MY FEEDLY

Unrestored Survivor: 1975 Ford Bronco With 3,150 Miles From New

This Ford Bronco has been in single family ownership since it was bought new in the mid-1970s, in all the decades that have passed since it’s been garage stored and it’s only covered 3,150 miles – it’s now being offered for sale for the first time.

The Bronco has been in the headlines a lot in the last few months, in July 2020 Ford announced the new Bronco model family and it proved wildly popular, with order books quickly filling. A significant reason for the popularity of the 2021 Bronco is that Ford went back to the first generation model for the styling cues, developing a 4×4 with a retro look but with modern underpinnings.

The First Generation Ford Bronco

The first generation Ford Bronco is now one of the most desirable vintage four-wheel drives in the world alongside its longtime rival, the International Harvester Scout. The reason these two in particular are so beloved is probably down to a combination of nostalgia and the purely analog driving experience they offer – with no driver aids, parking assist, ABS, lane keeping assist, or even air conditioning usually.

When the Ford Bronco was first released in 1965 it was playing catch up, the CJ Jeeps had already been in the game for years, the Scout was wildly popular, and other imported four-wheel drives like Land Rovers and Land Cruisers weren’t doing badly either.

The team behind the Bronco shared some of the same faces as the team that had developed the Mustang, including Ford product manager Donald N. Frey, Ford engineer Paul G. Axelrad, and of course, the legendary Lee Iacocca.

They developed an all-new chassis for the Bronco and a new steel body, then they raided the Ford parts bin in an effort to trim costs, sourcing engines, transmissions, axles, and brakes. The body design was famously so simple that the door skins from either side of the car were interchangeable before the holes were drilled for door handle fitment.

Above Image: The interior of the truck looks almost new, remarkable given it’s 46 years old.

For the first few years of production the Bronco came with just one engine option, the 105 hp inline-six from the Ford Falcon. In 1969 this changed with the introduction of the 289 cu. in. V8 also used in the Ford Mustang – offering a considerable boost in power.

The first generation Bronco would stay in production from 1965 until 1977, proving to be a very successful new model for Ford and starting a model family that now extends to six generations over 56 years and counting.

The 1975 Ford Bronco Shown Here

As mentioned above, this Bronco has been in single family ownership since it was brand new, being passed down from father to son and covering just 3,150 miles in all those years. It was kept safely tucked away from rain, snow, and wind in a garage.

Amazingly the original window sticker is still attached, this Bronco was ordered new with the Ranger package and the 302 cu. in. V8 mated to a three-speed manual transmission. The original numbers-matching engine is still in the vehicle.

The unusual paint color is called Hot Ginger Metallic, and it has a matching ginger interior with plaid accents. This vehicle also came new with power steering, the 4,500 lb GVW package, Ford 3300 Traction-Lok, an extra cooling radiator, locking hubs, and as it was intended for export, it came without a catalytic converter.

If you’d like to read more about this Bronco or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing on Mecum. It’s due to cross the auction block in mid May and it’s being offered with no reserve.

Above Image: It’s powered by the Ford 302 cu. in. V8 with 220 hp at 4,600 rpm and 300 lb ft of torque at 2,600 rpm.

Images courtesy of Mecum

The post Unrestored Survivor: 1975 Ford Bronco With 3,150 Miles From New appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/1975-ford-bronco/
via gqrds

For Sale – An Original 1969 Volkswagen Super Bugger Beetle Camper

This is an original 1969 Volkswagen Super Bugger, possibly the most unfortunately named vehicle of all time. I’ve never actually seen one of these come up for sale though I have occasionally seen them pop up on obscure motoring forums as an object of curiosity (and no small amount of mirth).

The Super Bugger first appeared in the early 1970s, a small company was founded in Costa Mesa, California that supplied turn-key Super Buggers as well as kits and/or plans for people who wanted to build their own. It’s not known what happened to the company however a few short years later they had disappeared.

Shortly after this in 1977 Mechanix Illustrated magazine published plans for a vehicle that appears almost identical to the Super Bugger named the “Minihome” which led to even more Beetle-Camper conversions.

We know that people were still creating their own Super Buggers well into the 1980s and possibly longer. It’s likely that creating a conversion like this nowadays would be illegal in most jurisdictions due to increasingly stringent engineering requirements on car modifications, however Beetles that were converted in period have no problem renewing their registration.

Due to the popularity and the inexpensive nature of the VW Type 2 van it’s hard to know why the original designers of the Super Bugger chose to use the Beetle as the basis for a camper conversion rather than the Type 2 – which had already been a popular target for camper conversions for 20+ years by that point.

Whatever their reasons for choosing the Beetle the Super Bugger designers succeeded where few likely thought they would in creating a tiny camper capable of accommodating two people, and surprisingly still capable of highway speeds depending on engine choice.

Above Image: This was the original ad run by the company that developed the Super Bugger.

