---
title: "Coyote-Engined 1979 Ford Bronco Sells for $213,000"
description: "The one-off build sold for a huge sum on Bring a Trailer this past weekend."
date: "2021-07-06"
modified: "2021-07-06"
authors:
  - name: "Lewin Day"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/lewin-day"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/41428/coyote-engined-1979-ford-bronco-sells-for-213000"
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "For Sale"
  - "Ford News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Trucks"
tags:
  - "Bronco"
  - "Ford"
  - "Off-Road"
  - "suv/crossover"
---

# Coyote-Engined 1979 Ford Bronco Sells for $213,000

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2021/07/broncospendymain.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

The last 18 months or so has seen a pandemic ravage the world, the ocean catch fire, and used car prices reaching stellar heights, particularly in the collector scene. A great example of this bullish market sentiment is this heavily-modified 1979 Ford Bronco, which sold for the lofty price of $213,000 [on Bring a Trailer on Saturday.](<https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1978-ford-bronco-19/>)

The second-generation Bronco was apparently purchased by the seller in near-original condition in 2016. Since then, it received a full going over, with the original 351M V8 being swapped out for a 5.0 liter Coyote engine sporting 435 horsepower and over 400 lb-ft of torque. It's paired with a six-speed 6R80 automatic transmission and an Atlas transfer case, with a stout Ford 9" differential at the rear to handle the power. Off-road credentials should be strong, with Fox shocks soaking up the bumps. Meanwhile, there's Wilwood disc brakes at all four corners to bring the rig to a stop in a hurry.

![message-editor%2F1625618179637-broncospendy23.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1625618179637-broncospendy23.jpg>)
**Bring a Trailer**

The cosmetics haven't been ignored either. The Bronco has been treated to a luscious respray in the factory-delivered Dark Jade color, while the interior has matching carpet and beautifully trimmed seats. The dash is mostly original, too, sans a block-off plate where the original radio would have been.

![message-editor%2F1625612435932-broncospendydash.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1625612435932-broncospendydash.jpg>)
**Bring a Trailer**

Interestingly, the listing on Bring a Trailer also includes several invoices from the shops that built the vehicle, totaling $262,986.76. The papers are highly detailed, individually itemizing things that would normally come under a "sundries" or "workshop materials" charge. There's the usual stuff, of course, such as $883.98 for a mandrel-bent exhaust system. More out of the ordinary, however, is a charge for 14 wooden paint mixing sticks at 17 cents each. There's nothing inherently wrong with this, per se; it just seems like a lot of work to be manually counting and keeping track of every single mix stick used while working on a build.

![message-editor%2F1625612453747-broncospendyengine.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1625612453747-broncospendyengine.jpg>)
**Bring a Trailer**

The auction appears to set a new high watermark for the nameplate on Bring a Trailer. It beat out the previous most expensive example, [a 1971 Bronco modified by ICON 4x4](<https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1971-ford-bronco-icon/>), which sold for $192,169 in April last year. The high sale price astounded many commenters, though it's not unusual for custom-built first-generation Broncos with modern V8 swaps to sell in the mid-100K range. The fact that a second-generation model sold so high is out of the ordinary, but it may just be a sign of the inflated nature of the collector car market at present. It's a continuation of a theme [that began last year.](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/37348/youre-not-imagining-it-old-trucks-are-suddenly-selling-for-big-bucks-on-bring-a-trailer>)

Incidentally, the build also got its own video commercial shot ahead of its Bring a Trailer listing. You can watch the action below.

https://youtube.com/embed/GlLQ3pd10IU

At the end of the day, it's a huge sum to pay for a second-generation Bronco. However, for someone that craves a vintage aesthetic in their four-wheel-drive with modern power under their right foot, it might be a price worth paying to avoid the hassle of building their own. [We've seen similar results before](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/39526/a-safari-conversion-nearly-quadrupled-this-2007-porsche-911s-value>), and we'll likely see them again, too.

*Got a tip? Let the author know: lewin@thedrive.com*

## Author
Lewin Day is a contributing writer tackling everything from breaking news after the offices empty out to sharing feature articles on wrenching, robotics, and the trials and tribulations of being a down-to-earth car enthusiast. He lives in Adelaide, Australia.

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://au.linkedin.com/in/lewin-day-64897944>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/rainbowdefault>)