I adored mine. Very early 289 V8 at midyear introduction. Eventually trimmed the fenders for big wheels tires and flares with air shocks in back and airbags in front. I did split shifting with a trailer starting in low range. when necessary.
My wife was very disappointed with the purchase but accepted and even enjoyed it once I added a soft top for summer, to the hard top for winter and added a propane heater so it was warm when we got in. Clutch type posi front and rear with 3.50 gears. I had a backseat but it was never installed. Front bumper was a 5" channel iron with a trailer hitch front and rear.
The needle valve would sometimes jump off the seat and the carburetor would flood. Rusting was a major issue and I replaced the tail gate once.
The Bronco gave up nothing to a CJ off road and was vastly nicer than a CJ on the highway.
As my wife once said, she figured out why people looked enviously at us off road with the top down; they didn't know it was our only transportation; they thought we had something just as nice for on road at home. Eventually we did.
