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F Series "Shorthorn" 1978 Bronco designer information...

Dick Nesbitt

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Proud to say as a designer with Ford Motor Company in the 1970's my design proposals were selected and approved at the Ford Design Center in Dearborn, Michigan by Ford Product Planning for the F Series based "Shorthorn" Bronco in 1972. The wide "B" pillar, wrap over roof band and parallelogram roof windows became key Bronco design features and were retained through the end of production in 1996. The original version was first released for production in 1978...

Ford Bronco F Series "Shorthorn" 1978 Bronco designer information... 1972 Bronco %22Shorthorn%22


Ford Bronco F Series "Shorthorn" 1978 Bronco designer information... 1972 Bronco 1


Ford Bronco F Series "Shorthorn" 1978 Bronco designer information... 1972 Bronco 2


Ford Bronco F Series "Shorthorn" 1978 Bronco designer information... 1972 Bronco 3


Ford Bronco F Series "Shorthorn" 1978 Bronco designer information... 1972 Bronco 4


Ford Bronco F Series "Shorthorn" 1978 Bronco designer information... 1978 Bronco  1263


Ford Bronco F Series "Shorthorn" 1978 Bronco designer information... 1978 Bronco  1264


Ford Bronco F Series "Shorthorn" 1978 Bronco designer information... 1978 47758972731_4b76cfe9e5_o


1973 Bronco Gen 2 1978 MY S-19708-33.jpeg
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Mikedc3

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Nice work. I had a 79 Red/White XLT Ranger just like the one pictured. It ended up with a 400M/4 speed with a rear locker. Too bad here in NJ, it rusted to nothing. But it was awesome before that.
 

Mudman78

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Well Dick, I would like to extend a personal thanks to you as the father of my lifelong automotive obsession.
 

BroncoMike

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That's some impressive credentials - welcome, and thanks for making such a huge contribution to automotive history. I've had a bunch of Broncos, mostly EBs but a '79 in black with the orange just as pictured in your post, and an '85 that I think may have been the best overall vehicle I have ever owned (if not for all the horrid smog issues that choked the motor to death).
 

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Carmaker1

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Proud to say as a designer with Ford Motor Company in the 1970's my design proposals were selected and approved at the Ford Design Center in Dearborn, Michigan by Ford Product Planning for the F Series based "Shorthorn" Bronco in 1972. The wide "B" pillar, wrap over roof band and parallelogram roof windows became key Bronco design features and were retained through the end of production in 1996. The original version was first released for production in 1978...

1972 Bronco %22Shorthorn%22.jpeg


1972 Bronco 1.jpeg


1972 Bronco 2.jpeg


1972 Bronco 3.jpeg


1972 Bronco 4.jpeg


1978 Bronco  1263.jpg


1978 Bronco  1264.jpg


1978 47758972731_4b76cfe9e5_o.jpeg
Very nice of you to comment here Mr Nesbitt. I always found it odd how it took 5 years from 1972 to 1977 to put your design into production, no thanks to fuel crisis.

I imagine that the updated F-Series front end for MY 1978, was put on your original Bronco design by 1975-76? I can still see remnants of the 1973MY (released December 1972) front end on your sketch.

By the time these F-Series-based '78 Broncos were released in fall 1977, the all-new 1980 models had been locked in for fall 1979 introduction.

They really wouldn't see any thought of significant change from that, until the PN-96 aero F-Series program (1997MY) began in 1989 and UN-93 in 1991 (Bronco~Expedition).
 

OX1

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Thanks for one of my most favorite vehicles, EVER!!!
If you don't mind me asking, how old where you when you came up with the design?
 

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93_SVT_3503

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Thank you sir, for one of the most recognizable iconic American vehicles to this day. Even this one was eye catching, although the situation at the time forced everyone's hand to resize engines and vehicles, this was a neat car.
Ford Bronco F Series "Shorthorn" 1978 Bronco designer information... m2
 

JimmyDean

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Thank you sir, for one of the most recognizable iconic American vehicles to this day. Even this one was eye catching, although the situation at the time forced everyone's hand to resize engines and vehicles, this was a neat car.
Ford Bronco F Series "Shorthorn" 1978 Bronco designer information... m2
not all eye catching is good. And the M2 was certainly not of the good eye catching, albeit it was a product of the times.

Now, the paint and style on the 78/79 Bronco was certainly eye-catching, but of the very good type.
 

93_SVT_3503

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Mr. Nesbitt designed that as well, but thanks for the demoralizing opinion, means a lot from someone with kiddie pool fender flares on their vehicle.
 

Paint

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Thank you sir, for one of the most recognizable iconic American vehicles to this day. Even this one was eye catching, although the situation at the time forced everyone's hand to resize engines and vehicles, this was a neat car.
Ford Bronco F Series "Shorthorn" 1978 Bronco designer information... m2
Guy at the local Cars & Coffee has a fantastic Mustang II Cobra that he brings every month, rain or shine. I love that car lol
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