It’s easy to get wrapped up in the hoopla over the latest model year Bronco because you’re excited about the newest features, the latest off-road mechanics, and more improved updates to keep Ford’s revitalized off-road SUV competitive and fresh. But sometimes it’s not about what’s new that’s exciting, but what’s current that’s exciting. In this case, there are a lot of really cool and sometimes crazy custom Ford Bronco models roaming around out there that show you don’t always need the latest model year to get the most out of the Bronco.
In this article, we’ll look at a few of the craziest custom Ford Bronco SUVs out there, some of which are based on designs you might not have been expecting. Will you be able to find these custom designs amid the plethora of models on auction sites and dealer lots as you scavenge to find an affordable and cool used Ford Bronco for sale? Probably not. But, the interesting part about it is that you actually can turn your used Ford Bronco into some of these with the right parts and dedication or have one custom tuned to fit the specs for some of the models featured in this list.
#5) 2022 Ford Bronco Velociraptor 500 by Hennessey
When it comes to crazy custom designs, Hennessey often stands alone as the king of the hill. Why? Because Hennessey not only focuses on some great-looking custom modifications for popular nameplates, but they are also a well-recognized performance outfit that boosts popular models well beyond their known capabilities. This has made Hennessey a great go-to outfitter for both looks and performance, so much so that it’s not surprising to see a Hennessey on the drag strip just as well as you might see one in the showroom.
For the Ford Bronco, Hennessey decided to increase nearly every critical aspect. Their custom modification is based on the 2022 Bronco Raptor, originally outfitted with a 3.0L EcoBoost turbocharged V6 that made 418 hp at 440 lb-ft of torque. The Raptor was equipped with 17-inch wheels paired up with massive 37-inch tires. Hennessey took all of that to the next level with custom 20-inch Hennessey wheels, 37-inch off-road tires, Fox live-valve suspension with a 3-inch lift kit, and an upgraded powertrain that delivers 500 hp at 550 lb-ft of torque. The Bronco Velociraptor is essentially a beastly, awesome-looking off-road SUV decked out with special LED off-road lights and an emerald-green paint scheme. It’s as crazy powerful as it is cool.
#4) Air Design USA Ford Bronco
Air Design USA, along with Sherman Williams and the Royal Collision Centre, teamed up to make a SEMA-quality show car for the 2021 SEMA show. It was a specially built, custom Ford Bronco with many unique stylings and design cues that would make even the most nonchalant car enthusiast blush with appreciation. The entire thing started with a stripped-down, four-door 2021 Ford Bronco—something you can easily find for sale at just about any Ford Bronco dealer. However, everything that came after required a ton of tender love and care from all involved with customizing the Air Design USA Bronco to fit a specific look for a specific occasion.
Decked out in Sherwin Williams’ powder blue body scheme and contrasted with a porcelain white grille, bumper, rooftop, and wheels, the Air Design USA Bronco has a very distinctive look. Custom Air Design USA hood scoop, extended fender flares, unique door moldings, and deep dish snowflake design wheels create a bold look for this particular Bronco. The deep tinted windows and faint touches of gloss black help ground the vehicle with a more mature look to help offset the airy color scheme. It looks fantastic, by the way; more like a contemporary luxury SUV than an off-road SUV. And that’s one of the reasons it easily makes our list—because it’s such a unique-looking design for Ford’s revitalized SUV.
#3) “Bullnose” Lifted 1986 Ford Bronco
The third-generation Ford Bronco had a very distinct aura about it, as if Ford engineers had nestled into a safe and reliable design for the Bronco and knew exactly what they wanted out of the sports utility vehicle. Of course, the lifted design and off-road capabilities weren’t enough for some people, and taking the Bronco’s frame and elevating it to new heights became a pastime for some people. Given the craze of the monster truck era at the time, there is a certain appeal to giving the Bronco that same kind of monster truck treatment, and that’s exactly what happened to a certain 1986 “Bullnose” Ford Bronco, which was given a monster truck makeover.
Riding on absolutely massive 44-inch tires, this is the truck of any mud-runner’s dreams. Multi-leaf-spring suspension, and a huge 460 cu.in. big block engine power this monstrosity, whether it’s down the street or through the mud. The chrome bull bar and two-tone color scheme—with a roof-matching sun-visor over the cab—give the SUV more of a truck-like feel and a lot of personality that feels like it comes right out of the 1980s. The good part is that, unlike some of the entries on this list, there are various high-lifted third-generation Bronco models on 44-inch tires floating around out there for sale, so it’s not like it’s quite the unicorn in the haystack as you might have assumed.
#2) Doetsch Off-Road Rhino Rack ADV Ford Bronco
The Doestch Off-Road Rhino Racks ADV Ford Bronco is a heck of a name to roll off the tongue, but it’s a multi-outfit effort from all of the aforementioned parts providers to bring this special edition Ford Bronco to life like no other Bronco before it. This thing is all kinds of crazy, with some of the coolest-looking exterior modifications and decal work you could find on a street-legal Bronco. Doestch Off-Road built this particular model in collaboration with Rhino-Rack and ADV Fiberglass.
Sporting a Laguna Seca blue paint job with copper-colored wheels riding atop massive 37-inch tires, this custom Ford Bronco looks both beefy and beautiful. It’s that rare mix of eye-catching style and muscular menace to make up a very special take on Ford’s popular off-road vehicle. A mix of carbon fiber, off-road sports lights, a heavy-duty rack from Rhino-Rack, a soft top cover, King control arms, and a neat rear-wheel step all make this particular Bronco both awesome to look at and highly functional both on and off the road. The only downside is that this particular model belongs to ADV Fiberglass, so you’re unlikely to encounter this randomly while searching for a used Bronco for sale, but Doestch is more than willing to convert your new or used Bronco into this bad boy… for a fee.
#1) 1968 Shelby GT500 Ford Bronco
You won’t find this particular model on a dealer’s lot… or any lot, for that matter. This is one crazy custom Ford Bronco build that was made in collaboration with SEMA Garage, LGE-CTS, and the Ford Performance division. This specially-built Bronco is a complete restoration and alteration of an old 1968 Bronco that was originally given to former late-night talk show host Jay Leno by another former late-night talk show host, Craig Ferguson.
Jay Leno typically does most of the restorations of his vehicles in his own garage, but this one was outsourced to the other outfits to turn it into something very special. The entire thing was overhauled, including getting rid of the red and white paint scheme for a new paint job that hearkens back to the original Bronco, with Ford Blue on the body and a white top, white grille, and white dog-dish wheels with chrome center caps. The real treat for this custom Ford Bronco is, as the sub-heading states, that it’s powered by a Shelby GT500 Mustang power plant. That’s right: this 1968 Ford Bronco has a specially tuned 760 hp engine with 625 lb-ft of torque and a custom-fitted five-speed manual transmission fitted to an all-new reinforced chassis.
This is the Ford Bronco to end all other classic Ford Bronco models, given just how powerful it is. There’s enough torque here to overcome any off-road obstacle and enough horsepower to beat just about any common sports car at the drag strip. Of course, it’s a one-of-a-kind that belongs to Jay Leno, and I doubt we’ll see another like it any time soon. But it does give you an idea of just how far a Ford Bronco can be taken with a lot of dedication and equal amounts of creativity.
