seals (a problem related to the design of the K5 Blazer hardtop of the time). In a configuration similar to the Ford LTD Country Squire, the rear window glass rolled down into the tailgate (via a dashmounted switch or from using the key on the outside), allowing the tailgate to fold down.

In spite of its short production cycle (only two years), the secondgeneration Bronco proved successful, overtaking the Blazer and Ramcharger in sales for the first time; initial demand was so strong that customers waited several months to receive vehicles from dealers. Ford sold more than 145,000 examples during 1978 and 1979.

Competition to this Bronco in 1979 included Chevys K5 Blazer, Dodges Ramcharger, GMCs K5 Jimmy, Jeeps Cherokee and Plymouths Trailduster.

If you seek a goodlooking, classic 4x4 with a few modern tweaks, then this is the one for you. Ford and 4x4 SUV fans, you should really do yourselves a favor and visit today to check out this 79 Bronco at MotoeXotica Classic Cars.

VIN: U15HLEH5517

This truck is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 26,541 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE

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