no official documentation exists to indicate it was ever an option. Because the 1966 Bronco’s front bucket seats are Mustang seats, retrofitting Pony upholstery to them is a fairly straightforward proposition. However, the Bronco’s model-specific rear seat is a bit more challenging to upholster in the Pony pattern.
Because no documentation exists that it was ever a factory option, but several original owners have sworn their trucks came that way from the factory, some historians believe it may have been a dealer-installed option or an aftermarket item available from dealers. Bronco historian Tim Hulick has noted that the body code on the data plate on these trucks is a “9,” which corresponds to the “parchment rosette” code from later years. Hulick also notes that the inset portion of the upholstery that includes the embossed horses is a color that appears to be exclusive to the Broncos.
The Pony upholstery mystery continues to provoke debate and discussion among owners and historians alike.
This 1966 Bronco rear seat is upholstered with the Pony upholstery; the subject of many spirited discussions among Bronco aficionados. Factory or not? The jury is still out. (Photo Courtesy Tim Hulick)
This is a close-up view of the horses in the Pony panel on the front seat. Experts on the 1966 Bronco note that the colors in the upholstery found in the late 1966 examples are Bronco-unique colors not found on any Mustang upholstery. (Photo Courtesy Tim Hulick)
Because 1966 Bronco seats were early Mustang seats, the Pony upholstery fit well on these buckets. The number of trucks upholstered with this pattern is unknown, but a handful of trucks, including those from original owners, have the unique pattern on their seats. (Photo Courtesy Tim Hulick)
Optional was a single (driver’s) or double front bucket seats with a bulkhead behind them. With the buckets, a rear bench was also optional. If the rear bucket was selected, the bulkhead was deleted so access to the rear seat was possible. For 1966, the seats were upholstered in a silver-gray vinyl fabric. The rear seat’s armrests were black in color.
For customers wanting more flash, 1966 Broncos could be ordered with the Custom Equipment package. It included front and rear chrome bumpers, bright-metal taillight bezels, hubcaps (on the 15-inch wheels), armrests on the models with doors, a cigarette lighter, bright-metal horn ring, and sun visors on both sides of the windshield frame. These items could also be ordered individually from the factory.
Tires and Wheels
Standard rolling stock on 1966 Broncos were 15x5.5–inch steel wheels carrying 7.35x15 bias-ply tubeless tires. Although this size seems extremely narrow today, period testers praised the choice as the competition offered 6-inch-wide tires as standard equipment. The 15-inch wheels could be equipped with 1966-only hubcaps if the Custom Equipment package was checked on the option list. Other tubeless tire options for 1966 were 7.75x15, 8.15x15, and 9.15x15 high-flotation tires. Ford also offered tube-type tires in the 6.50x16 size on 5-inch wide wheels. Of the two, the 15-inch wheels were much more common, with the 16-inch wheels highly prized by collectors today.
On the roadster, sports utility, and wagon models with bulkheads, the spare tire was mounted on the back of the bulkhead on the passenger’s side. On wagons and roadsters with the optional rear seat, it was centrally mounted on the inside of the tailgate.
Colors
The 1966 Bronco boasted an impressive palette of 11 colors. The metal roofs were painted Wimbledon White to give a two-tone paint combination. Red and white rocker panel stripes were an option as well.
Options
In addition to the options that Ford installed at the factory, the Bronco also offered a number of accessories that were Ford sanctioned. They had Ford part numbers but were manufactured by aftermarket suppliers and installed at the local dealer. These options included a convertible top with vinyl doors and plastic windows, a dash or windshield-mounted compass, dash-mounted handrail, Warn locking hubs, PTO, CB radio, snowplow, winch, tachometer, air bags for the coil springs, and a trailer hitch. Ford also listed such rarely seen options as a backhoe, boom, firefighting equipment, grass mower, posthole digger, rotary broom, spray equipment, trencher, and wrecker attachments.
The introduction of the Bronco in 1966 brought a plethora of interesting camper designs for the new truck that were produced in very small numbers. Taking some of these designs out on the open road, or the trail, was often a test of even the hardiest driver’s nerves.
Production and Collectibility
Total production for the 1966 model year was 23,776 units. Based on Ford sales data, Bronco sales momentum took a while to build, with only about 6,600 units sold through January 31, 1966. To put the annual total sales in perspective, this number represented approximately 50 percent of the total market sales of the prior model year, spread across four manufacturers.
This father and son are enjoying their 1966 Broncos on Arizona trails. These Broncos are both show and go, equally at home at a Goodguys car show and crawling down an Arizona trail. (Photo Courtesy Mark Gengsei)
Although these sales numbers were small compared to the rest of Ford’s line, they represented a strong number in the segment, accounting for 40 percent of the sport utility sales for the 1966 model year. Predictably, the largest seller was the wagon with 12,756 examples going to customers. The sports utility pickup achieved just under half that amount with 6,930 units. The roadster logged an impressive 4,090 sales. Stories have surfaced telling how roadsters languished on dealers’ lots for a year or more without selling. Many also had hardtops and doors added to them to make them more palatable for customers wanting more amenities than the sparsely equipped trucks offered.
This recently unearthed 1966 roadster is a true survivor. Bearing a VIN that places it on the first or second day of production in August 1965, and with the odometer registering only about 40,000 original miles, it carries many unique parts that were seen on the earliest trucks only.
A study in contrasts: The bone-stock Springtime Yellow 1966 U14 half cab looks downright dainty compared to the 1969 Super Swamper–shod trail rig. A majority of first-generation Broncos have received many modifications over the years that reflect their owners’ tastes and preferences. (Photo Courtesy Tim Hulick)
This 1966 roadster calls Elizabeth, Colorado, home. Sporting a set of the 1966-only wheel covers, it sees plenty of use exploring Colorado mountain trails. The pup seems to like roadster rides as well. (Photo Courtesy Scott Barnes)
The desirability and collectability of the 1966 models has ebbed and flowed over the years. In some states with strict emissions laws, such as Arizona, the 1966s have always been popular because they fall outside the required testing years.