The 1968 Bronco was the final opportunity to buy the original U13 Roadster alongside the U14 Pickup and U15 Wagon. Ford advertised five model choices: the three basic bodies plus Sport Wagon and Sport Pickup.
This page covers U.S. 1968 Broncos. The factory brochure is especially valuable for equipment, but published production references disagree on the total; both figures are preserved below with their scope rather than averaged.
Why it matters
1968 is the hinge point between Bronco’s three-body launch concept and the Wagon-dominated future: after this year, Ford no longer offered an open Roadster.
What this page covers
Market: United States; first-generation Bronco.
Body styles: U13 Roadster — final year; U14 Pickup; U15 Wagon
What changed for this year
- Roadster final year
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1968 was the final model year for the open U13 Roadster; Roadster was not offered from 1969 onward.
- Five advertised models
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Ford advertised basic Wagon, Pickup and Roadster plus Sport Wagon and Sport Pickup.
- Equipment updates
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Ford advertised a standard fresh-air heater/defroster, fully synchronized three-speed manual, improved free-running hubs and an available swing-away tire carrier.
Models and trims
- Base bodies
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Roadster, Pickup and Wagon remained the body-style foundation, with U13/U14/U15 series codes respectively.
- Sport choices
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Sport was available as Wagon and Pickup in the five-model 1968 catalog.
Engines and transmissions
- 170-cubic-inch inline six
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Ford continued the 170 six as the standard engine.
- 289-cubic-inch V8
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The 289 V8 remained optional.
- Transmission
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The factory brochure advertised a fully synchronized three-speed manual; no automatic was offered.
Capability and specifications
- Fuel capacity option
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With the optional auxiliary tank, Ford advertised 26 gallons total capacity.
- Production figures
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A body-style table totals 14,419 Wagons, 2,210 Pickups and 212 Roadsters, or 16,841. A separate historical table reports 16,629 total. The 212-unit difference equals the Roadster subtotal, but the reason is unverified.
Both published figures are retained; neither is silently substituted for the other.
- Wheelbase
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The compact early-Bronco chassis retained its 92-inch wheelbase.
Colors and interiors
- Period trim
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The surviving 1968 brochure concentrates on equipment comparison rather than a complete paint palette. Verify color and interior claims from data-plate evidence and period documentation.
Options and packages
- Auxiliary tank and carrier
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The auxiliary tank and swing-away tire carrier were options, not universal 1968 equipment.
- Sport
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Sport identifies a period factory package, but survivor equipment should be documented before it affects value claims.
Safety and recalls
- Vintage inspection
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1968 predates modern crash ratings and airbags. Inspect braking, steering, fuel system, tires, belts and corrosion with a vintage-4x4 specialist.
Owner and buyer notes
- Authenticate a Roadster
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Only 212 Roadsters appear in the cited 1968 body-style table. Confirm U13 identity with the data plate/frame evidence rather than removable body parts alone.
- Keep the production dispute visible
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A claimed 1968 production total should identify which published source it follows—16,629 or 16,841—and should not disguise the conflict.
Stories from this year
- The quiet end of the Roadster
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The Roadster did not receive a dramatic final-edition treatment; it simply disappeared after 1968 as the Wagon became the durable center of the Bronco range.
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