Meet the World’s Fastest Bronco: Bronczilla

Let’s take a look at the fastest race Bronco in the world: the infamous Bronczilla, as it absolutely demolishes Pikes Peak!

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is infamous for hosting some of the weirdest, wackiest creations in all of motorsport. And this 1994 Bronco, currently owned by Chad Grant, is no exception. It’s a truck that looks somewhat out of place even at Pikes Peak. Though it commands unquestioning respect with its intimidating stance and mind-bending specs. Not to mention its 30-year-long history, the original chassis having been assembled by the Vahsholtz family in 1993, who nicknamed it Bronczilla.

For those who aren’t familiar, the Vahsholtz name is practically synonymous with the Race to the Clouds. They’ve been roaring up Pikes Peak for literal generations. Bronczilla became famous during the mid-90s, having raced up the mountain in 1994 and ‘95. Over the years, the truck wore several different liveries and raced in numerous local and national events across the country, continuously evolving. But it was primarily used for dirt-based hillclimb events right up until the family sold it.

Proper Diet and Exercise

Powered by a 360 c.i. V8, Bronczilla is hooked up to a Jericho 4-speed gearbox similar to older-model stock cars. The chassis and body panels are entirely bespoke, featuring a fiberglass multi-piece shell sat on an aluminum tube frame. As is immediately evident in old racing footage, the Bronco’s rear-wheel drive and takes corners with surprising speed and grace.

Very little, if any, of the truck is an original Bronco at this point.  It’s such a highly specialized vehicle that even the engine was pushed back almost into the cab, so the transmission’s shifter is sat awkwardly behind where it’s normally located. So the driver has to reach back to shift gears, but such is the way of home-built racers. Originally, the truck sat 9.5 inches off the ground, though even that plus the aerodynamics (or lack thereof) weren’t enough to keep it from setting class records.

Like the Wind

Photo by Jimmy Ford

After Bronczilla disappeared from the limelight, it resurfaced in 2020 and was purchased by one Chad Grant for driver Jimmy Ford to race in the Colorado Hill Climb Association (CHCA) and Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC). Ford, a veteran racer who started in quarter midgets as a kid and used to race his father’s car up the stages, comes from another family with a history in hill climb competitions. Jimmy’s father, Jim Ford, took over as Bronczilla’s crew chief on this project, while Mr. Grant, a family friend, joined the crew.

So we now have a family heirloom hillclimb race truck, in the hands of another equally-talented family of hill-climbing racers. Truly a match made in Heaven.

There’s only one problem.

Bronczilla was still in dirt racing trim, ill-suited to the now fully-paved Pikes Peak of today. So the Ford clan put Bronczilla under the knife to modify it even more, resulting in a truly swift machine. They slammed the truck to just a little over 4 inches off the ground, upgrading the brakes, and totally altering the suspension setup for a stiffer ride. By 2022, Team Ford’s tuning paid off, and the truck weighed in at a paltry 2800 pounds for its flying run. Unfortunately, however, the truck suddenly lost power and died 11 miles up the hill, ending the run in a DNF.

A tragic end to the return of a once-famed racing machine to its roots and original intended purpose.

But that’s not where this story ends.

World’s. Fastest. Bronco.

Photo by Ford Performance

After a full rebuild, the engine now produces the full 800 horsepower, up from a reported 630 the year before. And it absolutely flew up the hill. Its new aerodynamic package glued it to the road (as much as aerodynamics apply to such a vehicle). And its massive slick tires kept the rear in line out of nearly every corner. Check out this onboard footage of Bronczilla’s first-ever full run to the top of the mountain, along with Jimmy Ford’s post-finish interview!

Jimmy finished the race in 4th place in his division in a staggering time of 10:07.261. Before his timed run, an interviewer asked Ford where the Bronco was happiest and angriest on the track. As for where it was happiest, Ford simply replied, “All 12 miles of it,” with a laugh. A comment we fully believe considering how planted the truck looked through the whole run. Considering last year’s tragic end with the truck dying right at the end of the course, this marked a spectacular moment for both car and driver. With the Bronco’s first finish on a paved Pikes Peak, and Jimmy’s first finish there full-stop, we’re betting that this won’t be the last we’ll see of this amazing and absolutely insane beast of a Ford truck.

Featured image copyright Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

Correction: this article has been updated to reflect that Chad Grant is the current owner of Bronczilla, while Jimmy Ford is the driver, and Jim Ford is the team’s crew chief. The previous version incorrectly stated that Jimmy Ford was the owner.

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M.C. Cuccio

I've been an automotive aficionado since I had baby teeth. My path was set when I first leaned on my grandfather's classic Porsche as I learned how to walk. One of my first memories was my mother sitting me behind the wheel of her Pontiac and talking me through the instrumentation and controls. Even though I was a mere three or four years old, I was instantly sold, and filled notebooks with technical drawings, sketches, and collections of manuals of all sorts of cars. I've actively tracked developments in automotive and motorsport technology for well over 20 years, and pride myself on being intimately familiar with the functions and history of a wide range of vehicles.

My primary goal as a writer and enthusiast is to equally learn and share what I've learned in a constructive and interesting way. I maintain connections with people from around the world and can read technical manuals in Italian, Japanese, and Spanish, granting me access to a wide array of resources. My primary focuses are deep-dives into historical topics, motorsport discussion, and learning about the complex mechanical elements of such vehicles. As such, my research is never perfect; as anyone into cars will attest, the more you learn about cars, the more you realize how little you actually know. Therefore, I always welcome fresh knowledge and corrections to help me better my work in the future.