With nearly perfect light at dusk, this image portfolio of Ford's original off-road-vehicle remains one of my all-time favorites

Ford was on a roll in the mid-Sixties, fresh from the April 1964 launch of the Mustang and winning the 1965 Indy 500 with Jimmy Clark's Ford-powered, rear-engined Lotus. And while there were factory 4X4 Ford pickups, Ford was a non-player in the emerging four-wheel-drive recreational-vehicle market, dominated at the time by Jeep's CJ5. This venerable vehicle was a direct descendant of both the original flat-fendered Willys Jeep that was such an important part of the Allies victory in World War II and the International Harvester Scout. Enter the Bronco, the brainchild of Ford's Donald N. Frey, who played an integral role in the development of the Mustang. And, as with the Mustang, the Bronco was pushed into production by Lee Iacocca. It rode on a 92-inch wheelbase and was initially powered by a 170-cubic-inch straight-six shared with the Falcon and Mustang (a 289-cubic-inch V8 was optional).

With its compact dimensions and an introductory price of just $2,194, the Bronco was an immediate hit. Ford sold 23,776 units in its initial year and more than 230,000 units overall. The company replaced it with the larger, pickup-truck-based Bronco II for the 1978 model year (in response to the even-larger first-generation Chevy Blazer). For an in-depth look at the original 1966 Ford Bronco, visit the Automotive Traveler-Fotki Image Gallery. There you can order prints of this American classic, as well as of our collection of vintage muscle cars, a 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 XL, the 1963 Chrysler-Ghia Turbine Car, a 1964 Porsche 904, and a 1967 Chevy Camaro Z/28.