1976 Ford Bronco ‘Evil Twin’ Pairs 549 HP With 40-Inch Tires
A ground-up 1976 Bronco build combines a 549-hp 427 stroker, long-travel suspension and 40-inch tires for road and dune use.
Spencer and Carolyn Lepman’s 1976 Ford Bronco has the shape of a classic first-generation 4x4, but very little else is old. Built from the frame up by CBM Designs in Canby, Oregon, it combines a 549-hp 427 stroker, 40-inch tires and long-travel suspension. The aim was to keep the familiar Bronco look while taking power and off-road ability well beyond the couple’s original truck.
The project began when Spencer considered restoring the couple’s 1973 Bronco, which they had owned for 33 years. He decided to leave that truck in its semi-stock condition and build a second Bronco to serve as its “Evil Twin.” The new truck was designed for open-road driving as well as trips to Oregon’s dunes and other off-road destinations.
CBM owner Robert “Crazy Bronco Man” Warke says the team spent three years creating the vehicle. Its foundation is an all-steel reproduction body from Shannon’s Bronco, mounted on a Throttle Down Kustoms frame. The Bahama Blue bodywork recalls a restored 1970s Bronco, but the components beneath it were selected for this build.
427 power and a 6R80 automatic
The centerpiece is a Ford Racing aluminum small-block V8 based on a 351W DART block and stroked to 427 cubic inches. It produced 549 hp on a chassis dyno the day before the Bronco went to the dunes. The engine uses SRP pistons, an Ohio Crankshaft rotating assembly, Jesel valvetrain components and 220 AFR cylinder heads. Patriot and CBM Designs long-tube headers feed an Edelbrock Pro-Flow 4 port-injection system. Fuel comes from a custom 26-gallon tank with dual pumps.
A Cold Case aluminum radiator and cooling system manage engine temperatures. CBM also fitted heating and Vintage Air air conditioning, while RaceWire wiring runs through a single multipin firewall connector.
A modified Ford 6R80 automatic sends power to an Advance Adapters Atlas 2 Pro Series transfer case. It has a 3.0:1 low range and a left-hand front output. Custom heavy-duty Driveline Tech driveshafts connect it to Currie Super Duty 609 axles at both ends. Their GearWorks HP 10-inch high-pinion third members use 4.56 gears. An ARB Air Locker sits in the rear axle; a Detroit Locker is fitted up front.
Those components drive 40-inch Cooper STT Pro tires. The combination is aimed at keeping traction on loose terrain such as the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, where the Bronco was photographed in use.
Long travel for road and trail
Rather than retain the original Bronco suspension layout, CBM built a three-link front and four-link rear setup, following the long-travel approach used on prerunners and desert-racing trucks. Extra-long radius arms work with 2.5-inch King coil-over shocks, remote reservoirs and Accutune Offroad springs. The suspension provides more than 12 inches of travel up front and 14 inches at the rear.
King hydraulic bump stops, limiting straps, a 4.5-inch lift, RuffStuff trailing-arm links and a Tk1 Racing anti-sway bar complete the setup. King shocks and Accutune springs offer adjustment for the different demands of highway and off-road driving. The package’s travel and large tires point clearly toward rough terrain, while the owners’ original brief also called for a Bronco that would be easy to drive on the open road.
Cabin, steering and recovery gear
CBM replaced the factory steering with a PSC Motorsports full-hydraulic system and installed Wilwood power disc brakes at all four wheels. Warke designed a new dashboard and center console, arranging vents, switches and shifters for access while the occupants are strapped in. Twin-stick cable shifters from JB Custom Fabrication operate the transfer case. A Kilduff Midnight Express shifter handles the automatic, with a US Shift Quick 6 Gen2 controller managing its operation.
Bailie Bilt bumpers protect both ends, and a Warn Zeon XD 10S winch is mounted at the front. The Lepmans chose PRP Enduro Series reclining suspension seats with heating and cooling, plus matching four-point harnesses. The rear seat has the same features so the couple’s grandchildren can join their off-road trips.
The build’s defining trade-off is clear: its 427, lockers, axles and suspension are engineered around demanding off-road use, while the air conditioning, automatic transmission and adjustable seats add comfort for longer drives. Spencer says the finished Bronco meets the couple’s expectations. His next step, he says, is learning to drive it well enough to enjoy what the build can do.
