Wiring Diagram For 1976 Ford Bronco
In this From the Archives feature, we take a look back at Motor Trend's first instrumented test of a 1966 Ford Bronco. Keep reading to find out what we thought of the then new SUV.
LIKE THE HOT-SELLING Mustang, Ford's new four-wheel-drive 1966 Ford Bronco is a result of in-depth market research. Ford researchers talked with members of 300 off-road-vehicle clubs—10,000 owners of cars that don't stop when the road ends. These people said they wanted a vehicle that offered versatility, comfort, convenience, good ride, and good handling qualities. Owners wanted higher cruising speeds, better grade-climbing ability, more comfort, more weather-tight cabs, a shorter turning radius, more comfortable seats, plus readily available parts and service.
We flew back to Ford's proving grounds early in June to drive two prototype models of the '66 Bronco, neither one embodying all the features that'll be on the final offerings. From what we saw and felt, it looks like Ford has hit the nail on the head again. Past trips in off-road, 4wd vehicles have left us sore and tired. Not so the Bronco. Its big, soft, comfortable buckets and easy-going suspension really pampered us in rugged, off-road driving. Comfort is a big item, too often forgotten in utility vehicles. The Bronco certainly has a decided edge in this department. Another big plus is the car's light handling, both on and off the road. It's especially pleasant for women, who usually shy away from utility cars.
Three Broncos will be available at first, and Ford has wisely offered a host of options and accessories so buyers can tailor their cars for their own particular needs. The basic car is an open sports roadster. It comes without a cab, doors, or windows. Its windshield can fold flat on the hood, and a vinyl convertible top is optional. A bench seat up front is standard, with a steel bulkhead sectioning off the 55.2 x 61-inch rear cargo area. Half-doors are optional. These consist of fiberglass shells that provide some protection from driver or passenger fall-out. They're light, easily removed, and open wide for easy entry and exit.
An optional steel cab with lockable doors and roll-up windows turns the Bronco into a useful pickup. And a similar bolt-on full enclosure makes it a station wagon with built-in side windows. The spare is normally bolted to the steel dividing bulkhead that separates the cab from the cargo area, but when you order the full shell plus the two-passenger rear-seat option, the bulkhead is left out for passenger entrance ease, and the spare mounts inside the tailgate.
All tops, doors, and extra seats are bolt-on and can be removed quickly and easily. You can even order doors with the optional vinyl top, making a weather-tight convertible. One desirable option is a set of very comfortable, Mustang-like bucket seats. Climbing aboard won't be much of a problem unless the lady has on a tight skirt.
1966 Ford Bronco behind the wheel
Once in the comfortable buckets, we felt we were in a small sedan rather than a rugged 4wd car. Peaked front fenders sweep up from the hood, making distance judgments easy and giving good vision. The steering wheel is mounted high, but we got used to it quickly, as everyone will.
The column-levered, all-synchromesh, three-speed gearbox was smooth, easy, and fast to operate. Quick shifting has never been a virtue with cars of this type, but it is with the Bronco. The transmission tunnel carries a second shift lever the one that operates the transfer case. Neutral position is for operating the optional take-off or winch. You have to depress the button on the shift knob before the lever moves a good feature that eliminates an unwanted shift if someone accidentally bumps the stick. One notch back from neutral engages two-wheel drive, and one notch farther back puts the vehicle in ground-gripping four-wheel-high position. Just backing off the accelerator is all that's necessary for either shift. One notch forward from neutral is four-wheel-drive low range, which should be engaged only when stopped and only for rough going.
1966 Ford Bronco inline-six engine performance
Although we think Ford missed the boat by not offering a powerful V-8 right off the bat, the standard 170-inch Six is quite impressive, even though it puts out only 105 hp. From the looks of things, there's ample room for a "260" or "289" under the Bronco's bonnet. In truck application, the Six uses solid lifters and, during our testing, churned right up to 4500 rpm as smooth as you please. This quick rev-ability, coupled with good low-speed torque and the quick-shifting gearbox (that's in two-wheel drive), gives the Bronco quite peppy performance. It leaped to 30 mph in 5.5 seconds, passed 45 mph in 11.5 seconds, and hit 60 in 21.2 seconds, crossing the finish line (of the quarter-mile strip at Ford's proving ground test track) in 21.5 seconds, with our fifth wheel electric speedometer reading an accurate 62 mph.
An attractive (optional) tachometer, mounted on the steering post, showed 25 and 46 mph at 4500 rpm in the first two gears, and a whisker over 80 mph was tops once the Bronco reached its stride. And the car was surprisingly quiet, as well, for a utility machine.
We didn't get a chance to do stopping tests. Our test car was a prototype and didn't have the right kind of brakes, so results wouldn't have been representative. But the specs call for oversized 11-inch drums up front and 10-inch rear with two-inch-wide shoes in front and 2.5-inch wide shoes in back. Our test car's stoppers were more than adequate, so the final version should be even better.
1966 Ford Bronco testing
Ford's test track has a steep, paved hill for various testing procedures. It's about 50-60 feet high and has steep grassy slopes up each side. The Bronco cantered right up the slopes without a whinny in low-range first, but we were even more impressed when it did it in third after a quick shift from first. A shift into reverse at the top allowed us to make a leisurely withdrawal in complete control with some help from the brakes. Backing up the hill was just as easy—from the driver's seat it looked straight down.
A special carburetor and fuel pump give the Bronco positive fuel supply regardless of its attitude. We stopped the engine on mid-hill, and it started instantly time after time. There's also a special oil-bath air cleaner (a good idea for especially dirty driving), and a big six-quart oil pan to ensure adequate lubrication. As protection against rocks, the clutch housing is cast iron.
