BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois-based classic Bronco builders Maxlider Brothers Customs made their Detroit Autorama debut in 2019 with two high-profile custom vehicles: a 1966 four-door Ford Bronco and a 1974 two-door Bronco. Both Broncos won first place prizes in the Radical Mini 4x4 categories presented by Autorama. Both Broncos won first place in their respective categories based on the year of the vehicle.
One of Maxlider’s first-place vehicles was a Brittany Blue 1966 four-door Bronco they stretched 26 inches to add a third row of seating. Since completion, it has become one of the most shared and published Broncos on the Internet.
“Our goal was to capture the attention of Ford Motor Company and influence their design of the upcoming 2020 Bronco,” said Erik Barnlund, CEO of Maxlider Brothers Customs.
This Bronco has racked up plenty of awards including finishing as a Top 10 Truck at SEMA’s (Specialty Equipment Market Association) 2017 Battle of the Builders, winning Best Truck and SUV, of SEMA 2017 from the GranTurismo and 1st Place trophies in the Radical Mini 4x4 category at 2017 World of Wheels shows in both Chicago and Indianapolis.
Maxlider’s latest custom creation, a 1974 Bronco, debuted at the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas in October, placing in the Top 10 Trucks in the Battle of the Builders competition. Winning a first place prize at the 2019 Detroit Autorama, one of the largest auto shows in the United States, makes this Bronco a highly regarded build. Named the NIL8, this Bronco was created using sheet metal and lighting from United Pacific Industries and painted the signature blue color of UPI’s company logo. Maxlider Brothers Customs hand built the tub for the vehicle and installed a Coyote engine.
“To be recognized twice at one of the most competitive and prestigious auto shows in the United States our first time exhibiting is a huge honor. Maxlider Brothers Customs has been generally accepted as one of the leading classic Bronco builders by Bronco enthusiasts, and we’ve taken great pride in that. For both of these Broncos to place in the SEMA Show Top 10 Trucks at the Battle of the Builders was incredible, but winning the first place prize for the Radical Mini 4x4 category for the 1966 Bronco and the NIL8 at Autorama is an actual dream come true,” Barnlund said.
Bronco enthusiasts look to Maxlider Brothers Customs for advice and direction on parts and products they can use when building or restoring their own Broncos. Customers of customized Broncos built by the company seek out Maxlider Brothers for their Broncos due to their reputation among the DIY enthusiasts.
“Broncos know no boundaries. Old and young, men and women – everyone loves a Bronco because of how easy it is to customize them to suit their needs and wants,” Barnlund said.
The NIL8 Bronco will be displayed next at the Bronco Super Celebration in Townsend, Tennessee April 10-13.
