Posted on 12/10/2018 9:35:23 AM PST by Red Badger
Everyone’s excited about the upcoming 2020 Ford Bronco, in part, because of what the nameplate means to American culture: adventure, ruggedness, and fun. It was the first-gen model that created this meaning, so it’s cool that one Illinois company is now building those old Broncos from the ground up as a Ford-licensed product. But they’re not cheap.
A company out of Illinois, Gateway Bronco has been finding pristine early Broncos and restomodding them for a couple of years now, getting its start in 2016. Recently, the outfit that “reimagines” Broncos announced that it’s the first builder officially licensed from Ford to create first-gen Ford Broncos from scratch, and also the first certified to recondition used Broncos according to Ford standards.
CEO and President Seth Burgett told me over the phone that his company offers three main types of Bronco builds: originals that have been restored, new bodies on original frames with VINs and titles, and new Broncos from the ground up including both a new frame and body.
The company describes the new Ford agreement in a press release, saying Gateway will build 1966 to 1977 Broncos thanks to the “Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act of 2015,” a program that makes it easier for low-volume manufacturers to get past safety and emissions barriers-to-entry. One way that the Act does this is that it allows low-volume automakers to “install engines from vehicles that have been issued certificates of conformity.”
And on that front, Gateway Bronco says it’s using 5.0-liter Coyotes as its primary power plants, with plenty of bolt-on options, like twin turbos, a Borla fuel injection system, or even a Shelby supercharger.
Burgett told me Gateway gets its body panels from supplier Wild horse 4x4, who sources the sheetmetal from a distributor somewhere, going on to say Gateway adds structural enhancements throughout. Here’s what he told me about the new bodies’ fitment:
We have pulled data from so many untouched, original paint Broncos with original production markings still intact that we have developed our own database of dimensions and a process to ensure the integrity of our gaps and fitment every time. We have applied modern manufacturing techniques in the USA to assemble our bodies which has gained the attention of Ford and in part, enabled our bodies to be Officially Licensed Ford Product.
The frame, Burgett told me, comes from a subcontractor, and either comes to Gateway’s Illinois facility complete, or as just the rails. That frame can be modified, Burgett told me, to facilitate either a solid front axle or an independent suspension setup.
Gateway’s website shows three main models ranging in price from $120,000 to $180,000, and offering both automatic or manual options, and warranties as long as five years.
I don’t know much about Gateway as a company, but I do know that the Broncos in these pictures look lovely, and if they’ve got Ford’s stamp of approval and a warranty, that also sounds lovely, even if the price tag doesn’t.
Between the office, dysfunctional home life, lack of certain resources, and 0 help I’m amazed anything is done at all.
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Roll-over death traps. I had a 1968 that flipped, the guy I sold it to rolled it, and the guy he sold it to rolled it as well. 4.11 gears, 351W with three on the tree and no power steering. It would climb any mountain, but at any speed above 50 you were taking your life into your own hands!!
Cool cars. But for $178,000, I’d expect one that I could keep garaged save for a monthly or bi-monthly exercise run and be almost assured that in 2-3 years I could consign it to Barrett Jackson or Mecum and at least double my money. Watch those auctions and you can see equivalent resto-mods for well under $75,000.
Sure they will, another bragging point for members of the big d!ck club.
That's about the right price for very nice private restorations Like this one
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We IH Scout owners might differ on that opinion, FRiend...
I like that.
Somewhere I read of an outfit selling restored Cherokee Chiefs around 40 or 45k.
For the money, I’d get the Chief.
Time to shut the blazer down. I’ve fumigated the building enough. K5 is at the end of the fix up chain. It gets some attention and resources.
I’m for old school body and looks with modern day insides.
You and my grandfather are of the same mind.
It’s ugly.
>>>Also, check out Revology Mustangs:<<<
A Company in Taiwan manufactures a first Gen Mustang Body. I checked a while back and they were going for about $15,000.
Not sure if Revology uses them as their Parts source.
That is cool.
I saw something similar on Live PD.
Revology Mustangs are in the same price class as some Audi R8, Acura NSX, Porsche 911, Mercedes AMG, Maserati GT, Aston-Martin, and some other models. There are plenty of cheaper replicas/restos, but this is a slightly different market: Wretched excess!
Manual transmissions?
Pretty cool, though I’d rather have a small (150 hp) turbo Diesel.
We had an International Travelall. It was what I learned to drive on. It was a probably a 1975. Straight 6 tractor engine in (400 cu in I think). My dad was a farmer from WNY. He was a IH man. No John Deere crap on our property. We had a 1950’s Farmall Super H. A 1968 Cub Cadet. He bought the Travelall for pulling a camper trailer.
My oldest brother rolled the Travelall with 2 buddies/Literally 360. It was slightly dented. No major body damage. They all walked away. He then hit a deer with it. It broke the passenger side headlight and bent the grill. Killed the deer. The thing was a beast. I remember the brakes were really touchy. It got about 8 miles/gallon. The Travellall was not 4WD drive like the Scout. The Scout were a tough rig. I forgot about those.
My best friend had a 1970’s Toyota Landcruiser. It had a GM 350 engine in it. Much better vehicle IMHO than a Jeep.
After that he had K5 Blazer. We would take the back top off of it and leave the doors on in the summer. It was like a convertible 4WD pick up truck then. Fun to drive around in the summer except when it rained.
One of the biggest rust buckets ever built. After just a few years, most of the quarter panels were gone.
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