Have you ever seen a four-door Bronco? Meet the Centurion Classic
The Centurion Classic was two vehicles in one. Centurion Vehicles, based in White Pigeon, MI built the Centurion Classic which was part Ford Bronco and part F-Series chassis. Beginning in 1980, the Centurion Classic was built as a response to the popularity of GM’s Suburban and Tahoe.
Using the back body components from a Ford Bronco and the front body components from a Ford F-150/F-350, Centurion Vehicles combined the components to build what is, essentially, a 4-door Ford Bronco. The company converted many of the Bronco’s fiberglass components to steel.
They based the Centurion Classic C150 on a shorted (140 inches) Ford F-150 chassis. You could choose either a 5.0-liter or 5.8-liter V8 engine, and four-wheel drive was optional. Centurion based their larger C350 Classic on the Ford F-350 platform. The larger platform also brought a larger engine. In the C350, you could pick either a 7.3-liter diesel or a 7.5-liter V8. Unlike the C150, the Classic C350 came with standard four-wheel drive.
Ford’s own Excursion waned interest in Centurion’s vehicles
When the Ford Expedition came not long after Bronco production in 1996, the need for the Centurion Classic diminished and the company ended production. While the Ford Expedition and Excursion were much more modern vehicles, the party trick of removing part of the roof was Centurion/Bronco domain only.
I drove a Centurion Classic C350 off-road many years ago. It was outstanding off road and was quite comfortable. It appeared that the third-row seat was actually the same rear seat used in the Bronco. The front two rows came from the F-Series trucks along with all of the interior design. The version I drove could hold up to nine people. We used it as a camera truck and, with its removable top, it was an excellent platform. In some ways, it was a little rattle-prone, but that was only on the hardest terrain.
Prices for these vehicles (in good condition) currently range from $13,000 to $35,000.
