1973 Ford Bronco Regains Its Youth After a 1,500-Hour Restoration Process

While everyone’s hyped about Bronco’s glorious return, it won’t hurt to have a look back at some of the timeless classics in Ford’s beloved 4x4 range. This manufacturer's rugged Bronco made its debut as a multi-purpose compact SUV back in 1966, intending to compete with the likes of International Harvester’s Scout and the Jeep CJ-5.

The first-generation Broncos were available as roadsters, half-cab pickups or two-door wagons. Blue Oval’s mean machine was provided with coil springs for its front and rear suspension, as opposed to standard leaf springs, which gifted the four-by-four beast with an exceptional handling ability.

In terms of its engine, the base 1973 model was powered by a 3.3-liter inline-six that would generate up to 84 ponies at 3,800 rpm. Optionally, the firm also offered a larger 4.9-liter V8 mill, capable of delivering 141 bhp through a manual transmission.

Speaking of vintage goodness, if you happen to be a fan of delicious Bronco restomods, then you might already be familiar with Velocity Restorations. When it comes to Ford’s retro 4x4 animal, these folks are responsible for some of the world’s finest displays of meticulous craftmanship.

“There’s nothing quite like a vintage truck, fully restored and customized just the way you want it. It’s like a blank canvas and we get to be your Michelangelo (or Salvador Dali, if that’s your taste). We breathe new life into vintage trucks of all kinds.”

The reputed firm was co-founded over a decade ago by Stuart Wilson and Brandon Segers in Pensacola, Florida. As time went by, Velocity’s team stacked up on countless fascinating restorations, all of which can be admired on the firm’s Facebook and Instagram accounts! I’d strongly encourage that you pay them a visit and delight your eyesight with a few of their miraculous projects; after we check out Velocity Restorations’ juicy 1973 Bronco restomod, that is.

Over the course of nine months, as many as 1,500 hours have been invested into this phenomenal work of art. For starters, the crew spent no less than 300 hours on metal fabrication and rust repair, ensuring that each and every piece of the bodywork is immaculate. A further 550 hours were spent fitting these panels on the car’s frame and block-sanding them by hand.

Next, Velocity began work on the powertrain and disposed of Bronco’s stock engine to make room for Blue Oval’s ferocious 5.0-liter Coyote leviathan. It is accompanied by a 4R70 four-speed automatic gearbox and a 3” (7.62 cm) high-performance exhaust.

As to the chassis, it receives hydro-boost assisted braking and a four-wheel Wilwood disc brake set, as well as new sway bars and a custom stainless-steel fuel tank built in-house. The behemoth crawls on pacer wheels, hugged tightly by BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 rubber.

Inside, you will find diamond stitched leather seats and an array of modern components that bring this ‘73 Bronco into the 21st Century. These include a high-definition Kicker audio system, one funky Dakota digital gauge and even a Pioneer head unit, to name a few.

All things considered, this is what I call a comprehensive restoration! Now that we’ve wrapped this up, why not head over to Velocity’s social media pages to see what else they’ve been up to?