Category: Highlight

  • The Ford Bronco over the years: A brief history

    On Monday night the sixth-generation Ford Bronco will launch, making it the first Bronco in the company’s lineup since 1996. The off-road SUV available in two or four doors with removable doors and a removable roof will compete with the Jeep Wrangler, much as it did when Ford VP Lee Iacocca approved the first model for 1966.

    Teaser for 2021 Ford Bronco family debuting on July 13, 2020

    Teaser for 2021 Ford Bronco family debuting on July 13, 2020

    At the time, the Jeep CJ-5 and International Harvester Scout had laid the grounds for civilian-based off-road vehicles that had gained popularity in America in the era following World War II and the Korean War. It wasn’t new ground for Ford. In WWII, Ford manufactured Willys MB-based jeeps known as General Purpose or GPW, with the W referring to the design created by Willys MB. While that would develop into the Jeep brand, Ford made another iteration in 1951 known as the MUTT but didn’t get back into the off-road action until the ‘60s, when it was also developing the other end of the automotive spectrum with the Mustang pony car

    1966-1977 Ford Bronco

     

    1966 Ford Bronco wagon

    1966 Ford Bronco wagon

    1966 Ford Bronco two-door half-cab

    1966 Ford Bronco two-door half-cab

    1966 Ford Bronco roadster

    1966 Ford Bronco roadster

    The original sport-utility vehicle came as a station wagon, half-cab, or a short-lived roadster on a short 92-inch wheelbase. For context, the Ford Fiesta subcompact had a 98-inch wheelbase. The base roadster started at $2,400 (just under $19,000, adjusted for inflation), but came with no doors or a roof. The half-cab baby ($2,480) pickup truck left the field in 1972, leaving the three-door wagon ($2,625, or $20,800 adjusted for inflation) as the enduring first-run Bronco. It came with four-wheel drive, a Dana transfer case, a choice between two inline-6 engines or a V-8 upgraded in 1969 to 302 cubic inches, and a 3-speed manual. A 3-speed automatic was offered later to make the bare-bones first-generation Bronco more accessible through 1977.

    1978-1979 Ford Bronco

     

    1978 Ford Bronco

    1978 Ford Bronco

    1978 Ford Bronco

    1978 Ford Bronco

    Lasting only two years, the second-generation Bronco adopted a more pickup-like style and was sold only as a three-door. It started at about $6,500, or $25,560, adjusted for inflation. Based on the F100 pickup truck, it grew nearly two feet longer, nearly a foot longer, and was taller than its predecessor at a time when most American car designs were going in the opposite direction in the wake of the oil crisis. The wheelbase extended to 104 inches. 

     

    1979 Ford Bronco

    1979 Ford Bronco

    1979 Ford Bronco

    1979 Ford Bronco

    1979 Ford Bronco

    1979 Ford Bronco

    “Its only real resemblance to the old box-basic Bronco of yesterday seems to be its name,” Car and Driver wrote in a review of the 1978 model. The rounded headlights switched to square ones that would define the face of the Bronco for the remainder of its life. It had a removable fiberglass hard top over the rear seat and cargo area. The rear window retracted into the tailgate, and the tailgate dropped down like a pickup truck. It had a four-wheel-drive transfer case with automatic locking hubs for the first time, according to Car and Driver, and was powered by either a 5.8-liter V-8 or 6.6-liter V-8. 

    1980-1986 Ford Bronco

    1984 Ford Bronco

    1984 Ford Bronco

    1984 Ford Bronco

    1984 Ford Bronco

    1984 Ford Bronco

    1984 Ford Bronco

    Ford peeled off the letters and slapped the Blue Oval badge on the face of the third-generation Bronco. Based on the F-150 pickup truck, the Bronco also got a bit smaller and lighter to address fuel economy concerns, and came with an inline-6 as well as a trio of V-8s. It started at $8,400, or $26,100 in today’s dollars. The solid front axle was replaced by a swing axle and an independent suspension to address on-road drivability demands that would presage the four-door SUV boom about to happen in the ‘90s. The Bronco also went upscale with the addition of the range-topping Eddie Bauer trim with two-tone paint, cloth bucket seats, and wood trim. (Eds note: Of the hundred of cars owned by my dad, his red-on-tan Eddie Bauer Bronco remains one of my favorites.)

    1983-1990 Ford Bronco II

    1986 Ford Bronco, left, and 1986 Ford Bronco II, right

    1986 Ford Bronco, left, and 1986 Ford Bronco II, right

    Ford addressed the demand for smaller SUVs with the Ranger-based Bronco II that ran from 1983-1990. Shorter, smaller, narrower, the two-door Bronco II came with four-wheel drive and the choice of two V-6 engines or a turbodiesel-4. A high risk of rollover crashes doomed the Bronco II.

    1987-1991 Ford Bronco

    1987 Ford Bronco

    1987 Ford Bronco

    Redesigned alongside the F-150 pickup truck, the new Bronco got some curves on its boxy bod with round wheel arches and wraparound headlights. Electronic fuel -injection highlighted the inline-6, and the V-8s carried over. More safety equipment was added, such as rear-wheel antilock braking, and the four-wheel- drive system could be activated with the push of a button. It started under $14,000, which is the equivalent of $31,600 today.

