June 17 is unofficially Ford Bronco Day. On this day in 1994, the “O.J. Bronco Chase” took place. As in “The time O.J. Simpson ran from an arrest warrant for double murder by being a passenger in his Ford Bronco during a slow-speed chase on the freeways of Los Angeles.”
It was an absurd spectacle, and it’s hard to make light of the event that was a result of a tragic double murder. But it was a spectacle unlike anything anyone had ever witnessed, and if you watched it live, you will always remember where you were. This was before the days of the internet, so millions of phone calls spread the word to “turn on your TV, any channel, NOW!”
The Bronco from the chase has changed hands over the years, spending a lot of time in a crime museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. But we’re more interested in finding it in miniature.
The Ford Bronco can be roughly broken into four eras. Yes, there are several generations of the vehicle within those groups, but for our sake today, we’re going to simplify it into…
The Original Off-Roader
The original Bronco was a purpose-built, rugged, basic, strictly off-road machine built to take on competitors from Jeep and International Harvester. It was not a vehicle many people ever saw in person when it was new, as its purpose was so specialized. There were quite a few models of it over the years, and renewed interest in recent years has seen a resurgence. Though a crude toy, Tootsie Toy made one of the few miniatures during that era.
The Big One
The next era of the Bronco was a shortened unibody vehicle based on the full-size F-Series Ford truck. There are several iterations of this design, which outlasted similar concepts from GM and Dodge. TRX made an over-the-top 1/24 scale model of the earliest of that era. Models of any particular generation are sort of rare, but we’re mostly concerned with the 1993 version here.
The Little One
Then came the downsized Ranger-based Bronco II. Like the downsized Mustang II before it, the vehicle earned scorn from purists at first. However, the smaller Bronco was still a capable off-roader, so it captured the spirit for a new generation. Matchbox made a version of this era, but there aren’t many to choose from.
The Rebirth
Which brings us to the current Bronco, designed from scratch to compete with Jeep once again. The removable roof and doors offer all kinds of customizable uses. More importantly, it’s a beast off the pavement. And then there’s the smaller SUV-based Bronco Sport that seems to capture the spirit in a more civilized form. Several companies, including Matchbox, offer a variety of Bronco models.
But let’s get back to that fateful day 31 years ago… The vehicle in question was from the F-Series era, a 1993 model. Several companies have made scale models of this vintage, but most have shied away from offering it in white. Motor Max offers a 1/24-scale 1978 version in all white, which is sort of close, but not really the right vintage. Also, it’s ironically decorated as a police vehicle, although not for a particular location.
There is one model that hits close to home, however. GreenLight Collectibles is the only company offering one even close to the Simpson vehicle. It’s an all-white 1993 Bronco, so correct year and color. It’s not explicitly marketed to have any relation to the events of June 17, 1994, but one can’t help but notice the similarity.
It’s worth noting that GreenLight doesn’t do “Chase” vehicles.
Do you know of any other Ford Bronco models that replicate the O.J. Simpson vehicle? Let us know in the comments.
Ron Ruelle is a cartoonist, writer, and illustrator who also writes about model cars. You can see his work at www.ronruelle.com
