HomeMediaCustom and restored Broncos, Blazers set for Barrett-Jackson’s Houston sale

Custom and restored Broncos, Blazers set for Barrett-Jackson’s Houston sale

The inaugural Texas auction will feature the popular SUVs selling without reserves

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Ford Broncos and Chevrolet Blazers are longtime icons for Texas drivers, so they should be strong favorites when Barrett-Jackson holds its inaugural Houston collector car auction September 16-18 at the NRG Center.

“From well-preserved originals to beautifully restored models and professionally built resto-mods, each is destined to wrangle in the bids when they cross the auction block with no reserve,” Barrett-Jackson says in a news release.

The Houston sale will be Barrett-Jackson’s first foray into the Lone Star State, with about 500 special cars, trucks and motorcycles, from vintage favorites to the latest exotics, crossing the auction block mostly without reserves.  Broncos and Blazers have been soaring in popularity in recent years, as reflected in the choice of high-quality examples to be auctioned.

“The 1970s to 1980s Blazers and Broncos pioneered new trails for the off-road lifestyle,” said Craig Jackson, CEO of the Scottsdale, Arizona-based auction company. “These brawny, go-anywhere SUVs became a symbol of freedom and exploration. Over the last decade these classics have been resurrected by professional builders, making them some of the most sought-after collectible vehicles today.”

Among the Blazers and Broncos that will be offered in Houston are (descriptions by Barrett-Jackson):

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An uncut, frame-off restored 1972 Ford Bronco 4×4 (Lot 706) on the docket for Houston is painted in matte-gray Mercedes AMG paint with matte black trim. Powered by a newly rebuilt 302cid V8 engine with automatic transmission, it rides on a highly modified suspension package, including 2.5-inch body lift kit, new spring coils, leaf springs and Bilstein shocks, along with 32-inch All Terrain BFGoodrich tires on black Fuel Revolver wheels. Interior modern luxuries include a Dakota Digital LED 6-gauge instrument cluster, Kenwood Double DIN LED touchscreen head unit with Bluetooth, Apple Car Play and rearview camera, along with Kenwood speakers in custom fiberglass kick panels.

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Also up for auction is a 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer (Lot 712), the result of a no-expense-spared, frame-off restoration by Creative Rods & Restorations. It features the original 350cid V8 engine, rebuilt 0.30 over and upgraded with electronic fuel injection that is mated to a 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission. The custom interior features leather seats, a Flaming River tilt steering column with a Billet Specialties banjo steering wheel, Daytona weave carpet and Classic Instruments gauges.

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One of the most highly anticipated custom SUVs crossing the block in Houston is a 1976 Ford Bronco custom (Lot 713). Powered by a modern 5.0-liter Generation 2 Coyote V8 mated to a 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission, this Bronco has a 3.5-inch suspension lift, a one-inch body lift, Bilstein shocks and Pacer wheels wrapped in 35-inch tires. Its interior features black leather high-back seats with a tuck-and-tumble rear seat, tilt steering column with Billet Specialties steering wheel, Vintage Air climate control, power steering, power windows, a custom dash with new aftermarket gauges and a Bluetooth-capable Pioneer sound system.

Lot 683 is a highly sought-after 1979 Ford Bronco custom SUV powered by a 460cid big-block engine and a C6 automatic transmission. This second-generation Bronco has a 2-inch Skyjacker Lift with Rancho 5000 shocks and a tan interior that complements its tan exterior.

Another 1979 Ford Bronco is Lot 787, and this time capsule is a matching-numbers SUV powered by its 351cid engine paired to a C6 automatic transmission. It is finished in Raven Black and retains its original black interior. It is also outfitted in Ford’s 1979 optional Chromatic decals and only has 31,000 miles on the odometer.

Another classic American SUV is the 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Cheyenne (Lot 665.2) set to cross the auction block in Houston. This frame-off restored Blazer is finished in a Medium Olive exterior with an Olive interior. It’s powered by an original rebuilt 350ciD V8 engine with a Holley carburetor and an upgraded 700R4 transmission. Its factory options include Cheyenne equipment, four-season air conditioning, tinted glass, gauge package, heavy-duty batter, Olive vinyl bucket seats, a rear seat, power steering, AM push-button radio and a removable white top.

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There also will be some of the latest examples of the Ford and Chevy SUVs, such as Lot 775, a 2021 Ford Bronco that not only came from the factory with the Outer Banks package but has been custom upgraded by Maxlider Brothers Customs, which fitted the Bronco with the Maxlider Clydesdale II upgrade, featuring a 4-inch lift, 34-inch tires, custom wheels, custom leather interior and vinyl exterior striping.

For more information about the Houston Auction, visit the Barrett-Jackson website.  

Bob Golfen
Bob Golfen
Bob Golfen is a longtime automotive writer and editor, focusing on new vehicles, collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. He is the former automotive writer and editor for The Arizona Republic and SPEED.com, the website for the SPEED motorsports channel. He has written free-lance articles for a number of publications, including Autoweek, The New York Times and Barrett-Jackson auction catalogs. A collector car enthusiast with a wide range of knowledge about the old cars that we all love and desire, Bob enjoys tinkering with archaic machinery. His current obsession is a 1962 Porsche 356 Super coupe.

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