First-Gen Ford Bronco Values Are Correcting — Here's What to Know

First-Gen Broncos Are Correcting — Here's What To Know Before You Bid

The original 1966–1977 Ford Bronco spent the better part of a decade turning into one of the hottest tickets in the collector-truck world. This summer, that ticket got noticeably cheaper — and the reasons why say a lot about where smart bidders should be looking next.

According to Hagerty's latest tracking, first-gen Bronco values are down for the second straight season and now sit at their lowest point in seven years. It's a sharp reversal for a truck that's up 472% in value since 2006 — but it's not the same story for every Bronco. The correction is hitting hardest at the top of the market, while rougher project trucks are holding steady. That split matters if you're thinking about bidding on one.

Why Everyone Wanted One

The Bronco didn't just join the compact off-road SUV category in 1966 — it basically created it, arriving ahead of the Jeep CJ and International Scout and forcing GM and Dodge to build the Blazer and Ramcharger just to keep up. That underdog-turned-icon story is a big part of why collectors chased it so hard for so long. Values nearly doubled between 2016 and 2019 alone, and by the time the market peaked, a genuinely clean, factory V-8 example was routinely bringing $80,000 or more — with well-built restomods pushing well past six figures without much argument.

The Pullback

That run had to slow down eventually, and this summer it did — hard. Hagerty's #2-condition (Excellent) first-gens averaged $53,700 over the summer, a 14% drop in just a few months. #3-condition (Good) trucks are now averaging around $40,100. The one exception: #4-condition project trucks — the rough, unrestored ones — are the only tier that's actually held its value over the past year.

What It Means For Bidders

None of this looks like collectors losing interest in the Bronco — it looks like a market catching its breath. Insurance quote requests for first-gen Broncos are still up 6% year-over-year, and the Gen X buyers who've driven most of the demand aren't going anywhere. What's changed is the ceiling: the easiest money already got made, the top tier is facing real competition from high-end restomod builds, and buyers are getting pickier about paying a premium for polish.

For bidders, that's an opening. Condition matters more than ever right now — a well-sorted driver-quality truck is a smarter buy today than it was 18 months ago, and a project truck is exactly the kind of Bronco this market still rewards.

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