64
There are many things worth the wait. Autumn. Football games. A puppy. Warm cookies from the oven. Vacation. Christmas morning. A Ford Bronco? Most wait times can be measured in minutes, hours, days or weeks, maybe months. Bruce Morris must be a v.e.r.y. patient man. He waited more than two years for his Ford Bronco Raptor.
The Interminable Wait
The backstory goes to July 2020 when his friend, Matthew Kesler, planned to order a new Bronco and convinced Bruce that “he works hard and can treat himself every now and again.” As Bruce relates: “I have never done anything like this, and I couldn’t believe I was ordering a new vehicle!” After plunking down $100, the guys settled in for the 6-month wait. At the year and a half mark, his buddy got his Bronco delivered.
“He was so happy, and I was so not happy because mine was back-ordered,” Bruce confesses. “I asked my friend if he had any complaints about his new ride. He wished that he picked a color that stood out because he was having so much attention over it. He wanted it to pop. His color was nice but blends in with other vehicles. He suggested I get a bold color.”
In March of 2022, I put my name in a hat for a chance to upgrade to the Raptor version. Another month ticked by, and Bruce was not chosen. He was devastated. “I was supposed to get that Raptor,” he told the salesman, Randy Marshall at Shelor Motor Mile Ford. “I am supposed to have an orange Raptor. I even have it on my screen saver. It is MY vehicle!”
He suggested that Randy call people on the list, find someone to give up their spot. It was a bold move, but by now, Bruce was heavily invested – emotionally, at least, and soon, financially as well – in having this Raptor vehicle, like before he retired or got too old to enjoy it. He got a call one day with this question: “How much is it worth to you?” [to buy someone else’s reservation].
The dollar signs are not important. His orange Bronco Raptor was coming. More months ticked by. In October of 2022 … 26 months or more from placing his order, Bruce Morris, not a showy or fancy guy by his own admission, took possession of one very showy and fancy Raptor.
The Drive to Success
After growing up in rural Amelia County, Va., Bruce entered Virginia Tech to major in Animal and Poultry Sciences with a minor in Agricultural Economics. From VT class of 2000, he went on for a Master’s Degree in Animal and Poultry Sciences.
After a stint as an instructor and starting a remodel and construction company, he began to invest in single family homes for rentals. Something clicked in that arena, and Bruce became a REALTOR® for his day job. He and his wife also own and operate a laundromat and a car wash while raising three daughters.
The Drive for Fun
The kids like to ride in it. They crank the music and take to the back roads. It is a very expensive vehicle, so Bruce does not go 4-wheeling or haul a camper. It’s not even his daily wheels. He has a used Toyota 4Runner® for getting to work and back.
“I tell people that the Raptor is a Bronco infused with testosterone. It rides good, has power and looks really cool, not to mention it is stock riding on 37-inch tires.” He did not buy it for mileage, logging around 15 mpg. The Code Orange color is only available on high performance Ford vehicles, not even on regular Broncos.
The engine is a 3.0L twin turbo EcoBoost V6 with a 10-speed transmission. The trim here is the LUX package and amenities include a 12″ touch screen, 10 speaker B&O sound system, navigation, steering assist, 360-degree cameras, heated steering wheel and wireless charging.
But, seriously, why have a vehicle like this without a dash of adventure and drama? The suspension system features Fox dampers which absorb bumps and jumps, and a full complement of skid plates which protect the underside when sailing across sand dunes or clamoring over boulders. “It is made for exercising its shocks on occasion,” Bruce reveals. “So, yeah, it’s fun to jump some railroad tracks every now and again.”
Text by Joanne M. Anderson
Photos by Jon Fleming
