By Fredy Ramirez
 After being sold for $121,212, Bring a Trailer donated the Bronco's transaction fee of $5,000 to the final bid, bringing the grand total raised to a total of $126,212. |
SEMA Garage, WD-40 and many others in the industry came together in order to create a custom ’66 Ford Bronco that was recently auctioned by Bring a Trailer (BaT) to benefit Childhelp. With a winning bid of $121,212, Jeff Mosing won the fierce bidding war that erupted as the auction came down to the wire. Bring a Trailer's Randy Nonnenberg explained just how special and exciting this unique Bronco project was for all parties involved.
"We were very pleased to be selected by Childhelp and SEMA to auction this Bronco for charity," said Nonnenberg. "The strong $120k+ result came from a buyer within the BaT Community of enthusiasts who was highly motivated by the great cause and the work that Childhelp does on behalf of children in need." In addition to hosting the auction, BaT donated its transaction fee of $5,000 to the final bid, bringing the grand total raised to a total of $126,212. Nonnenberg explained why the company gifted the fee. "We are very happy to also be able to contribute to that worthy cause, and look forward to many more charity auctions on Bring a Trailer.”
The origin story of this special Bronco began as SEMA members learned about the charity build project and started donating parts, helping with installation and in some cases designing custom one-off pieces to accommodate the bold restomod.
 Under the hood lies a 3.5L EcoBoost engine that develops 375 hp and a whopping 470 lb.-ft. of torque. |
The design concept was simple: to keep the classic look and operational simplicity of a ’66 Bronco, but build one that delivers up-to-date driving capabilities and improved off-road utility. The team’s first step was to assess the vehicle’s condition. “We had to strip the entire vehicle down to the frame,” Project Lead Luis Morales said. “We started taking things apart to see what could be salvaged and what needed to be replaced.”
After the assessment stage, the Bronco received a systematic, frame-up makeover from tail to bonnet. Solo Motorsports installed a rollcage and new radius arms developed specifically for the Bronco. While at the paint and body shop, the chassis and all the underpinnings were sandblasted and repainted. LGE-CTS Motorsports painted the body a color reminiscent of WD-40 blue, with PPG Industries providing the paint. The team also added a Rhino Linings flooring liner to create an interior that could be easily cleaned and resist rust and abrasion.
When the rolling chassis returned to SEMA Garage, the team began to work on the suspension, which employs Skyjacker Suspensions springs and shocks. A set of 4.56-ratio Currie front and rear axles with Yukon Gear and Axle gears provided ideal strength and gearing for off-road use. The rear axle is a Ford 9-in., and the front is a Dana 44; locking hubs are from Warn.
When the newly painted body pieces returned to the SEMA Garage, they were fitted to the chassis. “Joining those things when there had been modifications to each of them independently was challenging,” Morales said, but in the end the Bronco’s clean, purposeful appearance and overall stance was exactly what the build called for.
Next came work on the exterior, with lighting and trim provided by Drake Automotive Group. Lund International donated fender flares, and AMP Research provided powersteps. BCR Custom Wiring installed the wiring.
Under the hood lies a 3.5L EcoBoost engine that develops 375 hp and a whopping 470 lb.-ft. of torque. The EcoBoost is a bigger engine than the inline-six that originally powered the ’66 Bronco. To make the swap work with space at a premium, the team engineered a custom cooling system using Mishimoto components, relocated the Optima battery, and worked with GReddy to install an air-induction system to fit the cramped engine bay.
With a bigger power unit came a custom driveshaft rated to handle the output. Wilwood installed new brakes and contributed a plan to optimize the rear brake lines. Summit Racing provided an original-spec fuel tank. New wheels from American Racing Wheels and 35-in. tires from Toyo Tires were also added. MagnaFlow dropped by the SEMA Garage to create and install a one-off exhaust system.
The Bronco features a number of one-off parts, many of which were 3-D printed. The center console, the ECU cover and some of the dash covers are 3-D-printed, one-off designs. Two companies, Stratasys and Dinsmore Inc. helped print parts for the Bronco. The interior also features Distinctive Industries/Roadwire Interiors interior panels and upholstery.
Founded in 1959 by Sara O’Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, the purpose of Childhelp has been prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. Since its establishment, Childhelp has grown to become one of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations. For donation and volunteer information please visit www.childhelp.org.
For more information about upcoming charity auctions, please visit www.bringatrailer.com.