The Restomod Bronco Boom: Why RK Motors' Listings Point to Surging Vintage SUV DemandClassic SUVs have quietly become one of the most talked-about corners of the collector market this year. A widely discussed Wall Street Journal feature on old, loud, mechanical SUVs turning into style statements has put a spotlight on trucks that used to be considered niche buys, and real-world listing data seems to back the trend up.One of the clearest real-world examples comes from RK Motors, the Charlotte, North Carolina dealership known for high-end restorations and restomods. RK Motors currently has two 1974 Ford Bronco restomods built by Velocity Restorations in its inventory, and according to figures the dealership has shared, both listings are drawing significantly more page views than the average vehicle among its roughly five dozen cars and trucks.Two Trucks, Two Different ApproachesAdvertisementAdvertisementThe pair of Broncos gives shoppers a rare side-by-side look at two ways to build the same platform.The pricier of the two, listed at $249,900, rides on an all-new Roadster Shop chassis and pairs a Ford Coyote 5.0-liter V8 with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It is finished in Brittany Blue over a Cognac interior and has logged just under 3,500 miles since the build was completed. Full listing: https://www.rkmotors.com/vehicles/5321/1974-ford-bronco-velocityThe second truck, priced at $219,900, takes a different structural approach. Rather than a new aftermarket frame, it uses a comprehensively rebuilt original Bronco chassis reinforced with a 6-point roll cage. It shares the same Coyote V8 and 10-speed automatic, wrapped in a deep metallic blue exterior over a leather cabin, with fewer than 900 miles since completion. Full listing: https://www.rkmotors.com/vehicles/5320/1974-ford-bronco-velocityWhy Broncos, and Why NowAdvertisementAdvertisementVintage 4x4s have been climbing in cultural visibility for a while, but the Wall Street Journal's reporting on buyers paying well into six figures for customized old Broncos, including one collector who reportedly spent around $125,000 on a 1976 build, gave the trend a mainstream audience. Broncos in particular check a lot of boxes for that audience: instantly recognizable styling, a manageable size for daily use, and now, thanks to shops like Velocity Restorations, modern reliability bolted underneath a body that looks decades old.RK Motors' own sales history adds context to that demand. The dealership reports having sold 27 Ford Broncos across model years 1966 through 1990, with roughly one in five of those built by Velocity Restorations specifically. That is a meaningful share for a single builder in a category that includes plenty of frame-off restorations and unmodified trucks.The Restomod PremiumIt is worth comparing that pricing to what an unrestored Bronco actually sells for. Hagerty's price guide pegs a "Good" condition 1974 Bronco with the original 302 V8 at roughly $51,100 as of mid-2026, and recent public sales of stock or lightly modified trucks from that era have mostly landed between $37,000 and $75,000. Against that backdrop, RK Motors' two Velocity-built trucks, at three to five times that benchmark, illustrate how much buyers are willing to pay for a fully modernized chassis and drivetrain handled by a specialist shop rather than left as a project for the next owner.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhat to Look for in a Restomod BroncoIf you are shopping this category rather than just RK Motors' pair, a few things are worth checking before you buy: whether the chassis is a purpose-built aftermarket unit or a reinforced original frame, what drivetrain is underneath (the Coyote V8 and 10-speed automatic has become something of an industry standard for late-model Bronco builds), how many miles have accumulated since the build was finished, and whether the build carries documentation from a known, traceable shop.Velocity Restorations, the shop behind both RK Motors trucks, has built a reputation specifically around first-generation Broncos using that same recipe: a Coyote V8, a 10-speed automatic, and either a Roadster Shop chassis or a reengineered factory frame. That kind of consistency is likely part of why the shop's name keeps coming up among buyers researching this segment.Both Broncos remain listed on RK Motors' site as of this writing, along with the rest of the dealership's current inventory, for anyone curious how they stack up against other trucks and SUVs on the market. RK Motors can be reached at (704) 445-9105.