Article: The Original vs. the New Bronco

[CarGuy]

https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2025/11/25/the-original-vs-the-new-bronco/

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[Newbie]

Great article I especially like this part:

" Ford cannot do anything about “inflation,” of course – because Ford is not the Fed, that dishonestly named cartel of private banks that have acquired the legal power to counterfeit money by creating as much of it as they like out of thin air – and loaning this “money” at interest to the federal government. But Ford could do something to counteract the effects of the Fed’s counterfeiting – by making a new Bronco more like the original Bronco. Something more basic. Something without everything. Something with less. So that it would cost less".

 

[Imaginary Friend]

What a concept, basic and affordable.

 

[Carolina Jim]

One important word was missing from the article, "CHIPS". What about a mechanical-dependent vehicle?

And while all vehicles today ooze with "MANDATED" safety features, most of them wound up mandated because the manufacturing community schmoozed the feds into that determination (maybe so they'd have a larger cost basis to drive markup?). So, how's about putting in seatbelts and calling it a day?

 

[Sgt Badlands]

Interesting. Seems like the writer was more focused on the economy.

 

[dgorsett]

IDK, without getting into the politics of the Fed, what a $2500 '66 Bronco was ain't even in the same universe as what a $40000 Bronco is now. Without going into details, think Mahindra Roxor (the magic $25K) without the turbo diesel, power steering, 5 spd. or disc brakes, cool for sure, but not close to what a modern Bronco is. Might I have preferred a 180hp NA V-6, no infotainment and no ASS? Sure, but I've become accustomed to no bogging down on highway hills, Google maps and 20+ mpg.

My dad, average lower middle class, couldn't afford a new Bronco either, but finally bought a '66 in about 1972.

 

[Roger123]

Having owned two EB's, a Gen 2, and two Gen 6's, about the only thing I miss about the old ones is that beautiful V-8 sound.

I spent more time working on the older ones than I care to admit (in Upper MI and Upstate NY in the winter outside). Replacing rear ends, front ends, transmissions, water pumps, rear main seals, clutches, rebuilding engines, replacing alternators and power steering pumps, enough wheel bearings to fill a dump truck, adding power steering, adding A/C, upgrading brakes, replacing u-joints, the list goes on forever.

Our Gen 6 makes me feel 15 again, the age I was when I bought the first EB.

 

[SierraBronco]

Fun read. That's all I can say without getting banned.

 

[CarGuy]

Fun read. That's all I can say without getting banned.

 

[GoHawks63]

I agree that the author seemed more focused on pontificating on the state of the economy, versus the realities of the preferences of the buying public.

I understand his desire for a barebones 4x4, but the realities are, that aside from a small percentage of buyers, very few want a barebones vehicle. Case in point, look at the price of today's pickup trucks. The OEMs seems to sell every one of their lux'd up leather lined pickup trucks that probably never get a scuff mark in their truck beds. Not to mention that the OEMs have larger profit margins the more optioned out these vehicles have.

 

[MayhemMike]

Consider this, if the current Bronco only had part time 4x4 capability like the originals and didn’t have suspension systems for serious off-roading it would cost a lot less. The original Broncos weren’t for the most part capable rock crawlers or Baja runners out of the factory. Farmers, Ranchers, and Forestry service made up the market.

 

[skhubbard93]

I miss roll-down windows. OUAT I drove a 2dr Honda Civic hatchback with 4sp man, manual windows, manual door locks, no A/C. I could roll down that car's windows faster than any automatic button ever could (even underwater! Not that I ever needed to).

I miss having a real manual e-brake (where the "e" is for emergency the way it's supposed to be, not electronic). My other car has one, so it's not like auto makers don't know how to make them anymore. Hand brakes have a clear, analog, always-visible indicator that they are engaged (the handle's visibly lifted), have the ability to be applied gradually (try that with your 6G Bronco. In snow!), and don't make me wonder if/when they are engaged as I exit the vehicle. Yes, I know that there's a brake word on the dash. Also, I don't need hill-start-assist. I learned how to do that at age 14 using the hand brake, thank you.

I miss the fold-down tailgate. Many years ago, we had one of the OG models in canary yellow with a white top, V8, and 3-speed auto on the tree. We would take it on trails in Vermont, and sometimes have picnics on the tailgate. Or we would sit on the tailgate while putting on cross country ski boots or ice skates. And if you wanted to load up the back of that Bronco while the gate was closed and the back window was open, you could. And then you could close the back window... without even needing to use a tire iron.

But things have evolved, and some of those things are for the better.

What don't I miss?

• Prolific Rust
• Death rattle (or whatever it's called when the thing shakes violently up and down) from SFA
• Cheap linoleum (?) floor that wore out, tore, etc.
• More Rust
• Baseball-game mileage
• Basketball-game horsepower. Enough is enough, but that wasn't quite.
• Meandering front-end (SFA). I hear it's still available in Jeeps for those interested.
• No shoulder straps or headrests
• No roof rack, at least on the one we had
• No "moar doors". If I need to move people, those people need doors. Not sorry.
• An interior designed by someone who gets paid by the hour. In emergency rooms and cosmetic surgery facilities.
• No FM radio
• 4wd locks on the wheel hubs while in the mud or snow
• Exhaust fumes

I'll keep what I have.

 

[MilesTeg]

Everyone always screams about wanting vehicles like there were in the old days. But, with the exception of lovers of anachronism, no one really likes those. They are all death traps with a poor driver experience. It can be fun to jump in an old 60s Bronco, but I guarantee you would not want to actually daily an authentic one (rather than a resto-mod).

 

[MilesTeg]

Interesting. Seems like the writer was more focused on the economy.

Someone else posted another of his articles. The writer seems to want to pretend he's talking about vehicle while just complaining about the world.

 

[BleednBlue]

Good, fun and funny read. The funny part, “top-shelf stereo system”. In all my years (starting in 1990) Ford has never put a top-shelf stereo system in their cars.

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