It’s claimed that the Super Bugger conversion would only add an average of 250 lbs of weight to the Beetle, this is because the structure of the camper section is largely made of wood and fiberglass, both of which is lighter than the steel used in the original body.

The design requires that much of the Beetle’s body is cut away, just leaving the front section in place along with the steel floorpan. The new camper body is then fabricated and placed on top, we haven’t been able to find any information about the rigidity of the vehicle once complete but it does seem likely that rigidity suffered to some degree.

The actual interior design of the camper section was quite clever, it provides snug accommodation for two including two single beds, a two-seater dining table and chair, two forward seats for the driver and passenger, and a small kitchenette with a gas cooker and sink.

The cooker and sink was installed in such a way that they could be used both internally and externally, a hatch in the side of the camper allows for it to be slid out for outdoor BBQ style cooking which would have the added bonus of not smoking out the interior.

The Super Bugger you see here is a period conversion based on a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle with a 1973 Super Beetle engine for more power. Impressively the vehicle is still in the possession of the original builder who has now owned it for 52 years.

During the build a set of wider rear tires were used for stability and the suspension was modified to accommodate the additional weight. Inside you’ll find an AM/FM CB radio, ’70s style carpeting throughout with matching curtains, and it even has a crank-handle skylight for ventilation.

Over the years the owner has won awards at numerous local car shows in Illinois and this car was featured in Mechanix Illustrated magazine back in 1977. He notes that everywhere he goes this unusual camper draws a crowd of people who are full of questions, and he explains that the car is highway capable and it gets approximately 27 mpg.

The seller has handed the vehicle over to Mecum who will be offering it for auction over the next few day. At the time of writing there’s no price guide and it’s hard to know what a vehicle this unique may sell for.

If you’d like to visit the listing to read more or register to bid you can click here.

Above Image: An artist’s rendering of the vehicle as published in Mechanix Illustrated magazine in 1977.

Images courtesy of Mecum

The post For Sale – An Original 1969 Volkswagen Super Bugger Beetle Camper appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/volkswagen-super-bugger/
via gqrds

For Sale: A Beautifully Restored 1981 Toyota Hilux DLX Pickup Truck

This 1981 Toyota DLX Pickup has been immaculately restored with careful attention to small details, like the correct silver and silver-gray sport stripes and even the signature DLX patterned cloth with vinyl upholstery.

In recent years we’ve seen vintage four wheel drives becoming increasingly popular as many enthusiasts discover them, or rediscover them. It wasn’t too long ago that you could buy a vintage Toyota Hilux like this one for next to nothing, sadly those days are now long gone.

Although the Toyota Hilux has long been highly regarded in the United States it was the appearance of a gloss black example in the 1985 film Back To The Future which really helped cement the desirability in the hearts of a new generation of Americans.

Of course, the DeLorean DMC-12 will almost be the most famous car from that film series but the brief appearances of the Hilux embedded the Japanese 4×4 deep into the psyche of many young men and women.

Toyota Pickups were typically smaller and more fuel efficient than comparable American trucks, they were sold at competitive prices too which helped many of the Japanese manufacturers quickly establish a strong presence in the North American market that persists to this day.

The model line has typically been called either the Toyota Truck or Toyota Pickup Truck in North America, however most other world markets know it as the Toyota Hilux. The first examples of this model family were introduced in 1968 and the model remains in production today, currently on its 8th generation with no signs of slowing sales.

Above Image: This restored Toyota Pickup benefits from some period-correct upgrades, like the alloy wheels, chrome roll bar, and KC Daylighter spotlights.

Over the course of its ongoing production run the Hilux, or Toyota Pickup, has become famous for two key attributes: reliability and toughness. These traits have led to the trucks becoming a staple vehicle in a huge array of places, from Australian sheep farms to Mujahideen camps and everywhere in between.

The 1981 Toyota Hilux DLX Pickup Shown Here

The Pickup you see here is a desirable example for a few reasons, it’s fitted with the 2.4L 22R engine mated to the original 5-speed manual transmission, and it comes with the SR5 package (Sport Runabout 5-Speed).

The original purchaser of the vehicle ticked a significant number of boxes on the options list and as a result the truck is very well appointed with a 10 cassette factory AM/FM radio, bucket seats, and air-conditioning, with additional features like power steering and power brakes.

A small number of tasteful upgrades have been applied to the truck including alloy wheels, uprated tires, a chrome roll bar, and a pair of period-correct KC Daylighter spotlights.

Originally delivered to Texas, this DLX Pickup benefits from a recent restoration. The listing explains that the rebuild started with a rust-free truck, which isn’t always easy to find, and it now benefits from some additional refinements like spray-in bed-liner and a beautifully detailed underbody.

There DLX Pickup you see here is due to roll across the auction block with Mecum in May with a price estimate of $40,000 to $50,000 USD – a figure it’ll likely achieve with no problem if the right bidders are in the room.

If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.