We’re looking forward to seeing this stunning 1966 Ford Bronco resto-mod at SEMA 2018

Would you prefer an all-original vintage 1960s Ford Bronco, or is a Ford Bronco resto-mod, modernized for a better ride and contemporary amenities, more your speed? To restore, or to resto-mod?

In the automotive hobby, it’s one of those eternal questions of nearly Shakespearean proportions. And it’s a question that can become very personal and emotionally charged depending on the point of view of the individual enthusiast.

Here at AutoNewsblaster, we really don’t take a dogmatic point of view on the issue of whether it’s better to try to preserve or restore vehicles as they were originally built or to breathe new life into them by taking advantage of the wealth of mechanical and technological upgrades that the industry has to offer today.

It’s really a context-dependent question, with the two key variables being the owner’s intended purpose for the vehicle and, perhaps even more importantly, what the starting point is.

If you’ve found an incredibly well-preserved survivor that needs little work to keep it road worthy, then one could certainly make a case for keeping it largely as it is—for the same reasons that many of us would frown upon arbitrarily tearing down a beautiful Victorian home in a town’s historic district and putting up a modern, cookie-cutter McMansion.

On the other hand, if you’ve rescued a forgotten classic from a rusty grave and it needs a frame-up re-build, then why not a resto-mod? Resto-mods are especially worthwhile if you want a daily driver that mixes modern comforts, conveniences, and safety with classic looks. And there’s nothing wrong with that. You’re still preserving part of automotive history—and creating a one-of-a-kind vehicle that expresses your own point of view on the motoring experience.

As the largest the premier showcase for the automotive specialty products industry, the floor at SEMA is, of course, like a trip into resto-mod heaven—a chance to look at some of the best-executed examples of how you really can teach old cars and trucks new tricks.

And if you’re one of the some 70,000 industry insiders who will be headed to Vegas later this month for the show, the 1966 Ford Bronco built by Maxlider Brothers Customs for United Pacific Industries will be among the resto-mods you’ll have a chance to check out. This one will be on display at Booth 23175 in Central Hall.

The United Pacific classic Ford Bronco will be equipped with a Ford Performance Coyote 5.0L engine and other modern conveniences including air conditioning, Bluetooth stereo, accurate electronic gauges and power running boards. Maxlider Brothers Customs has not overlooked any detail, including adjustable custom leather seats to accommodate taller drivers and passengers with ease. The 1966 Bronco in the United Pacific booth might look classic on the outside, but it features modern amenities necessary to make it comfortable to drive today.

Body components produced by United Pacific are foundational to this Bronco build by Maxlider Brothers Customs. United Pacific produces exact replica sheet metal for the 1966 to 1977 Ford Broncos so that enthusiasts can recreate their ideal classic Bronco.

United Pacific supplied everything necessary for the body, including the fender flares, door shells, windshield and window frames, front and rear bumpers, door jambs, tail light housing panels, rocker panels, and more. Also among more than 60 products from United Pacific that Maxlider Brothers Customs used in the build are aluminum tail light bezels and LED sequential tail lights.

“United Pacific Industries has specifically chosen Maxlider Brothers Customs to build this high-profile flagship Bronco for our company,” said United Pacific Industries Director of Research and Development, David Odegard, in a press release. “Their knowledge of and passion for Ford Broncos is unmatched, so we knew they were the best people to build our SEMA booth vehicle.”