Kim Kardashian Just Bought A Coyote V8-Swapped 1973 Ford Bronco Restomod
Kim Kardashian has added a 1973 Ford Bronco restomod to her collection, and the build underneath the celebrity headline is the real story. The truck — priced at $285,000 — is powered by a Ford Coyote V8 swap, placing it squarely in the upper tier of first-gen Bronco builds where modern power meets vintage sheet metal.
The purchase was confirmed this week, and it lands at an interesting moment for the restomod market. High-end early Broncos have been climbing steadily, and celebrity ownership of a specific platform has a documented history of pulling collector values upward. For gearheads who’ve been watching first-gen Bronco prices, this one is worth paying attention to.
A First-Gen Bronco Built for the Modern Era
The 1973 Ford Bronco sits in the most desirable window of first-generation production — the 1966–1977 run that enthusiasts have long considered the purest expression of Ford’s original compact off-roader. These trucks were built on a short-wheelbase, body-on-frame platform with a simplicity that makes them ideal candidates for a full restomod treatment: strip the tired drivetrain, modernize the suspension and interior, and drop in a powerplant that actually belongs in 2026.
That’s exactly what this build does. The Coyote V8 — Ford’s 5.0-liter modular engine family — is the go-to swap for first-gen Broncos for reasons that go beyond bragging rights. In stock Mustang GT trim the engine produces 480 horsepower and 418 lb-ft of torque, though high-end restomod shops routinely tune or build on that figure. More practically, the Coyote’s parts ecosystem is massive, its reliability record is proven across hundreds of thousands of production miles, and its physical dimensions work within the first-gen Bronco’s engine bay with the right mounts. It’s a swap that makes mechanical sense, not just marketing sense.
Why the Coyote Swap Defines High-End Bronco Builds Right Now
The Coyote V8 has become the benchmark for serious first-gen Bronco restomods the same way the LS swap defined the previous generation of builds. It’s a modern, dual-overhead-cam engine with variable valve timing, returnless fuel injection, and a rev ceiling that the old 302 Windsor or 351 Cleveland could never approach — yet it fits the vintage aesthetic without requiring a hood scoop or a dramatically modified firewall.
For restomod builders working at the $200,000-and-up level, the Coyote also pairs naturally with modern four-wheel independent suspension setups, Wilwood or Brembo brake packages, and custom interior builds that bring climate control and modern audio into a cab that still looks period-correct from the outside. The result is a truck that drives nothing like a 50-year-old vehicle but looks exactly like one — which is precisely what the top of the restomod market is buying right now.
Celebrity Ownership and What It Does to First-Gen Bronco Values
This isn’t the first time a celebrity purchase has put a spotlight on the early Bronco restomod segment. Mark Wahlberg’s custom 1974 Ford Bronco restomod sold at auction for $325,000 earlier this year, a figure that would have seemed unreachable for a first-gen truck not long ago. That sale reinforced what builders and collectors already knew: the right restomod, with the right provenance, commands prices that rival purpose-built sports cars.
Kardashian’s $285,000 acquisition fits that same trajectory. Celebrity ownership of a desirable platform doesn’t just validate the build — it pulls mainstream attention toward a segment that was already gaining momentum, which historically translates to increased demand and upward pressure on comparable examples. Gearheads who’ve been sitting on a clean first-gen shell or a half-finished Coyote swap project have reason to take notice. The window where these builds were an enthusiast secret is closing fast.
The builder behind this specific truck hasn’t been publicly confirmed in available reporting, which means details on the exact suspension package and interior spec remain unverified for now — worth watching as more information surfaces. What’s already clear is that the build checks every box the high-end restomod market rewards: the right platform, the right engine, and now the kind of visibility that moves markets.
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