Ford Bronco

An avid reader of Fultrot sent me a picture of the Oscar winning actor Jared Leto's latest ride. And since Mr. Leto is considered to be a method actor, characterized by meticulous research and a deep understanding of the role he plays, the fact that he drives a first generation Ford Bronco painted with bright orange flames says a lot about his personality, as this is the type of ride owned by regular surfers or those who subscribe to "la joie de vivre". Interestingly, this is also my dad's favorite car.

Jared Leto showing his awesome early Ford Bronco

The 1966 Ford Bronco was conceived by Donald N. Frey, the father of Ford Mustang, and was intended to compete primarily with the Jeep CJ and the International Harvester Scout. Ford's first SUV had an all original frame, suspension, and body. Its 92-inch wheelbase made it very maneuverable, though less suited as a long distance tow vehicle.

The engine was a Ford 170 c.i. Straight -6, modified with solid valve lifters, a 6 quart oil pan, heavy duty fuel pump, oil-bath air cleaner, and a carburetor with a float bowl against tilting.

It used a conventional rear suspension, with leaf springs in a typical Hotchkiss design. A shift-on-the-fly Dana Corp. Transfer case and locking hubs were also standard but the heavy-duty suspension was an option. The production ran through 1977 and the base price was US$ 2,194 back then.

Source: Autoevolution

Icon's Bronco

The Bronco by "Icon", called by some:
"Near-obsessive attention to detail" - Autoblog,
"Reanimation magic" - Automobile Magazine,
"Four Stars" - Car Magazine.

Browsing through the December issue of GQ magazine (for completeness sake I buy only one GQ magazine a year) I came across a segment called "Best Stuff" in which they assigned the Car Of The Year to my father's favourite car, the Ford Bronco

The people at Icon, the L.A. based boutique manufacturer of industrial-grade SUV's, took the Bronco and made it beastly than ever. They started with slightly worn vintage bodies of Bronco's and added brand-new parts, including axles from a military supplier and a 420-hp V-8 engine. The cabin is still very much utilitarian, as the original version, but the comparison ends there; The gauges are all inspired by Bell-Ross's pilot watches.

Quoting from GQ, "The result is a reincarnated Bronco with the original's fuck-you ruggedness racheted so high, you're not sure if you should drive it to the beach or to the front lines".

According to my father, his 1969 Bronco is one tough Ford. The still original engine can go years without starting and won't disappoint when you turn the switch (or in his case, push the start button). It can out-climb the very best Jeep or Toyota. I have witnessed this firsthand, and often almost falling (read: jumping) off the back as a child. Nuff said!

Source: GQ Magazine