Читать книгу Ford Bronco: A History of Ford's Legendary 4x4 - Todd Zuercher - Страница 10

“What do I do? What do I do?” cried my mother. It was the annual woodcutting season in ranch country north of Prescott, Arizona, and our 1969 Ford Bronco, affectionately dubbed Broncitis, had just slid into a ditch.

The winter months in northern Arizona can bring heavy precipitation, which turn the local dirt roads into a sloppy, slippery mess once the sun thaws the frozen surface each day. Following my father in a truck loaded with firewood, our Bronco slithered left to right across his tracks, like a small boat trying to follow in the wake of an oceanliner. Pointing the vehicle in the desired direction of travel meant judicious application of the throttle, followed by a flurry of elbows as Mom turned the large steering wheel to counteract the pendulum-like motions of the rear of the vehicle.

And that’s how we ended up in the ditch. And how I ended up in the driver’s seat–again.

Switching seats made both of us immediately happier. Several years away from legally obtaining my driver’s license, I was happiest behind the wheel in Arizona’s remote backcountry, learning the skills to operate the Bronco on challenging roads. Mom was happiest when she could enjoy the view from the passenger’s seat while her husband or one of her sons drove.

That Bronco went on to become my driver’s training vehicle, carrier for my first date, partner for countless backcountry exploration adventures, research and development platform, and model for countless photos and articles. More recently, it carried my beautiful bride and I away from our wedding.

My love affair with the Ford Bronco is just one of thousands that have unfolded over the more than 50 years since its introduction. Talk to a longtime owner, or a group of enthusiasts, and they’ll all have stories of how the bobtail from Ford played a special part in shaping their lives and their most favorite memories. From family vacations to hunting and camping trips to simple run-of-the-mill commutes, these are the stories that give voice to the true legend of the Ford Bronco in American culture.

The Bronco started making history from almost the moment it was introduced. Magazine writers thrashed them around the backcountry, and high-performance enthusiasts soon had fenders cut, larger tires installed, and high-performance engines stuffed between the frame rails. On the practical side, service station operators and small business owners found them to be great plow trucks and delivery vehicles.

Owners went on to make memories with their trucks; whether they were one of the fairly crude early models or a plush Eddie Bauer Edition with leather seats and pile carpeting. Through all its iterations, the Bronco has been known as a tough, capable four-wheel-drive vehicle that combined its utilitarian nature with enough sportiness to engender strong emotions from owners, passengers, and those who admired them in action.

This book recounts some of the most iconic moments in the life of the Ford Bronco: its historic development, the technical details of each generation, its rich racing legacy, celebrity owners, appearances in numerous movie and TV roles, its part in the O. J. Simpson chase, and most important, the many stories of everyday owners that comprise a fascinating history of this remarkable vehicle in the American automotive landscape. Even more than that, it is a love story for the Ford Bronco, a truck that captured my heart and that I hope will enlighten yours.

The author’s 1969 Bronco at the top of Imogene Pass in southern Colorado in 1991 is a little sport and a little utility. The tow strap on back of the Bronco was used to tow a 2WD Nissan pickup to the top; the author’s younger brother (right) had just ridden his mountain bike to the summit from Telluride.