    1992-1996 Ford Bronco

    1995 Ford Bronco interior

    1995 Ford Bronco interior

    1995 Ford Bronco

    1995 Ford Bronco

    1996 Ford Bronco Eddie Bauer

    1996 Ford Bronco Eddie Bauer

     

    The infamous chase of the LAPD pursuing O.J. Simpson hiding in the backseat of a white Bronco in 1994 had little to do with the demise of the full-size three-door Bronco. The relatively fixed roof (you could take it off if you didn’t mind the illegality or the impossibility of ever getting it to seal properly again) didn’t help, but the market was moving to four-door SUVs on car-based platforms for better road manners. Additional safety systems such as front crumple zones and three-point seatbelts for the rear seats, and a driver-side airbag, made it more user-friendly. It started under $19,000, which is about $34,700 today. The Bronco would eventually be replaced by the four-door Ford Expedition

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  • Car Builds – All Black Stealth BMW M3

    Here we have had the luxury of talking to the owner of this amazingly fierce modified BMW M3. Haydn has owned this car for a few years and purchased it partially modified, with the intent of finishing it off, creating the perfect M3.

    You Can Own This Exact Modified BMW M3

    Haydn’s all black M3 is currently for sale in our listings, so if you like what you see here it could be your next car. And what a car you would be buying! You can view the full sale listing here – Modified BMW M3 For Sale


    This BMW M3 is the last generation of BMW M cars to have a naturally aspirated V8 powering it. And this engine produces a sound that non of its turbo-charged successors have been able to replicate.

    We had the chance to catch up with Haydn, where we spoke about his motivations for purchasing an E93 M3. And his experience owning and driving this car. Check out what Haydn has to say below about his clean M3 build.


    Question – What made you want to modify your M3?

    Haydn – Since I was very young I’ve lived and breathed cars, my dad owning a replica AC cobra started the love. Spending evenings helping restore and repair it had me hooked. The adrenaline pumping through you after hearing the big V8 shouting from the side pipes is a memory engrained within me.

    Question – How did you make the decision to purchase a BMW M3 over other cars?

    Haydn – My BMW has been the first modified car I have owned, the biggest requirement was having a V8 under the bonnet. The M3 is such an iconic car I’ve always been a huge fan of them.

    Everyone always says don’t drive your dream cars but I have not regretted it whatsoever. The modifications that have been made to the car have added to its mean look and really set it off.

    Question – With that in mind, which aftermarket parts have you used in the build?

    Haydn – When I bought the car the main expensive features had been carried out, I wanted to have a car that I could finish off due to working long hours.

    It had been tuned by AMD in London. Having test driven a couple of M3’s the gear changes in this one after the map were a lot quicker and smoother. The full custom exhaust had been fitted, it has an electric valve allowing you to adjust the flow. This has been amazing, giving you the option to either cruise along or be an absolute hooligan!

    The other work that has been carried out, spacers have been fitted along with lowering springs. And this has made a big impact making it tighter round the corners and personally improving the stance.

    It has an after market M-Sport body kit, carbon fibre lip, skirts, diffuser and wing. I went for a more subtle body kit as I believe it suits the cars lines better than some of the more extravagant kits you can get.

    Question – What part of the car build are you most proud of?

    Haydn – The part of the build that I am most proud of is the changing of suspension.

    I love the way the car looks and feels. It was a job that was done with my dad, and it was lovely to do a job like that again with him!

    Question – Tell me about the performance of the car?

    Haydn – The performance of the car puts a huge smile on your face. After the remap it is running 427BHP and 293NW of torque.

    Everyone knows that the M3 V8 revs up to 8 and a half thousand. With the valves open and the engine screaming, it is an experience you never forget. Despite being slighter lower on torque the engine just keeps pulling and you can’t help but creep up into triple figures, on the autobahn of course…

    I chose to go for the DCT transmission as I have never had an automatic before. Flicking through the gears with the F1 style paddle shifters makes for a very enjoyable and race like experience.

    Question – Do you show the car at events?

    Haydn – I try to take the car to as many shows as possible, although I haven’t been to the huge events but rather a lot of smaller ones.

    There is something enjoyable about parking up and looking around everyone’s pride and joys. I find the time people take perfecting there vehicles to be very inspiring. Some of the builds that you see, people have clearly spent years working on.

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  • Car Builds – Clean BMW F32 4 Series

    We had the pleasure of working along side Rich, who was looking to sell his super clean BMW F32 4 Series.

    You can see from the image below just how clean Rich’s modified BMW 428i is. His 4 Series is a great example of a tastefully modified BMW with a focus on performance.

    Click the plus icons on the image below to see some of the aftermarket parts that have been installed.

    Rich trusted us with the process of selling his car for him after he had no luck advertising it himself. We listed his BMW on Modified-Autos cars for sale and it sold in under a week. That was mainly a testament to how well presented the car was, rather than our hard work!

