5 Awesome Eye-Catching Custom Broncos

It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of the new Ford Bronco. After all, BroncoBastards.com is centered on offering quality aftermarket parts for this iconic off-roader, now making its second debut after a full 25-year hiatus.

As magnetic as all iterations of the new Bronco are — the Sport, as well as the 2 and 4-door models — one of the model’s key appeals is, and always has been, its ready adaptation to customization. Whether it’s in the form of dropping enhanced power into the engine bay, or adding exterior elements to enhance the Bronco’s already magnetic good looks, you can be sure that a fittingly representative modification is out there, prowling the streets and/or off-road terrain.

If you’re pondering the possibility of putting a new Bronco in your garage and are a fan of skillful and well-planned modifications — not “plan as you go” butcher jobs but actual, carefully thought out, meticulously executed customization jobs — we thought we’d offer up some inspiration.

Here are 5 masterful takes on the Ford Bronco, ranging from mild to wild and encompassing a number of generations. Some of these might just give you an idea or two for your own Bronco, while others might act as that stoplight attention magnet that will make you lose your focus and hold up traffic. 

Photo via MaxliderBros.com

1. Maxlider Brothers 2021 Midnite Edition Ford Bronco

This Bloomington, Illinois shop as been turning out automotive masterpieces for a while now and specializes in creating one of a kind “Dream Broncos” that can be thoroughly customized with a wide variety of options — both aesthetic and mechanical.

Just look at this specimen!! It’s dramatic and yet almost unusually subtle at the same time. That accent stripe gets your attention but still blends seamlessly with the Bronco’s head-turning jet-black exterior. That row of off-road fog lights is a definite attention getter and stands ready to light up the path ahead, yet it stops short of pulling focus from the craftsmanship that’s on display here. And how about that roof-rack?

There’s also a blacked out interior waiting inside those doors.

A number of other upgrades help make the 2021 Midnite Edition Ford Bronco equally adept at navigating rough terrain and drawing attention, including anti-collision bars and plates, beefy BFGoodrich tires, a BDS suspension, and a lift kit to add to the Bronco’s already considerable ground clearance. 

The fact that the Maxlider Brothers chose not to offer any engine upgrades on this model stands as a testimony to the abilities of Ford’s stock engine options — both the 2.3-liter inline-four and its unusually efficient 270 horsepower/310 lb-ft of torque as well as the twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 that’s good for 310 horsepower and a full 400 lb-ft of torque.  

After all, this is a company that has performed countless engine swaps on so much of their handiwork, so if they thought such an upgrade was needed for their offerings in order to maintain their brand’s awesomeness factor, you can be sure they’d be on it.

Photo via ClassicFordBroncos.com 

2. Classic Ford Broncos 1973 Ford Bronco Alta 

This one is the handiwork of Ohio-based Classic Ford Broncos and its understated magnificence has hardly been kept a secret — it’s no longer on the market, having been sold for a cool $225,000 a while back.

A big portion of its awesomeness lies in its simplicity. It began life as a member of the Bronco’s first generation, Class of 1973, and only got better from there. Sure, we’re big fans of high impact aesthetics, but we have no trouble appreciating the planning and masterful choices that went into this thoroughly outstanding finished product — the subtle, yet obviously premium Boxwood Green exterior color, the tastefully enhanced stance, that two-tone front grille. We could go on and on.

Just as was the case with our first entry on this list, this masterpiece is equipped for both attention getting and real off-roading. There’s a Ford Coyote 5.0 engine standing by under the hood to provide all the power needed for conquering obstacles, Borgeson power steering to make for easy navigation, Wilwood discs at all four corners to bring prompt, dependable stops and, of course, let’s not forget the Warn RC 9.0 winch on hand to pull you out of trouble, should your taste for off-road adventure land you in a tight spot.

And just look at this custom boot-leather interior!

