Retrofitter to Build Original Ford Broncos

Hamel, Ill.-based Gateway Broncos has signed a licensing agreement with Ford Motor Co. to build a limited number of first-generation (1966-1977) Bronco SUVs.

Ford, which discontinued the Bronco in 1996, plans to relaunch the nameplate with an all-new model in 2020. Ford also made a smaller version called the Bronco II from 1983 until it was succeeded by the Explorer SUV in 1990. 

Gateway was launched in 2016 as a restoration specialist for old Broncos. Under the new agreement, the company will build models from the ground up, based on the original 1966 design.

Three variants will be available: the $120,000 Fuelie, $150,000 Coyote Edition and $180,000 Modern Day Warrior. The new models will retain the styling of the original Bronco, but they will benefit from the use of modern powertrains and upgraded suspension and chassis components.

The top-of-the-line Warrior is powered by Ford’s 2018 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 engine mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Other goodies include a premium leather interior, four-wheel disc brakes, reduced NVH and a five-year warranty.

The revival is made possible by the U.S. Low-Volume Motor Vehicles Manufacturers Act (LVMVMA). Passed in 2015, the law allows companies to produce as many as 325 replica classic cars per year. To qualify, the nameplates must have been out of production for at least 25 years. Although they must meet current fuel economy and emissions standards, they don’t have to have to comply with the latest safety requirements.

Gateway plans to build four new Broncos per month in 2019. Several other classic models also are being revived under the LVMVMA. Among them are the 1980s-era DeLorean DMC-12 sports car, 1930s-era Cords, and the Autokraft MkIV Cobra (updated from the 1960s AC MkIII).