Will first generation Bronco prices go down because of new Bronco?

[alanwburch]

I’ve owned a couple of 1st generation Broncos in the past, a ‘71 and a ‘76. I sold the most recent one, the ‘71, in 2004. It was in really good condition, but I needed the money for school. I’ve looked at the prices for early Broncos over the years and prices are crazy. I sold my ‘71 for 7k and bet I could sell it today for 25-30k.

Anyone think the new Broncos will bring down the price of an early Bronco at all?

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[Lindy08]

I think the opposite is true, the new Bronco will only drive up awareness of the heritage.

 

[Straight 6]

I think they are completely unrelated and have no bearing on each other

 

[mismith]

Wish I had bought one years ago when they were plentiful in my area and relatively cheap. The problem I remember even decades ago was they were always rusted out. That's the biggest complaint I've always heard. I looked up these early ones a few days ago and was shocked at the prices! I just could not believe it. I was thinking, oh my gosh, who could afford one of these now?

I thought the old CJ prices were crazy but Bronco's

I used to own a 1970 K5 Blazer and it was rust free too. Why didn't I keep it? Those have gone insane too!

 

[FourHorses]

I think the opposite is true, the new Bronco will only drive up awareness of the heritage.

Similar to how the 2020 GT500 is driving up the prices of the 07-14 GT500s, and the 2021 Mach 1 is driving up the prices of the 03-04's. New Bullitt drove up the 08/09's and 02's as well., and I'm not even talking about what it did to the originals. Drive them up it will.

 

[lowmpg]

As others have said, it will drive them up, not down. People with deep pockets like having the "first" and the "latest" in their garages.

 

[Felix808]

Wish I had bought one years ago when they were plentiful in my area and relatively cheap. The problem I remember even decades ago was they were always rusted out. That's the biggest complaint I've always heard. I looked up these early ones a few days ago and was shocked at the prices! I just could not believe it. I was thinking, oh my gosh, who could afford one of these now?

I thought the old CJ prices were crazy but Bronco's

I used to own a 1970 K5 Blazer and it was rust free too. Why didn't I keep it? Those have gone insane too!

Yep they loved to rust out the floor boards right by the driver firewall & they were a pretty heavy vehicle compared to a CJ-5 or 7

 

[Smurph]

As others have stated, prices over the past 10 years have skyrocketed on the 1st gen early broncos. I bought the '76 in my avatar back in 08. For what it was i didn't pay a lot for it, but the same type today would be 7-9 times what I paid. I think prices will only go up as decent EB are hard to find. Just be prepared to do rust replacement as all the rocker panels and floor boards rusted on these vehicles. I also have a 1966 that I am restoring and it had the exact same rust issues as the 76. I love the new bronco look and the styling details ford did to make it modern, but still look like and EB. I will however miss the rare and uniqueness of the EB out on the trails. Hardly see any others when I'm out, only Jeeps. Everyone loves to look at the old school iron. It just wont be the same anymore

 

[RRaptor]

I have the opportunity to restore an EB, 1977. I know that by the time I completed it it would cost more than a fully loaded Badlands and not drive near as well, not to mention all the creature comforts. As much as I love classic cars I am going to pass on the EB.

 

[Broncocito]

I think the opposite is true, the new Bronco will only drive up awareness of the heritage.

I totally agree with you. With the Bronco heritage awareness elevates people that have never seen nor heard anything about vintage Broncos probably make up half of the current fans and this website. It's is herd mentality so to speak. Look at all the Jeep sales; most do not even get time off the tarmac.

 

[GeotechDuck]

@alanwburch - like you, I had a yellow 1970 (in my picture) and a green 1976.

The 1976 was a bucket that I picked up when I graduated from college. It was completely rusted out everywhere and needed just about everything. I started working on it and someone at the auto parts store offered me 6x what I paid for it, so unloaded it.

The 1970 was my daily driver from when I turned 16 until I was 26. Then a weekend driver for 10 more years until I sold it in 2010. I loved that car, but I was ALWAYS working on it. At some point I think I just got tired of getting into it and not knowing what was going to break next, so I parted with it. I still have mixed feelings about selling it to this day.

I am really excited about getting a new one. There is something to be said for getting into a vehicle and knowing that when you turn the key, it is going to run. Plus not needing 4 of your friends to take that steel top off .

That being said, prices are flat out insane right now. I think you will continue to see them stay that way as the new Bronco gets released, but eventually the craziness will stop and they will come back down to earth a little and level off. After all, production numbers were north of 200k.

I think this is a very similar situation to what happened a while back with the C1 and C2 Corvettes. Prices went through the roof and people were going crazy, paying well north of $100k for them. But, with production numbers in the several hundred thousands, they eventually came back down to earth and now you can pick up a restored C2 for $50k.

I see restored early Broncos right now going on Bring a Trailer for north of $100k and I think that is pretty wild, considering that you could pick up a limited production car like a 1966-70 Shelby for about the same price.

I don’t think you will see a half way decent early Bronco for less than $20k again. Those days are probably over. That $20k to $40k range feels like the right spot for them, depending on condition, but that is just my gut feeling. I always thought I would pick up another EB when I hit “empty nester” status, but I don’t see a situation where I would ever pay north of $40k for one, considering the production numbers.

I would love to hear what others think.

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