1979 Ford Bronco Reborn

Welcome to Shadowsteed!

This site is dedicated to the restoration and modification journey of my 1979 Ford Bronco Ranger XLT.

 

I spent a couple of years on and off looking for a solid 2nd Gen Bronco—something affordable that wasn’t riddled with rust. These trucks are rare gems, only produced in 1978 and 1979. Ford made just under 78,000 Broncos in ’78 and a little over 104,000 in ’79—of those, only about 55,000 were Ranger XLTs.

 

I finally found the one on eBay in late 2016. It came from a Bronco specialty shop and, after receiving plenty of photos and videos, I took the leap and won the auction—bringing home my Bronco for $9,500.

 

The original 351M V8 engine delivered about 158 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 3-speed automatic. As you can imagine, highway speeds were a challenge.

 

After a few years, I was finally able to start the restoration and performance upgrades. I wanted better brakes, more power, and a smoother ride—without blowing a six-figure budget. Most shops either didn’t want to work on 2nd Gens or quoted sky-high prices, often starting with new chassis builds.

 

Eventually, I found a small but talented shop in North Carolina that understood the project. After a lot of back-and-forth, I shipped the Bronco up there in November 2019. They created a detailed 32-page build sheet with tiered upgrade options, allowing me to pick and choose where to invest.

 

This site is my way of sharing that journey. My daughters even helped name it—thus, Shadowsteed was born.

 

Check out the photos and follow along as I document the build, from the driveway to the shop and beyond. I'll continue updating the site with new photos and videos as the project progresses.

 

Thanks for stopping by!