The Stroppe Broncos are a celebrated chapter in the history of off-road racing and Ford Bronco lore. Born from the ingenuity and competitive work ethic of Bill Stroppe, these vehicles not only defined a golden era of desert racing but also solidified the Ford Bronco's reputation as a formidable off-road machine. We had the opportunity to travel with the Mile High Bronco Club to visit an extensive private collection of these amazing Broncos, owned by Wayne Schmeeckle. For those of us unfamiliar with a classic Stroppe Bronco, let’s look back at the history of these limited-edition production models and why they hold a place in many Bronco enthusiasts' hearts.
The Birth of the Baja Broncos
Bill Stroppe was a legendary engineer, racer, and team manager whose name became synonymous with high-performance off-road vehicles. In the 1960s, Stroppe’s expertise in motorsports caught Ford’s attention, and he was enlisted to develop vehicles capable of tackling the grueling challenges of desert racing. When the Ford Bronco debuted in 1966, it was positioned as a versatile 4x4 vehicle, but Stroppe saw its potential as a desert racing champion.
Stroppe’s partnership with Ford led to the creation of the Baja Broncos, a series of specially modified first-generation Ford Broncos designed for high-speed off-road competition. These vehicles were equipped with a host of performance upgrades, including reinforced chassis, heavy-duty suspension components, roll cages, and powerful V8 engines. They also sported Stroppe’s signature red, white, and blue livery, which was an iconic symbol of their racing pedigree.
Dominance in Desert Racing
The Stroppe Broncos quickly exceeded all expectations in the desert racing circuit, particularly in the Baja 1000, also known as the Mexican 1000, which is widely considered one of the most demanding off-road races in the world. One of the most famous of these Stroppe Broncos was driven by Larry Minor and Rod Hall back in 1969. This truck secured an overall victory at the Baja 1000. This victory marked the first time a four-wheel-drive vehicle won the race overall, beating every other participant, motorcycle or car. Today, two Stroppe Broncos claim to be that pedigreed winner and, since there is some controversy over the actual winning Bronco, Wayne owns both and gives both the credit, knowing one of them is the correct one.
Stroppe Limited-Edition Production Models
To capitalize on the racing success, Ford and Stroppe collaborated to produce a limited run of Baja Bronco editions, available to the public. These street-legal versions featured many of the enhancements found in the race vehicles, such as auxiliary lights, roll bars, heavy-duty bumpers, and upgraded suspensions. They also included unique touches like Stroppe’s tri-color paint scheme and a very cool Baja Bronco tire cover. These kits became available in 1971 but ceased in 1975 with only an estimated 650 Stroppe modified Broncos produced.
Wayne has a showroom full of Stroppe Broncos but before he turned us loose, he showed us how customers could order them. First, you could send away for a $1.00 catalog, and in the center of that catalog, you would find a picture of a chassis and all the options that would be upgraded labeled and in white, along with the kit price. Wayne also has a life-sized model on display, with all the Stroppe add-ons painted in white, making it easy to see all the included parts. Once you ordered your Bronco, Ford would send it for final modification at the Stroppe facility in Long Beach and then back to your dealership to be picked up.
After this bit of explanation and a chance to introduce folks and grab a few photos, Wayne allowed us to wander through his collection, checking out his many Broncos. He has several of what he considers “survivors”, marked as such on the windshield. Survivors have not been rebuilt or restored and still carry the minor marks and scars of over 50 years of survival. He also has other beautifully, fully restored Broncos on display, including the ridiculously rare Holman Moody Bronco from 1969 known as the “Bronco Hunter”. Among the collection are some original Bronco Sports, and even a Stroppe labeled tractor trailer. For those with a love for all things Bronco, this was a dream, and we all got the chance to ask Wayne anything we liked about them.
Stroppe Broncos Today
The legacy of the Stroppe Broncos endures in both the off-road racing world and the broader Bronco enthusiast community. Wayne loves and is rightfully proud of his collection and is always in the market to add to it. He also recognizes the investment value of these old Broncos, having seen a many fold increase on pricing over the last few years. With the emergence this year of the reimagined Stroppe model, of which Wayne has reserved number 4, it is likely to attract further interest in the history of these rare beauties. It is estimated that there are fewer than 400 of these Broncos in existence today and surely this is the largest collection in one place.
Wayne opened several areas within his warehouse, allowing us to see some of his other cars and trucks, including a pristine low mileage Bronco II and a couple of Bronco DRs (he owns 3 of the 50 produced). Once we got our fill of that, we headed back to a warm classroom and had a catered BBQ lunch. The club members were able to chat about the morning, letting the incredible opportunity and experience sink in. Wayne’s collection is not open to the public and he was very gracious in allowing us to view it.
I’d like to send out a special thanks to Mile High Bronco Club and Becca Weiss for organizing this event and of course to Wayne Schmeeckle and his general manager, Heather for a magical day amongst some very historic Broncos.
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