We’re a little over a month away from the opening of the 2017 SEMA Auto Show, and as you might expect from my favorite auto show of the year, the show offerings are going to challenge your imagination. This early, we’re already getting previews of some of the projects we’ll see at SEMA, one of which is this beauty of a retro classic. It’s called the Ford WD-40 SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco, and it looks nothing like O.J. Simpson’s White Bronco. To be clear, this is the OG 1966 Bronco, the first-generation version of a model that would last five generations and, arguably, one of the most infamous Ford SUVs in history.

This particular Bronco may not have the history attached to it. But it is the subject of a collaborative work undertaken by Aaron Vaccar of The Vaccar Co. and household chemicals company WD-40, the makers of the famous lubricant of the same name. Not much in the way of details have been revealed at this point, but we do know that this piece is a legitimate one-off creation that features design and color details that are inspired from WD-40. The treatment isn’t unlike what we’ve seen from WD-40, which has a history of supporting SEMA Cares over the years. Some of its past creations include a Ford WD-40 Mustang and a Dodge Challenger WD-40 that was created with the help of Chip Foose. The Ford WD-40 SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco will be in attendance at SEMA where it will eventually be auctioned for charity. All the proceeds from the auction will then be sent to a few organizations, including Childhelp, an organization that provides important services to abused and neglected children, and the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarship help to students who are entering the aftermarket world of the auto industry.

Continue after the jump to read more about the Ford WD-40 SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco

2017 Ford WD-40/SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2017 Ford WD-40/SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco

2018 Ford WD-40/SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2018 Ford WD-40/SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

What makes the Ford WD-40 SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco special?

WD-40 is a staple at SEMA, so much so that the company has, over the years, sponsored one-off creations of different cars just to have them auctioned off for charity. It’s a cool gesture on the part of WD-40 and from an automotive standpoint, it’s been a treat to see that this tradition will continue at the 2017 SEMA Auto Show with the Ford WD-40 SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco.

For now, the only thing I can tell you about the SUV itself is that it’s dressed up in the famous blue-and-yellow colors of WD-40 with the whole body of the Bronco getting the blue treatment and the front sections and the wheel surrounds getting the yellow treatment. It’s actually a different approach from what we’ve come to see in the past as most of the WD-40/SEMA Cares project cars sport the yellow car in the body while the blue acts as the trim. It happened back in 2010 with the WD-40 Mustang, as well as in 2011 with Chip Foose’s Dodge Challenger WD-40. Even last year’s offering - a 1966 Chevrolet Camaro - featured a yellow body and small but no less discrete blue trims all around.

At the moment, there are no shots of the interior of the WD-40 SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco. Expect more photos and details to arrive in the coming weeks as draw closer and closer to the opening of the SEMA Auto Show on October 31. That said, WD-40 indicated that some of its other products, including the WD-40 Specialist Superior Performance True Multi-Purpose Grease, Spray & Stay Gel Lubricant, Rust Release Penetrant Spray, and the new WD-40 Specialist Industrial-Strength Cleaner & Degreaser, will all be used in the development of this one-off Ford Bronco.

From a power standpoint, the WD-40 SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco will make use of a biturbo EcoBoost engine. Neither Ford nor WD-40 have indicated the kind of power the EcoBoost mill has, but if I were to make a suggestion, a bi-turbo V-6 would be the perfect spot for the one-off SUV to be able to maximize its full potential. Should that be the case, don’t sleep on the WD-40 SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco and its ability to turn more than a few heads through different means. Could it be that it could even get the same engine as the Ford Raptor, which already packs 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque at its disposal?

Some of WD-40’s past SEMA-bound project cars

Last year, WD-40, designer Neil Tjin, and instructors from the Universal Technical Institute all joined forces to give us the 1967 Chevrolet Camaro 50th Anniversary Edition. It was meant to be an anniversary piece to celebrate the Camaro’s 50th anniversary. The car itself underwent an extensive build process, and included the help of several partners, namely Eckler’s, Budnik Wheels, Axalta, Eibach, Falken Tires, Baer Brake Systems, LR Auto Body, and Optima Batteries.

1967 Chevrolet Camaro 50th Anniversary WD-40 Sema Cares


In truth, most of WD-40’s SEMA one-offs are born from multi-company collaborations like the one that created the Camaro 50th Anniversary model last year. This year, WD-40’s list of partners extend past Aaron Vaccar and The Vaccar Co. Other build partners that have donated products for this particular build include AIRAID, AMSOIL, AutoMeter, B&M, BASF, Blood & Grease, Detroit Steel Wheel, Diode Dynamics, Flowmaster, General Tire, Grip Royal, Mishimoto, POR-15, The Club, VMS Racing, and XS Power.

Go back a few years and you’ll similar patterns taking fold every time WD-40 creates a one-off model for SEMA. Back in 2011, legendary hot rod designer and TV star Chip Foose created a Dodge Challenger with the help of BASF, Street Scene/Foose, Hotchkis, Magnaflow, and Brembo brakes. The result of that was a stunning Challenger wearing WD-40’s trademark colors.


References

Ford Bronco

Read more Ford Bronco here.

Ford Bronco renderings

See more Ford Bronco renderings.