We didn't get to check gas mileage, but the "170" Six has already proven itself a miser. The Bronco's, with solid lifters yet, is a revver as well, and should go a long way off the beaten path on its standard 14-gallon tank. This tank is mounted between the frame side members for extra protection from hard things. For those who really like to get away from it all, there's an 11-gallon tank option that sits under the driver's seat. A quick-select switch below the seat makes for easy changeover from one tank to the other and, when changed, the special dash gauge changes tanks as well. As a guess, we'd bet on at least 300 miles of rugged driving from both tanks and a lot better under two-wheel-drive highway conditions.
1966 Ford Bronco tech specs
Getting a little deeper into the technical aspects, the Bronco has a unique suspension system that gives very adequate ground clearance. A box-section frame mounts '"mono-beam" front coil-spring suspension with semi-elliptic rear springs and outboard shock absorbers. In front, a tubular beam axle is located by two forged-steel radius rods and a track bar to maintain axle alignment. Shocks are mounted on the radius arms. This setup gives very good anti-dive control, which is especially useful when the Bronco's being used with its optional snowplow. The anti-dive design keeps the plow from digging into the road surface. The Bronco boasts a 34-foot turning circle, thanks to its 37-degree-turn front axle. An all-steel body is well insulated from road noise through eight rubber mounting cushions.
The Bronco's transfer case drives both front and rear axles through constant-velocity, double-cardan universal joints. These permit a higher mounting position and greater ground clearance. Smoother power flow and more durable, quieter operation come from these universals.
A heavy-duty package is offered that gives the Bronco a 4700-pound gross vehicle weight figure. Normal GVW is around 3800 pounds. The Bronco weighs about 3000 pounds and will carry an 800-pound payload in standard trim. Rear axle capacity is 2780 pounds, with an optional 3300-pound axle available on special order. Limited-slip differential is also a good bet if the going gets gooey.
In front and at the rear, channel-section bumpers are standard. Designed to be the first point of contact in "angle of approach" and "angle of departure," they do a good job, but they could use the husky optional bumper guards for pushing purposes.
Factory options include a dry air cleaner, 45-or 55-amp alternators, limited-slip axles front and rear, 55-or 70-amp batteries, heavy-duty clutch, extra-cooling fan and shroud, free-running front hubs, padded dash, bucket seats, and a skid plate to protect the transfer case and clutch linkage. Tires range from 7.35 x 15-inch tubeless to 8.15 x 15 eight-ply and 6.50 x 16-inch, six-ply tube rubber. There's also a host of dealer-installed equipment available.
The utility-vehicle market captured 10,000 sales in 1960. This number rose to 40,000 units last year, with a predicted 70,000 sales by 1970. From our point of view, it looks like Ford has built a better mousetrap by hitting all goals squarely dead center. From the comfort and convenience angles alone, the Bronco shines. But most important, it isn't a chore to drive.
1966 Ford Bronco Test Numbers (2 aboard)
0-30 mph 5.5 sec
0-45 mph 11.5 sec
0-60 mph 21.2 sec
40-60 mph 12.8-sec, 933 ft
50-70 mph 20.5 sec, 1800 ft
Standing start quarter-mile 21.5 sec @ 62 mph
Speeds in gears @ shift points
1st 25 mph @ 4500 rpm
2nd 46 mph @ 4500 rpm
3rd 80 mph @ 4300 rpm
Observed mph per 1000 rpm in top gear, 19.3 mph
1966 Ford Bronco Specifications
2-door, 2-, 3-, or 5-passenger utility car
Options on test car: Doors, roof, rear seat, bucket seats, white walls
Ohv, in-line 6
Bore: 3.50 ins.
Stroke: 2.94 ins.
Displacement: 170 cu. ins.
Compression ratio: 8.7:1
Horsepower: 105 @ 4400 rpm
Horsepower per cubic inch: 0.62
Torque: 146 Ibs.-ft. @ 2400 rpm
Recommended engine redline: 4500 rpm
Carburetion: 1 1-bbl.
Ignition: 12-volt coil
1966 Ford Bronco Wheels and Tires
Wheel info NA
7.35x15 black sidewall tires
1966 Ford Bronco Steering
Turning diameter: 34 ft.
Turns lock to lock: 4
1966 Ford Bronco Gearbox
9-speed, all-synchromesh, four-wheel drive with two-speed transfer case. Column shift, floor transfer lever.
1966 Ford Bronco Brakes
Front: 11-in. dia. x 2 ins. Wide
Rear: 10-in. dia. x 2.5 ins. Wide
Effective lining area: NA
Swept drum area: NA
1966 Ford Bronco Driveshaft
2, 1-piece, open tubes
1966 Ford Bronco Differential
2, hypoid, semi-floating
Standard ratio: 4.11:1
Optional ratio: 4.57:1
1966 Ford Bronco Suspension
Front: ''Mono-beam,'' solid axle, twin radius rods with tubular shocks, coil springs, track bar
Rear: Solid axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, outboard, tubular shocks
1966 Ford Bronco Body and Frame
Box-section frame, with welded steel body
Wheelbase: 92.0 ins.
Track: front, 57.0 ins.; rear, 57.0 ins.
Overall length: 152.1 ins.
Overall width: 68.8 ins.
Overall height: 69.2 ins.
Curb weight: 3100 Ibs
Source: https://www.motortrend.com/vehicle-genres/1966-ford-bronco-first-detroit-test/
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