If you have been following the market at all you know that the Bronco is blazing hot. Just like C-10 trucks, the Bronco is a hot commodity in the truck/SUV market. With the new Bronco scheduled to debut in 2021, anything Bronco related is coffee boiling hot. We previously mentioned how WD-40 had sponsored a Bronco for the 2017 SEMA Show Truck Round-Up, Issue 255 for December 2017. Well did you ever wonder what happened to it?
The folks at
WD-40 held on to the 1966 Bronco and opted to add some sweetness to it before selling it to raise funds for charity. So like many things, it comes full circle and is making a re-appearance at the 2019 SEMA Show.
Originally it was tweaked by Florida's Aaron Vaccar with a Ford Eco Boost 3.5 liter beast with twin turbos and an automatic transmission. But the folks at WD-40 wanted more. So starting In January, 2019 the folks at the SEMA Garage donated their hours and skills to add some extras to the build.
This time the build is being overseen by Mike Spagnola, SEMA's vice president of OEM and product development. He noted the first version was a great start to the Bronco but they wanted more. He felt this Bronco had the "bones" to invest the extra effort into taking it over the top. It is collectible, had a great fan base and with the potential for rising market values. What are the improvements to the previous build? How about a spanking new suspension, highlighting a five inch lift? Heck yeah! The exhaust and turbos were custom plumbed along with the fuel lines. For safety's sake they installed a new six point roll cage. The interior was upgraded too with new brown leather seats, door panels and side mirrors. The trim pieces were refreshed too.
The staff at the SEMA Garage donated their hours to the build, which brings great joy to Spagnola. He likes seeing the younger generation take on charity projects, recognizing the need to give back to the car community and leave their mark on the industry. Spagnola estimate the staff has spent over 500 hours on the build and anticipates some late nights before the SEMA Show. There are bound to be plenty of resto-mod Broncos at the show this year, but Spagnola knows this one will shine at the WD-40 booth.
After WD-40 debuts the Bronco at the SEMA Show, it'll hit the public for a few visits before being auctioned off to support the national ChildHelp charity. This won’t be the first vehicle auctioned for charity by WD-40. Over the years they have sold off a pile of iron with over $1 million going to selected charities. The last charity build, a 1967 Camaro which we've highlighted before (Classic Chevy Round-Up, February/March 2017 - Issue 1) sold for $165,000. Of course you don’t do a build like this without some other car companies coming on board. Take a look at the photos and see if you can spot the parts donated by Currie Enterprises, Drake Automotive, Toyo Tires and Skyjacker Suspension, among other helpful contributors. Some of these companies not only contributed parts but often would send their staff to help with the install. Can't wait to share some pictures of the final build with you.
©2019 Mark C. Bach
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