Ford Bronco II photos

The second-generation Ford Bronco arrived for the 1978 model year, transitioning the nameplate into the full-size SUV segment to directly compete with the Chevrolet K5 Blazer and Dodge Ramcharger. Constructed on a shortened chassis derived from the sixth-generation Ford F-100 pickup truck, it featured heavy-duty body-on-frame construction with solid Dana 44 front and Ford 9-inch rear live axles. The vehicle was sold exclusively as a three-door wagon with a removable fiberglass hardtop over the rear passenger area and a power-operated rear window integrated into the tailgate. Overall length increased to 180.3 inches, allowing interior seating configurations for up to six occupants.

Under the hood, Ford offered two large-displacement V8 gasoline engines: a 5.8-liter (351M) V8 producing 156 horsepower and a 6.6-liter (400) V8 producing 158 horsepower. Powertrains were paired with either a 4-speed manual transmission or a heavy-duty 3-speed C6 automatic transmission. All models came equipped with part-time four-wheel drive featuring robust New Process NP203 or NP205 two-speed transfer cases. Trim levels included the base Custom and the upscale Ranger XLT. Despite a brief two-year production cycle before being replaced by a lighter redesigned model, the second-generation Bronco achieved massive commercial success, selling over 180,000 units.