SP Rides: Ralphie the Bustin’ Bronco
By Michael Kitchens
Name: Esket Padeken
Age: 48
Occupation: Chef, owner
Hobbies: Cars, family
Year/Make/Model: 1986 Ford Bronco II
Color: 2013 Ford Magic Red
Engine: Swapped 2.6L Explorer V6 and transmission, Catback Flowermaster Exhaust with polished tip
Exterior: Ceramic window tint, Eurostyle Clear Lenses, black chrome emblems, pin striping, custom front bumpers, polished mirrors, black chrome grill
Interior: Grant steering wheel, Alpine Receiver with Subwoofer, replacement gauge cluster, LED lighting
Wheels, Tires, Suspension: American Eagle 15/9 wheels, Goodyear Wrangler P235/75R15s, Rancho 2-inch lift and shocks
Esket Padeken enjoys unique vehicles. As a chef and business owner, his career has allowed him to partake in a wide selection of vehicles, including VWs, Toyotas, Chevys, Dodges and more. In recent years, he’s become enamored with older vehicles — the ones without the high-end technology that often complicates things.
Such is the case with this 1986 Ford Bronco II. There are a ton of Broncos out there, and you’ll find many of them on trails getting dusty and dirty. But this one is special because Esket’s wife, Elaine, found this model named “Ralphie” in Colorado, and because this jewel-in-the-rough SUV has progressively changed over the past eight years. And what a transformation it’s undergone! Its original form was a two-toned orange-red and black primered mess with a big wheel on the back. Esket saw a vision of a clean, shaved and trimmed pristine example of an older Bronco, and quickly set in motion plans for a complete makeover.
The engine and transmission were ripped out and replaced with a 2.9L V6 from a later model Explorer. This immediately gave the Bronco some extra oomph in the power department. Augmented by a clean-cut Flowmaster exhaust with a polished tip, this ride has got the guts. The spare tire was ripped off and the windows were given a ceramic tint for comfort. Before paint, a Rancho 2-inch lift with sturdy shocks was installed for the proper look.
Although not the prettiest, the body was in decent shape so Esket worked off the old paint and slowly began the prep for paint. The stunning 2013 Ford Magic Red was applied by his friend, Thomas, and contained about eight ounces of extra flake for a paint job that simply oozes with color. Gorgeous pinstriping was then completed by Stripes & Things. The end result is a Bronco that stands out from the pack.
Additional exterior mods were added to bring a slightly modern look to a workhorse like the Bronco. Clear eurotails were installed while all of exterior components were refreshed. Black chrome emblems were added in addition to some LED lighting. The slim chrome bumpers were taken from a Ranger for a nice twist while the mirrors and window guards keep the Bronco looking authentic. 15-inch American Eagle wheels were etched and acid-blasted, then wrapped with Goodyear Wranglers to keep them aggressive as they should be.
The interior is in incredible shape — so much so that it would seem as if it just rolled off the factory floor. Since this is a daily driver for his wife, Esket chose to keep it comfortable and easy to operate. An Alpine CDE-14387 receiver was added with some pounding subs in the back to make the ride fun while a brand new dash cluster was installed to replace the old worn one. A Grant Steering wheel provides better control with an updated look.
Esket was pleasantly surprised by the way the Bronco has turned out. “To me, this is a skill and a hobby that is fun and easy to pass onto younger generations. Do it yourself, save your bankroll and appreciate the car. It’s our hard work that made this car what it is,” he says.
