Some builds make their case with sheer volume. Walter and Cynthia Codesido’s 2023 Ford Bronco Badlands goes about it differently. They call it “Clasico,” and it gets its presence from a deep bronze finish, gloss black accents, and a thin red pinstripe that follows the body lines the way trim does on a vintage hot rod. It’s a modern 4×4 styled with an old-school eye, and it earned a spot in the Turn 14 Distribution display outside the Las Vegas Convention Center during the 2026 SEMA Show.
Look a little closer and the name starts to feel like misdirection. Under the throwback styling is a thoroughly current parts list, and its most interesting component is one few people would have noticed if Turn 14 hadn’t pulled the driver-side front wheel to put it on display.
Paint With A Point Of View
Ryan Evans at Count’s Kustoms handled the custom paint and graphics, framing bronze body panels in black and separating the two with that fine red line. The color story carries through the rest of the truck. The 17-inch Raceline Omega wheels are finished in gold with red rings, the calipers and recovery points are red, and inside, the seats are wrapped in Salsa Red Katzkin leather.
The hard parts follow the same thinking. DV8 Off-Road Spec Series bumpers anchor both ends, and the front bumper carries an 8,000-pound Warrior winch. Bestop supplied the fender flares along with its E-Top soft top, which keeps the open-air character that Bronco owners value. Wolfbox electric running boards tuck away when they’re not needed, and 37-inch Shelby Python Trail X/T tires fill out the openings.
Light, Power, And Protection
Diode Dynamics handled the lighting. The factory headlights and taillights were replaced with Diode units, and SS3 and SS5 auxiliary lights include a row of pods across the windshield header. Under the hood, a Ford Performance ProCal tuner works with a PPE intercooler and charge pipes to sharpen throttle response. PPE also supplied a differential cover and transmission pan, which protect parts that take the brunt of trail damage. R1 Concepts rotors upgrade the braking, an Antigravity lithium battery cuts weight while keeping the accessories powered, and Diamond Audio speakers handle the sound.
The Headliner Hides Behind The Wheel
The component that sets this Bronco apart is its Bilstein B8 8112 ZoneControl CR DSA+ suspension. The coilover was part of the 2026 SEMA New Products Showcase, and Clasico gave showgoers a look at it installed on a real build instead of sitting on a display shelf.
The B8 8112 is a direct-fit, 2.65-inch coilover built for trucks and SUVs, so it bolts in without cutting or fabrication. Its defining trait is position sensitivity. Damping changes with how far the shock moves through its stroke, so the ride stays supple near ride height and firms up as the suspension cycles deeper. In practice, that should mean a Bronco that rides comfortably on the street and still resists bottoming out when it lands hard or drops into a washout.
Inside, triple-piston valving gives the damper three compression stages and two rebound stages. Dual-speed compression separates the response to slow inputs, such as body roll and rock crawling, from fast hits like whoops and square-edged bumps. The shock is three-way adjustable, so owners can tune it to their terrain instead of accepting one compromise setting. It also uses an adjustable JCO bump stop to control the end of travel.
The practical features are just as useful. The coilover provides zero to three inches of ride height adjustment, enough to level the truck or account for the added weight of bumpers and a winch. A remote reservoir with its own mount adds oil capacity and helps the shock resist fade on long, rough runs.
On Clasico, the Bilsteins work alongside Metalcloak front and rear arms and track bars. That pairing lets the new dampers deliver their full benefit because the suspension geometry around them has been upgraded too.
A Classic Name With Current Hardware
What makes Clasico work is balance. The Codesidos built a Bronco with real capability, but they never let the parts list overwhelm the design. Bronze paint and red leather give it personality, and the Bilstein B8 8112 gives it a level of suspension control that a factory Badlands can’t match. It looks to the past for style and relies on some of the newest suspension hardware in the industry to perform.
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