    While working with Rich, we discussed his car, and he was happy to partake in a short interview about his car.

    We wanted to get a good understanding of the car build itself. And Rich was happy to tell us how he got into modifying an already well presented BMW.


    Question – What made you want to modify your BMW?

    Rich – Growing up I’ve always been a fan of fast cars, which fed through from watching motorsport. Visiting tracks such as Brands Hatch and Donnington to watch touring cars really was the begin of my love for cars. Seeing track ready versions of road cars, fitted with low body kits and loud exhausts was enough to make me love modified cars.

    Therefor ever since owning my first car, a modified Clio Renault Sport 197, I’ve been fitting aftermarket upgrades to maximise performance. Looking back at the touring cars of the 90’s also gave me the desire to fit big aftermarket body kits to all the cars I owned.

    This attitude towards upgrading cars continued through multiple BMW cars, including a 1 series, a couple of 3 series and on to this 4 series.

    Question – How did you make the decision to purchase a BMW over other cars?

    Rich – I’ve owned BMW cars for a long time, and they are simply great cars to drive. With a BMW you always know that you are going to get the perfect mixture of luxury, style, drive-ability and reliability.

    My first BMW was an E46 3 series 320i. It wasn’t overly quick, but it gave me a great introduction into modifying a BMW. It was an easy car to work on, aftermarket parts were relatively cheap and widely available. And despite being a slightly older car it still got attention wherever I drove it.

    From there I moved on to a slightly newer 1 series, and then an E92 3 series. After owning a couple of E92 3 series I finally decided the step up to a 4 series was attainable.

    When looking for a modern German car, the 4 series in my mind was the obvious winner. In comparison to the Mercedes and Audi equivalent, the BMW without a doubt looked the meanest. Even when stock.

    From there I decided I didn’t want to modify it externally too much, as it’s a beautiful car. I didn’t want to ruin that. In fact most of the work has been done to maximise performance.

    Question – With that in mind, which aftermarket parts have you used in the build?

    Rich – When I first bought the car I quickly upgraded a few stock parts on the exterior. I fitted a new set of alloys, a carbon performance spoiler, a carbon front splitter and a new diffuser. These parts all made the car instantly look meaner, and from there I was happy with the way the car looked.

    I then delved into upgrading the performance. The 428i is already a quick car, however this car is now much quicker thanks to the parts fitted. The full list is;

    EBC Brakes OE Replacement Discs And Yellowstuff Pads Kit – £263.57 – View The Product
    H&R Comfort Suspension Kit – £719.59 – View The Product
    Mishimoto Performance Air Intake – £339.02 – View The Product
    Stage 1 Remap (dyno run at 310bhp)
    Milltek 3.00″ Cat Back Exhaust System – £1,007.66 – View The Product
    Carbon Fibre Performance Spoiler
    BMW Performance Rear Diffuser
    BMW Performance Carbon Front Splitter
    Bola B8R Alloy Wheels in Black Matt – £685 – View The Product

    As you can see I haven’t added too much, my goal was to upgrade the essentials. The upgrades I have made, make the car faster, stop better, handle better and sound much much louder! For me the above upgrades are essentials and are the core parts I tend to upgrade on every car I purchase.


    Question – What part of the car are you most proud of?

    Rich – Without a doubt the sound that it makes. When I purchased it, it was completely stock and so quiet that BMW played an artificial engine sound into the cabin. That’s not a good sign!

    The Milltek exhaust system I installed honestly transformed the car. It doesn’t add any performance, however it is the one single modification that has bought me the most joy. Whenever people see the car, either parked or at a set of lights it does get looked at. However when you start the engine or pull away everyone looks. It just sounds amazing.

    Question – Tell me about the performance of the car?

    Rich – As I mentioned, it was already a quick car. Fitted with an automatic transmission it blasts away from traffic lights, and not much can beat it.

    However, being a 2.0 litre petrol it lacked a bit of mid range grunt. I installed a new intake system and had it remapped which pushes the engine a bit more, giving a notable improvement to speed pickup when already cruising.

    The suspension also makes a nice difference when cornering. It only dropped the car by 15mm, so not a huge drop, but the added stiffness allows much more speed and control when cornering.

    Question – Do you show the car at events or track the car?

    Rich – I haven’t ever shown the car at an event. In my mind it isn’t radical enough to show, maybe if the suspension drop was much more I would consider it. But performance and drive-ability is my favourite part of this car.

    I have driven multiple track days at Brands Hatch, and it’s a blast to drive without restrictions.

    The automatic transmission, when driven in manual shifting mode, is lightening fast and shifts through the gears without any drama. Although I do miss a bit of heel and toe action!

    For me the car is a great mixture of performance, luxury and style. And it’s been my favourite car to own by far.


    If you wanted to view any of the products that Rich installed on his 4 series you can click on the image below. Each icon will take you to more detailed product info when clicked on.

    Check out our current stock of modified cars for sale, including modified BMW cars.

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