Photo via CustomFordBroncos.com

Photo via VelocityRestorations.com

3. 1976 Ford Bronco by Velocity Restorations

Just imagine the distraction this classic would cause when pulled up to a stoplight. It has so much going for it aesthetically, including a singular green exterior color whose depth makes it seem like the paint gets started a foot beneath the surface.

While on the outside, the original 1973 body got the full treatment — ornamenting the exterior with specially cut fenders to accommodate the body-colored fender flares, a copper-colored centerpiece on the front grille and custom-built headlights, taillights and bumpers at both ends — the interior received plenty of attention as well. The low-backed buckets are covered with Native Mohican leather, a Kicker KS audio system handles the tunes, and the Billet Specialties steering wheel sits atop a satin black IDIDIT steering column. There are literally too many upgrades to even list.

This Bronco’s world class looks could easily make it seem like its performance abilities took a back seat, but some serious steps were taken to keep that from happening. Given the outstanding performance capabilities and impressive reliability of Ford’s 5.0 Coyote engines — all three generations of them, actually — it’s no wonder they’ve found themselves situated inside such a wide variety of engine bays to provide abundant power, including this one. In this particular case, the fun didn’t stop there, as Velocity added a Whipple supercharger, so we can only imagine the horses that this beauty puts out.

It’s paired with a 6R80 transmission that’s been properly fortified to handle the engine’s output while providing a very evolved driving experience. And, with a custom-built pair of long tube headers leading out to a 3” hand bent exhaust, it’s safe to say that this Bronco can really sing.

4. High Impact, Customized 1996 Ford Bronco

You really didn’t think we’d get all the way to the bottom of the list without including an unabashed, high-impact, “Go Big or Go Home” Bronco, did you?

This ’96 is a guaranteed head turner. Sure, for fans of more sedate projects it might be a little “loud”, but take a closer look at all the great details on display here, starting with that stance. It’s aggressively raised, but still remains well within the bounds of good taste, as we see it. Then there’s the way those electric blue accents via the headlights, LED light bar, front grille insert, suspension components and sizable wheels all tie in perfectly with one another.

It may not be a wise career strategy to pull into your corporate, white-collar parking space in a ride bearing a literal parade of skulls, but the bold aesthetics of this Bronco are a big part of its appeal. That and its duality — those immaculate, eye-catching components create a thoroughly “show car” sensibility, while the stout front bumper bearing its serious winch, the obstacle-clearing stance and upgraded axles scream “Let’s Ride!”

Besides, since 1996 brought about the curtain call for the Bronco after so many years of faithful service, why shouldn’t such a revered model go out on a big note? We certainly think it should.

5. Ford's custom 2021 Bronco Sasquatch SEMA Concept

Most of us know just how hard to impress so many SEMA-goers can be — or at least pretend to be. After all, we’ve seen more than one industry insider put on that “been there, done that” expression for the benefit of others while taking in a truly awesome vehicle, only to let their guard down and marvel at what they just witnessed.

We’re confident that plenty of people gawked at this awesome Bronco when it was unveiled during last year’s Ford Auto Nights webcast. An in-person viewing would have definitely upped its impact. We think Ford did a great job with this one — concept cars have a way of changing pretty markedly when refined for production, but we could easily see this one — or maybe its doppelganger — holding court in real life. 

Just like the first entry on this list, it’s powered by a factory-issue engine —a 2.0 liter turbocharged, inline 4 that’s good for 250 horsepower and paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. There are plenty of awesome touches on display here. Among the top tier components included are front and rear locking differentials, Bilstein shocks, specially-designed fender flares to add a little more ground clearance and a set of 17” Beadlock Capable wheels wearing sizable Nitto 35-inch tires.

And of course, there are those added step-over doors. Not only are they plenty eye-catching, but they’re a strong callback to the first generation Bronco U13 Roadster of the mid-’60s. One look at this awesome specimen and we’re sure you’ll agree that these doors are a truly timeless design element — equal parts vintage and thoroughly modern.