1979 Ford Bronco “Night Shift”

The 1978-1979 Ford Bronco replaced the compact 1966-1977 model with a full-size truck-based design, the first of the larger Broncos that enthusiasts call the "Big Bronco." Ford built it on the 1973-1979 F-series platform, the body style collectors call "Dentside," and stretched the wheelbase to 104 inches from the early truck's 92 inches. A removable fiberglass top covered the rear cargo and seating area, leaving a fixed cab structure forward. Every 1978-1979 Bronco was a V8 four-wheel drive, with a Dana 44 front axle and a Ford 9-inch rear axle. The standard transmission was the New Process NP435 4-speed manual, with the C6 3-speed automatic optional, and the transfer case depended on that choice: manual trucks used the gear-driven New Process NP205 part-time case, while automatic trucks commonly used the chain-driven New Process NP203 full-time case. That full-time NP203 made full-time four-wheel drive available on these trucks, a setup that can be left engaged on dry pavement, unlike the part-time NP205. Front disc brakes were standard. Trim ran from the base Custom up through the Ranger XLT, with the Free Wheeling appearance package available for buyers who wanted the striped, blacked-out look of the period. The generation lasted only two model years before Ford downsized the truck onto the 1980 "Bullnose" platform, which makes 1978 and 1979 the only full-size Dentside Broncos.