so, why 1966?

[Daktari]

Apologies if I got this wrong, but from all I read the first Bronco was introduced and built in 1965, so why does it say 'since 1966' everywhere? Model year? Did they only make 3 in '65?

Mainly I'd like it to say 1965 because that's when I was born, but maybe I'm a 1966 model too?

Just curious why Ford cut one year off, but I'm not all that versed in Bronco history. Just was a fun thing to read 65 but then it says 66 inside on the little plaque.

Anyone know?

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[Lifeliberty]

https://www.ford.com/bronco/history/1966-1977/?intcmp=brnco-brand-cta-history

https://www.ford.com/cmslibs/conten...bronco/pdf/66_Ford_Bronco_Brochure_150dpi.pdf

 

[Rick Astley]

Half years are seldom counted. Same for Mustang which was essentially a 1965 model, yet there were sales made after 1964 1/2.

Sales years hadn't really been fully established across entire companies at that point, instead, models launched when ready and often spread across model years.

That being said, there were also the needs/demand of more frequent assembly-line parts re-design instead of modern CAD design ensuring everything can go together (once) if assembled in the correct mythical order.

Example: the idler arm for Thunderbird/F100 (only unibody models at the time of launch) had a total of 5 revisions between manufacturing for the 1961 model year and 1964.

5 revisions in 4 model years.... (1961 original design, Bushings/fastener re-designs in '62, 63, 63.5 and full re-design in '64)

Today that would encompass at LEAST 32 hate-fueled threads on a modern online automotive forum and many, many, many lost customers (based on forum postings). Back then they called it having the best part possible on as many cars possible.

 

[Daktari]

well, nice to know that the Bronco AND the Mustang were born in 65, a good year ;-)
Even if the Mustang apparently cheated a bit~~

I'm German, so the Bronco was never anything I paid attention to, as I never came across it. Saw it in movies and - sorry but it's true - anything off road was called a "Jeep", even Landrovers. It was more a class of vehicle, not a brand. Like tractor. Porsche made a nice tractor too. (Always though it would be funny to tell people you drive a Porsche and then show up riding that red tractor)
Of course, many "Jeeps" I saw in movies and probably also those driven by US soldiers doing their training in the woods behind my parents house were made by Ford anyway.

Anyways, was just curious, I'd have though a year more into the past would make it even more heritage or traditional, so was just wondering why Ford uses 66.

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