Ford Braptor: Bronco Plus F-250 Equals Pure Awesomeness
Don’t like the idea of a small, V6-powered Bronco? Well, soon you’ll be able to build the full-sizer of your dreams.
As of now, we still don’t know what the forthcoming Ford Bronco will look like. But we do know that unfortunately, it won’t be based on the F-Series like the previous couple of gens. Instead, the 2020 Bronco will ride on Ranger underpinnings and carry a retro-themed exterior. So what if you covet a full-size version of Ford’s famous ‘ute? Perhaps one with the heavy-duty suspension of the venerable Raptor? Well, you build your own, that’s what.
That is exactly what the guys at Cabo Customs out of Mexicali, Baja, California, have done. And appropriately enough, they call it the “Braptor.” Pat from Cabo recently brought it by The Hoonigans’ garage, and as he explains, it is truly a mishmash of existing Ford parts. “We got a ’94 Bronco chassis. Made it Frankenstein with ’95 3/4 ton running gear off an F-250. It’s got the motor out of an F-250 – 7.5-liter roller motor.”
With long tube headers and some other mods, the big engine reportedly makes about 550 hp at the wheels. The entire suspension setup is far from stock, however, surpassing even what the F-150 Raptor comes equipped with. “It drives, it jumps, it rocks,” Pat explains. “It does everything it needs to do.” Good enough for us.
Now that you’re probably contemplating your own Braptor build, we do have some good news. This particular body was a one-off, but Cabo is in the process of creating a mold so they can put it into production.
With fifth-gen Bronco prices still hovering around the affordable range, it’s totally doable. And even if you go all out like this one, chances are you’ll still have less invested in it than you would buying a new one in 2020.
Join the Ford Truck Enthusiasts forums now!
