I kinda see your point. Back when the YJ replaced the CJ, CJ prices really took off. Everyone hated those square headlights. 25 years ago, my buddy paid $7000 for a used, final year, well equipped '86 CJ-7 Renegade. I thought he was crazy. That was a lot of money for a college kid. My Bronco was less than 1/3 of that price. But the Jeep was really nice.
There was a guy not far from us who specialized in selling CJs. He put new paint on old Jeeps and sold them for crazy money because everyone thought "real Jeeps" were dead. I haven't looked at CJ prices, but I know they aren't in line with early Bronco values. CJ-5s are dirt cheap in some cases. Maybe the new Bronco will be the relief I have been looking for and will cause EB values to drop to reasonable levels.
But, I still don't see an EB as a viable option for someone who would also consider a new Bronco. It is now common knowledge that EBs are considered "collectible" and one test drive would show that you will not get the same kind of driving experience as a brand new vehicle. Jeeps are different because they never stopped making them. Wide track CJs drive just as well as any YJ. Their only advantage was the EFI on the later 4.0. TJs are going to be a lot better than both of those and the newest ones are probably even better, even though they got fatter.
But there is a huge development gap between 1977 and 2021. Even the big Broncos, which are lightyears ahead of an EB, are going to seem primitive compared to a truck that is 25 years newer.
My point is, I might be able to talk my wife into driving a new Bronco, but there is no way she'd take any of the previously built Broncos as a daily driver. And I wouldn't want her to. Like most car buyers out there, she wants things like airbags, touchscreens, car seat latch points and cupholders. The average person would think you were crazy to suggest they put their kids in an old truck from the 90's.
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