September/October 2017 Vintage Truck

The September/October issue of Vintage Truck magazine will be available in subscriber mailboxes and on newsstands soon. Our cover story about a 1966 Ford Bronco roadster was written by Candace Brown and accompanied by Al Rogers' photos. Don Peroni began collecting and restoring Ford Broncos with his son Drew in 1998, never imagining what the new millennium would soon bring. In May 2000, they found a rare 1966 Model U13 roadster—one of the earliest built—with very few miles.

Peroni can thank an unusual life after the factory for the Bronco’s amazing condition. According to Peroni, his red roadster was built during the first week of production and probably shipped in late October or early November 1965. The odd thing was that Ford shipped this doorless, roofless model to dealer Arnold Blikre at Blikre Motors in Tioga, North Dakota. The average winter temperature there ranges from about -3 degrees Fahrenheit to just above 20, with annual snowfall at about 40 inches.

No one in Tioga wanted a roadster. It never sold. Blikre eventually used it as a service vehicle for his business and occasionally for snow removal by attaching a plow to the front. It had adequate power, with its standard 170ci, 105hp, 6-cylinder engine and 4.11:1 gearing. Despite the dealer’s use, it never accumulated many miles.

September/October 2017 VINTAGE TRUCK COVER

September/October 2017 VINTAGE TRUCK COVER

To read more about the topless 1966 Ford Bronco, pick up a copy of the September/October issue of Vintage Truck magazine! 

Other articles in this issue include: 

  • A Pickup for Packard - The company might still be in business if it had offered this car-truck hybrid! (Patrick Foster, photos by Ben Fair)
  • The Thermos Bottle Advertising Car - This unusual replica of an original Thermosmobile recalls simpler times in marketing. (Candace Brown, photos by Brad Bowling)
  • The Peach Truck Jeep - This short-wheelbase Gladiator is a company mascot. (Craig Owensby)
  • Chevy Talk: 1949 Chevrolet Pickup (Mary Corrington)
  • Tech Tips: Wired! (Ted Kalvitis, photos by Emily Erekaife)
  • Granny Gear: The Mystery Drawbar (Ted Kalvitis)
  • For Ford Fans: 1961 F-100 Ford (Ray Hoffman)
  • Triple Diamond Treatise: 1961 AM120 Metro (B. Mitchell Carlson)
  • Delivery Designs: “Ads on Wheels” (Pete Costisick)
  • National Drive Your Old Truck Day: 2017

If you can't find Vintage Truck on a newsstand near you, call 800-767-5828 or visit our Gift Shop to order current or back issues. To subscribe, call 888-760-8108 or click here.