The original Ford Bronco has become an icon among off-road enthusiasts. As Ford’s rival to the original Chevrolet Blazer, it was an SUV that placed functionality and off-road capability above all else. The original Bronco never really had a successor until 2021 when Ford resurrected the nameplate and turned it into a Jeep Wrangler rival, but this resurrected Bronco you’re seeing here is probably way cooler than the modern Bronco.
Oldie But A Goldie
What you see here is a 1974 Ford Bronco, which has been restomoded to perfection by Icon 4x4. The company is already 16 years old, but despite the company’s age, this Bronco is only the 100th vehicle they’ve ever produced, representing a great milestone. This is part of their New School Edition series of one-off resto-mods, and part of the reason for their low production volume is each project is handcrafted and hand-built from the ground up—which takes months for each example to be finished.
This vehicle also inherits the modern-day Bronco’s Cactus Gray paint, while some of the exterior parts such as the bumper, door handles, and mirrors have been painted in Icon 4x4’s Volcanic Black coating. Topping it all off is a set of custom wheels made by Icon 4x4 called New School.
The interior of this 1974 Ford Bronco has also been restored to perfection. It uses upholstery that came from Spinneybeck, which uses highly durable leather that has an aroma that’s on par with the finest leather hides in the industry. The leather is mixed with very tough silicon that mimics the look of traditional woven fabric. Meanwhile, the dash is made out of laser-cut stainless steel and machined black aluminum, while the pedals are made by Icon 4x4. Lastly, the steering has also been upholstered in leather.
Classic Meets Modernity
In keeping with the “New School” theme, the vintage interior of the Bronco is mixed with a dose of modernity. Drivers will be greeted by a Dakota digital gauge cluster, era-appropriate aircon controls from Vintage Air, electric windows with switches hidden behind window cranks, seat heating for the front seats, a roll bar, and even an Elevated sound system with navigation and Bluetooth connectivity.
This might be an old-school 4x4 on the outside, but underneath its sheet metal, it comes with a modern powertrain and enough off-road gear to satisfy aficionados. The modernity starts with the 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 from the Mustang, which produces 430 horsepower and a roaring noise thanks to its ceramic-coated stainless steel exhaust system. This is then mated to a four-speed automatic with an overdrive that drives a four-wheel drive (4WD) system with a two-speed transfer case.
As for those mentioned off-road goodies, the Bronco gets all the good stuff, such as Fox racing shocks, Eibach coil springs with configurable sway bars, Brembo brakes, ARB air-locking differentials, and Dana differentials.
But The Privilege Of Owning One Won't Come Cheap
So, how much do you think this resto-mod project by Icon 4x4 costs? Unsurprisingly, it ain't cheap. At a starting price of $200,000, and this will even vary depending on how comprehensive the customer will spec their car, it significantly costs more than buying a brand-new Bronco outright. But then again, the new Bronco may be a great SUV, but the original Bronco is a legendary one.