This “Rusty” 1975 Bronco Hides a 480-HP Coyote V8 Under All That Patina

The vintage truck world loves them some good ‘ole patina. And purists universally agree on one thing: patina should never be faked. That sun-baked paint and honest rust are supposed to be earned over decades, and not applied in a booth.

Classic Ford Broncos would like a word, because its latest Patina Series build, a 1975 Bronco named Mack, makes a compelling case for heresy.

Fifty Years of Wear, Applied by Hand

Here’s the trick: none of the Mack’s age is real. The Highland Green finish (yes, the same shade Steve McQueen made famous on the Bullitt Mustang) was distressed by an artist, with every faded panel, worn edge, and rust bloom painted onto a brand-new steel body.

That gorgeous body sits on the truck’s factory original 1975 frame, and has been restored and fitted with modern suspension, steering, and braking. So while Mack looks like it spent five decades parked behind a barn, it drives like it rolled off the line last week. Which, technically, it did.

The Malaise Era Never Saw This Coming

Now, a little context makes this next part sweeter. In 1975, smog regulations had strangled the Bronco’s 302 V8 down to a wheezing 125 horsepower or so. It was arguably the low point of the model’s entire run.

Mack answers for that with a Gen 4 Coyote, the same 5.0-liter V8 found in the current Mustang GT, good for 480 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque in crate form. That’s nearly four times what this truck left Michigan with, routed through a 10-speed automatic instead of the original three-speed slushbox.

A Pristine Cabin Inside a “Ruined” Shell

Climb past the artfully corroded doors and the illusion shatters completely. CFB’s hand-stitched saddle leather buckets look showroom fresh, and the German boxweave flooring underfoot is the kind of detail you’d expect in a concours Porsche restoration, not a working truck.

A wood-rimmed wheel and vintage-style radio keep the cabin period-adjacent, while the black roll cage quietly handles modern safety duty.

CFB has been at this since 2005, with over 400 builds to its name and each truck assembled start to finish by a single builder. Patina builds are the rarest of the bunch, and no two are repeated. And the Mack makes it easy to see why people keep asking for them.

Spec Sheet

Pricing & Availability

CFB builds very few Patina Series trucks, and no two are alike, so if Mack speaks to you, head over to Classic Ford Broncos’ website to inquire directly or commission your own.