The Ford Bronco Stroppe Baja Edition sits at the intersection of motorsport history and modern collector fever, a short-run package that turned a workhorse 4×4 into a desert-racing tribute. To understand why these trucks now command serious money, I need to pin down when Ford and Bill Stroppe actually built them, how many survived, and what the current market is willing to pay for the privilege of owning one.

That story starts in the early 1970s, when Ford used a limited-production Bronco to celebrate its success in brutal off-road events, then stretches into today’s auction data and even the latest factory Stroppe tie-ins. The result is a clear picture of which years matter, how rare the original Stroppe Baja Edition really is, and what buyers should expect to spend if they want one in their garage now.

How the Bronco Stroppe Baja Edition was born

The Stroppe Baja Edition did not appear out of thin air, it grew directly out of Ford’s push to prove the Bronco in desert racing. On January 28, 1971, Ford debuted a limited run “Baja Bronco” to commemorate the Ford Bro desert races that Bill Stroppe had completed, turning competition credibility into a showroom hook. That factory-backed special, described in period-focused guides as the answer to “What Is the Baja Bronco,” took the lessons from punishing off-road events and wrapped them in a package regular buyers could order.

Bill Stroppe was not a marketing invention, he was already a proven partner for the company. Reporting on his career notes that Ford and the Stroppe family had been working together since the 1950s, when Bill raced Lincoln vehicles in Mexico, a relationship that laid the groundwork for the Bronco program. By the time Ford greenlit the Baja Bronco, Stroppe’s shop had the experience to translate race hardware into a street-legal configuration, and that collaboration is what turned a basic utility 4×4 into the Ford Bronco Stroppe Baja Edition that collectors chase today.

The exact years Ford and Stroppe built the Baja Edition

When people talk about “early Broncos,” they often blur the details, but the Stroppe Baja Edition has a very specific production window. Market data for the Ford Bronco Stroppe Baja Edition identifies it as a 1st Gen model built from 1971 to 1975, which lines up with the timing of Ford’s Baja celebration and the broader first-generation Bronco run. That 1971 starting point matches the moment Ford introduced the Baja Bronco package, and the 1975 cutoff reflects the end of the Stroppe tie-in for that original generation.

Additional reporting on the Stroppe program reinforces how concentrated that effort was. A briefing on Production, Prices, Originality notes that an estimate for a production figure for these vehicles has always been said to be around 650, underscoring that the Baja Edition was never a mass-market trim. A separate retrospective on Bill’s legacy adds that around 650 original Stroppe Bronco vehicles were delivered between 1971 and 1975, describing the result as a very rare beast. Taken together, those sources anchor the Stroppe Baja Edition firmly in the 1971 to 1975 model years, with roughly 650 units built in that span.

How many Stroppe Baja Broncos survive, and what makes them distinct

Knowing the build years is only half the story, because rarity in today’s market depends on how many trucks actually remain and how original they are. The same Production, Prices, Originality analysis that pegs output at 650 also emphasizes originality as a key concern, which is not surprising for a vehicle that was often used hard off-road. Many Baja Broncos were modified, repainted, or simply worn out, so unmolested examples from the 1971 to 1975 window are significantly scarcer than the raw production number suggests.

Period-correct details are what separate a true Ford Bronco Stroppe Baja Edition from a standard Bronco wearing similar colors. Contemporary descriptions of the Baja Bronco highlight its distinctive appearance, including the red, white, and blue paint that echoed the race trucks, along with hardware upgrades that made it more capable in the desert. Later tributes to Bill’s work mention the signature blue, white, and orange makeover on original Stroppe Bronco vehicles, a reminder that paint schemes and graphics evolved but always tied back to the competition trucks that ran in Mexico. For collectors, verifying those cues against the 1971 to 1975 build window is essential before assigning Stroppe-level value.

Collector values for original Stroppe Baja Editions today

With production capped at around 650 units and many trucks altered or lost, it is no surprise that the market has pushed Stroppe Baja Edition prices sharply higher. Auction tracking for the Ford Bronco Stroppe Baja Edition, 1st Gen, shows that the most expensive example recorded so far reached $132,688, a figure that reflects both rarity and the broader surge in early Bronco values. That high-water mark does not mean every truck will clear six figures, but it sets a clear ceiling for top-condition, well-documented examples from the 1971 to 1975 run.

Earlier market commentary on Production, Prices, Originality gives a sense of how far values have climbed. That briefing notes that prices for these vehicles have ranged from $6,000 to $35,000, a band that reflects older transactions before the current wave of Bronco enthusiasm and the recent spike in vintage 4x4s. When I compare that historical range with the $132,688 peak recorded for the Ford Bronco Stroppe Baja Edition, it is clear that the best trucks have broken out of their previous bracket, especially as buyers prioritize originality and documented Stroppe provenance.

How modern Stroppe-branded Broncos affect the classic market

Ford has not ignored the nostalgia value of the Stroppe name, and recent models show how the company is trying to connect new buyers to that 1970s heritage. A 2025 Bronco Stroppe Edition, detailed in dealer research, is positioned as a fully loaded package, with Key Takeaways that include the note that The Stroppe is the only two-door Bronco available with a V6 for 2025. Another overview of the same model, dated Sep 15, 2025, frames it as a halo configuration within the modern Bronco lineup, using the Bronco name and Stroppe branding to justify a premium price and limited availability.

Independent reviews of the 2025 Bronco Stroppe Edition underline how aggressively Ford is leaning into that legacy. A first drive published on May 15, 2025, describes serious off-roading that got the axles crossed up enough to require the differential locks and the front stabilizer disconnect, positioning the truck as a legitimate trail tool rather than a mere appearance package. A separate quick spin video from Nov 21, 2025, highlights a unique plaque that adds a tasteful nod to the Steed’s pedigree, reinforcing the idea that this modern Bronco is meant to echo the original Stroppe Baja Edition without copying it outright.

Why the original Stroppe Baja Edition still stands apart

Even as Ford rolls out new Stroppe-branded Broncos, the original 1971 to 1975 trucks occupy a different tier in the collector hierarchy. The modern Stroppe Edition is part of a broader strategy that includes other high-profile models, such as a Mustang RTR Spec 5 described as The Street-legal Beast with 870 HP in a Sep 16, 2025 preview, and a Bronco that some coverage says Ford wants you to spend $75k on, as noted in a Mar 26, 2025 feature titled The Bronco Ford Wants You To Spend. Those contemporary price points show how the factory is monetizing nostalgia, but they do not change the finite supply of original Stroppe Baja Broncos.

For collectors, that scarcity is the key. Around 650 original Stroppe Bronco vehicles were delivered between 1971 and 1975, and no modern package, however capable or expensive, can add to that total. As long as buyers continue to prize first-generation Broncos and value direct links to Bill’s desert racing program in Mexico, the Ford Bronco Stroppe Baja Edition from the early 1970s is likely to remain the benchmark, with top examples already touching $132,688 and lesser trucks pulled upward by the same tide. The new Stroppe-branded models may introduce fresh fans to the story, but the original Baja Edition is still the one that serious collectors quietly chase.