Flashback Friday: 1994 Bronco Looks Better Than Ever
Veteran Ford service employee rehabs a 1994 Eddie Bauer Edition Bronco beyond showroom condition.
It’s been 24 years since Ford produced the Bronco. Fortunately, another one is right around the corner. With that in mind, it’s important to celebrate those that came before. And what better way to do that than to celebrate a fifth generation model getting some much needed love?
In December 2018, Kenny Corley, a long time service employee at Hixson Ford, discussed his effort to bring his Bronco back to life. It took some elbow grease and some determination to make it happen, but Corley ultimately prevailed. And the result is a beautifully restored 1994 Eddie Bauer Edition Bronco that looks better than new!
Bronco Love
Corley, a veteran Ford employee, is a true Bronco fan. “I’ve always driven a Bronco and like the way they drive,” says Corley. He used his connections to contact a known Bronco owner to inquire if he was willing to part with the one he drove. That wasn’t in the cards, but the owner did keep a second Bronco as a parts truck. Ultimately, that’s the truck that Corley purchased. As first, it doesn’t exactly look like the truck is worth the time and money. But Corley saw things differently.
Fortunately, the Bronco seemed to avoid any rust related issues. But it was in rough shape. “The interior on it. It was in real bad shape. We got online and found new leather for it. And then I went to another place and found the seat because the seat tracks and all were no good,” says Corley. In addition to the exterior, Corley installed a new engine and cleaned up the exterior. Initially, his wife wasn’t too thrilled with the Bronco, but his detailing experience turned her around on the truck. After that, he used his employer to repaint the truck and keep it as original as possible. That means the truck is equipped with either the Ford 5.0 liter V8 or the 5.8-liter “Windsor” V8.
Round Two
Based on the pictures, it’s obvious Corley successfully restored his Bronco. Overall, it looks absolutely fantastic and it might be even better than new. In fact, he was so successful that his brother wanted him to restore one for him! “We put a new motor in his. New carpet, new seats. And everything that wasn’t working on his, we got it all working. His looks great and it runs great,” says Corley. We’re inclined to agree with him. It’s hard to pick out which one of his projects looks better too. Both are extremely good examples of fifth generation models. In any event, it’s abundantly clear that two tone paint schemes need to make a comeback. Corley deserves to be praised for bringing back not one, but two Broncos from the brink. He clearly has great taste and even better mechanical skills.
The fifth-generation Bronco represented the last model before the nameplate’s long hiatus. The survivors are chock full of 90’s nostalgia, whether they’re clad in funky colors or just really stellar examples still out there on the road. Corley’s effort to restore two of them warms our hearts and we hope he’s still out there with his amazing Bronco today. Kudos to Hixson Ford for shining a light on such a great member of the team. Make sure you watch the video to see Corley’s Bronco before he worked his magic on it.
