It’s no secret that the modern Ford Bronco is one of the hottest SUVs on the market today.
But for folks like Scott Womack, those new Bronco fans are late to the party.
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Story Summary Overview
- Rebuilt 1977 Ford Bronco SUV, final year of original Bronco production
- Built & Owned by a Bronco enthusiast
- Several key upgrades, notably a BluePrint 306 Ford Bronco crate engine
- “Cactus Gray” paint
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(Image/OnAllCylinders)
Scott’s been a diehard Blue Oval fan for a very, very long time—and he’s acquired several Broncos over the years.
“I bought my first one when I was 15,” he tells us. “My grandfather and I fixed it up, and I drove it through high school.”
Better yet, on his 16th birthday, he received a set of Ford truck floormats, which he summarily tossed into the footwells of his old Bronco.
“And I put ’em in this new one here,” he grins, gesturing to the inside of this incredibly clean 1977 example we spotted at the 2025 Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals in Columbus, Ohio.
These floormats have seen decades of use in several of Scott’s rigs, and they still clean-up like new. (Image/OnAllCylinders)
Scott says that this particular truck was built to be his best—putting his years of Bronco-wrenching expertise into making this Ford extra special.
“I wanted to build the one I’ve always wanted,” he smiles. “I’ve had it for eight years now, and I spent six of those building it.”
And that time was clearly well-spent, considering the starting point. “It was a rust bucket,” Scott chuckles. “There were three layers of road signs screwed down to the floors.”
(Image/OnAllCylinders)
“Almost everything was replaced,” Scott says, as he describes the massive amount of bodywork that went into making the trusty Ford what you see here. “Part of the firewall, the grille, and the doors are original,” he continues. “The rest I built at home—I painted it in my garage and did everything.”
And that paint? It’s Ford’s official “Cactus Gray”, a shade which debuted on the Bronco in 2021.
“It’s a tribute to the new ones,” Scott quips.
(Image/OnAllCylinders)
Not to dismiss the incredible paint and bodywork here, but the driveline is where we think this Bronco really shines—starting with a specially-packaged 306Max Bronco Crate Engine from BluePrint Engines.
The BluePrint Bronco engines offer plenty of upside: They’re specially cammed for low-end power to complement larger tire and wheel packages. And better yet, the BluePrint folks address the infamous overheating issues a lot of the early Bronco V8s had.
We got a good look at some of these special Bronco engines at the SEMA Show a few years back, watch the video to learn more:
But we digress. The engine is only step one of this Bronco’s driveline upgrades.
“It’s got a five speed manual transmission,” Scott continues. “I went limited slip, 4:56 gears, chromoly axles, a 31-spline rear, and hydroboost brakes.”
In the cab you’ll find an integrated roll cage, tilt steering, and an oh-so-nice Vintage Air A/C system retrofit too. Scott also added a slick set of Amp Powerstep retractable running boards to help folks leg-up into the truck.
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A West Virginia native, Scott explains that he wouldn’t hesitate to take one of his other Broncos down a rutted trail or through a muddy ditch—but this one is special, so it’s living a pampered life of cruising and car shows.
“This is the top of the mountain for me,” he jokes. “But I’ve also got a 1970 Bronco that I’ll build for my wife next.”
To recap: Scott really, really likes his Broncos.
And when we heard the signature Ford V8 rumble coming from this one, it’s easy to understand why.
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(Image/OnAllCylinders)
