Vehicle Description
Every generation of America's most notorious 4x4 has now become a
great collectable. This low-mileage, 1-owner 1982 Ford Bronco XLT
Lariat 'Bull Nose" is now eligible for AACA shows and remains the
pinnacle of full-sized Bronco fun. Very nicely preserved and
maintained with only 42,950 miles, and loaded with factory goodies,
this is the one to own if you've always admired the big Bronc.
Ford did gangbuster business in the '80s with their upscale
off-road machines, and not many full-sized off-roaders were more
admired than the Bronco. While the most famous full-size Bronco was
white (although it came from the 5th generation of these 4x4s),
this handsome two-tone Bronco (Code 3P Medium Blue Metallic and
Code 3L Dark Blue Metallic) is elegant yet sporty and it's hard to
believe that these went out of production more than two decades
ago. I mean, you'd never think this bruiser was almost 40 years
old! Only the hood and tops of the doors were ever repainted, while
the rest of the finish is factory-original, so it's obviously
showing a bit of age but nothing critical and it certainly speaks
highly of the care it has received over the years. The heavy duty
bumper up front looks great (these were often dealer options when
you wanted a winch), the grille and headlights are excellent, and
the navy removable roof adds just the right contrast to work with
the swooping profile trim to give it a heavy-duty look.
The interior is another very pleasant surprise, offering cool blue
cloth buckets and lots of space for five. Ford insisted on upscale
appointments in the top-of-the-line models (which is exactly what
the XLT Lariat was), and the fabric inside is tasteful and durable,
yet still stylish enough to not look dated today. The blue carpets
still feel very plush, wood grain accents on the dash, door panels,
and steering wheel add a touch of sophistication, and as the most
expensive of the Ford SUVs at the time, this Bronco sports just
about every feature in the book: cold A/C, cruise control, and
power windows and power locks. A wide center console offers plenty
of storage as well as a handy place to put your coffee and the
clean, crack-free dash is one of the more car-like features of this
big truck. A full array of big, legible gauges are in front of the
driver, with the climate controls and original AM/FM/Cassette
stereo waaaaay over there in the center of the dash. The nicely
appointed back seat looks barely used and the cargo bay is
positively massive, fully upholstered and with the spare mounted
back outside, you can take pretty much everything you own.
Ford's erstwhile 351 cubic inch V8 is a great choice to move all
this sheetmetal, providing plenty of low-end grunt that never feels
strained. Despite a vast aftermarket for the venerable 5.8L motor,
this one remains quite stock, from the long intake hoses from the
snorkeled air cleaner to the original valve covers. The engine bay
is about as clean as the rest of the truck, and if it's ever seen
anything rougher than a gravel driveway, we'd be surprised. With a
3-speed automatic overdrive transmission and a 2-speed transfer
case, this truck is equally happy at highway speeds or crawling at
barely a walking pace and the suspension is built for off-roading
that would strand one of today's "cute utes." The exhaust system
sounds just like it's supposed to because it's remarkably still the
original unit, and upgrades like new shocks, brakes, and a rear
sway bar are found throughout. Handsome stock wheels are in great
shape, wearing 255/70/15 white-letter Firehawk Indy 500 radials
which are pretty pricey all by themselves.
If you grew up in the '80s, you know this is a cool truck, and you
just won't find more full-sized go-anywhere transportation for less
cash than this. With low ownership, super-low miles and recent
maintenance work to the tune of $4,300, this Bull Nose Bronco is
ready to dominate for years to come. Call today!
