The original Bronco was a bit small (it was basically a compact SUV) to compete with the Blazer and Ramcharger in the towing and hauling category so for the second generation, Ford upped its size. This generation of the Bronco was built on an F-150 chassis, giving it more space and, more importantly, more power.
The Stow ‘n Go seating is standard equipment in the Town & Country and there are more creature comfort options available than you will find in the Dodge Grand caravan. For buyers who really want to stick with a Dodge or Chrysler product, the Town & Country is a better offering than the Dodge. It still falls short of used minivans built by Kia, Toyota, and Honda.
Even if you can overlook the drab exterior, the cheap plastic interior of this used minivan can almost turn your stomach. Once inside, you will find average passenger space and less-than-stellar cargo space. These things could be overlooked if the Grand Caravan offered a smooth and quiet ride, but it doesn’t offer either.
The modern equivalent of that engine is GM’s ZZ427 crate motor. It stays true to the cast-iron block of its forefather, but runs pump-gas-friendly 10.0:1 compression, sports aluminum heads and an all-forged rotating assembly.
The name “Highboy” was not an official Ford term but a nickname given to it by enthusiasts. The 1977.5 models featured a negative arch leaf spring, which dropped the height by 4 inches leading to the “Highboy” nickname for the pre 1977.5 models and the post 1977.5 models being called “Lowboys”.
The Ranchero is based on a two-door station wagon platform and was marketed as a light pickup that could haul a fair amount of cargo while being easy to operate and drive, like a car. There is not enough space here to cover the various engines and features that were incorporated into the Ranchero over the years, but a few engine choices consisted of a 250 cubic-inch six-cylinder and a variety of V8 power plants that ranged from a standard 302 to a 428 cu-in. (7.0 L) Cobra Jet.
At 9.37 liters, the ZZ572 is the mac daddy of all big block engines. It’s nearly a 1-liter EcoBoost larger than any engine ever fitted to a production vehicle (the 8.4-liter V10 in the dearly departed Dodge Viper). Naturally, that means it’s got loads of power 727 horsepower and 680 torques but those aren’t the most impressive specs.
Plus, in the late 60s, Chevy didn’t use engines over 400ci in midsize cars this meant COPOs were far and away the fastest Chevelles and Camaros on the road. From day one they were, and still are, offensively expensive.
Speaking of tires, they do absolutely no good if side to side movement with low pressure causes them to slip off the rim. Being in the middle of nowhere with rubber out of place and no way to change it is an awful situation. However, there are already bead lock rims on the market to prevent this exact problem.
Our list of cool old Ford trucks would certainly not be complete without the Ford Lightning. This performance truck was launched as a response to the Chevy 454 SS and it was not only a looker but cranked out some power as well.
As if that wasn’t enough, GM then throws on a gargantuan 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger pushing a full 16 PSI of boost. All of that cast iron and forging means strength, and the COPO 350 can set dragstrip records day in and day out without breaking a sweat.
If any car was worthy of carrying the original ZR1’s torch, it was that one. The numbers are huge: 638 horsepower and 604 lb-ft, with 90% of peak torque available from 2600 to 6000 rpm. Translation: lots of power on tap, whenever you want it.
With bigger tires and heavier rims on your list of Jeep mods, the stock gear ratio may not be enough to get you where you want to go. This is where changing the gear ratio comes in handy and reduces unreasonable stress on the engine. If the wheels are too tall for the stock gear ratio, there will be a noticeable power drop off from its stock build.
Plus, in the late 60s, Chevy didn’t use engines over 400ci in midsize cars this meant COPOs were far and away the fastest Chevelles and Camaros on the road. From day one they were, and still are, offensively expensive.
They mechanically lock the rubber to the rim so that sidewall sag from less than stock psi doesn’t drop the bead and leave you stranded. An added bonus to these is that their distinctive look adds to the curb appeal along with other Jeep mods.