Slick 60's

Hello All,
I've been foolin' with 78-79 Broncos lately and I knew one of you would have the answer.

Did 78-79 Ford trucks and Broncos offer a more hard core off road package? That sounds kinda redundant on a 4x4, but I've seen Broncos with dual shocks on the front end with a skid plate and some without. I image I'd see the same thing on the same year truck model.

Thanks for any info.

B.

Dual shocks were some option from the factory. I don't know if it was part of a package or not. I remember when I sold Rancho shocks the application listed single and dual shocks.

I owned a 79 Bronco for 20 years. with the Quad shocks they were just an order option.
Same with the skid plates. With the 32 gal gas tank a skid plat is standard.

I think the shock package was a DIO (Dealer Installed Option).

Factory quad shocks I ordered them on my Bronco.

B. Talley,
By the 70's Detroit Manufacturers had figured out they could make more $$$$ by bundling options into "packages" thus sold them as such. I can remember units began to come thru with options already installed OEM.
Among the 1st was the full Custom Cab package because it included body and interior trim few dealers were capable of installing. So dealers didn't install options it was pretty much all Factory,by then as Dwight & Tom said.

Agencies Like Forestry, Game & Wildlife Commission, Law Enforcement, INS & others with off road duty spec'd their trucks accordingly, so mostly all that HD Off Road stuff was an ordered option. Most were in a Packaged form like Safety & Comfort, Camper Special, Trailer Towing, Lighting Group etc etc.

In 50's & 60's we installed everything as what we reffered to as DIO's. ( I do not mean Los Dios), I mean Dealer Installed Options. . . . . .

Things like "Ram Type Power Assist Steering", "Rotunda" Hang On style A/C's, Radios, OSRVMS (Out Side Rear View Mirrors) Visors, Truck Rear Bumpers, Spot Lights, Day/Night mirrors, Snow Plow set ups, Winches. . . . Stuff piled up at dealerships, known as "Take Offs" then. As a working wrench at that point, I'll tell ya it was a PITA, low Flat Rate wages & unreasonable times. Many guys walked rather than work for "nothing".
Can't work all week long, losing time & money doing options & installation work. Snap On'd reposses tools if we didn't keep up payments.
Ya Know? Thinkin about it, some people call it The Good Ol' Days. . . .
Right.... "Good Ol' Days" my . . .

Oh Well, at least I learned to Laff at & Get Over IT Too. . .

FBp

my 78 bronco has factory 4 shocks in the front and a gas tank skid plate

Ray

Quad Shocks I beleive were a stand-alone option and also part of the handling package. Projectbronco.com has PDF scans of the brochures from '78 and '79. My dad's '79 (the Ink-You-Bus) has four shocks plus sway bars.