Ford Broncos from the ‘90s may be popular with nostalgics for a variety of reasons, but they’re not worth a small fortune. This one is.
Earlier this week, a white 1991 Ford Bronco that had never been driven became a viral star. The mere association with – and resemblance to – another, infamous Bronco from about the same time would have been enough to get people interested in it, but this one told a very different, incredibly touching story.
The ‘91 Bronco was listed by GR Auto Gallery on Bring A Trailer, with the bidding closing at $90,000, which makes it one of the most expensive Broncos of that time sold in recent years. And that’s because it came with a story that usually brings out the onion ninjas and makes you reach for the kleenexes.
Jeff Bowen from GR Auto Gallery tells Fox Auto that the Ford was sold new to the owner, Gene. Gene bought it for his ailing father, in the hope that it would lift his spirits while offering him the kind of ride he’d wanted for long. Sadly, he died before he got to drive his new car, so Gene took it into storage in Wisconsin.
The storage facility owner had more of Gene’s vehicles there, and the two became friends. Two years ago, Gene told him that he had heart issues and that “he wasn’t sure if he was going to make it,” instructing him to sell the cars if anything happened, because he didn’t have family to pass them down to.
Weeks passed without the owner hearing anything from Gene, and then confirmation of his death came. The owner bought the Bronco himself, along with an F-350 from the previous year, and reached out to GR Auto Gallery in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to trade them for a Corvette. Bowen decided to list the Bronco for auction, but it’s unlikely he imagined getting this kind of reaction.
Finished in Colonial White over Scarlet Red cloth, the 5-speed Bronco still had the factory plastics. It had 27 miles (43.4 km) on the odo and the original tires (and original everything) and was in perfect running condition. It sold with a third-party inspection report confirming this, a clean Carfax report and clean Wisconsin title.
Sold as new for $22,625, this is a similar price to what it would have fetched today, given its low mileage and excellent condition, the same media outlet notes. The extra $68,000 is for its heartbreaking story alone, thanks to the fact it went viral.
The ‘91 Bronco was listed by GR Auto Gallery on Bring A Trailer, with the bidding closing at $90,000, which makes it one of the most expensive Broncos of that time sold in recent years. And that’s because it came with a story that usually brings out the onion ninjas and makes you reach for the kleenexes.
Jeff Bowen from GR Auto Gallery tells Fox Auto that the Ford was sold new to the owner, Gene. Gene bought it for his ailing father, in the hope that it would lift his spirits while offering him the kind of ride he’d wanted for long. Sadly, he died before he got to drive his new car, so Gene took it into storage in Wisconsin.
The storage facility owner had more of Gene’s vehicles there, and the two became friends. Two years ago, Gene told him that he had heart issues and that “he wasn’t sure if he was going to make it,” instructing him to sell the cars if anything happened, because he didn’t have family to pass them down to.
Weeks passed without the owner hearing anything from Gene, and then confirmation of his death came. The owner bought the Bronco himself, along with an F-350 from the previous year, and reached out to GR Auto Gallery in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to trade them for a Corvette. Bowen decided to list the Bronco for auction, but it’s unlikely he imagined getting this kind of reaction.
Finished in Colonial White over Scarlet Red cloth, the 5-speed Bronco still had the factory plastics. It had 27 miles (43.4 km) on the odo and the original tires (and original everything) and was in perfect running condition. It sold with a third-party inspection report confirming this, a clean Carfax report and clean Wisconsin title.
Sold as new for $22,625, this is a similar price to what it would have fetched today, given its low mileage and excellent condition, the same media outlet notes. The extra $68,000 is for its heartbreaking story alone, thanks to the fact it went viral.