74 Weld Breaks Down Loren Healy’s El Bandito: A 1,000 Horsepower Super Bronco

Most custom Broncos feature bolt-on parts and fancy wheels, but few are built entirely from scratch to handle 1,000 horsepower. Quinn from 74 Weld recently took a close look at a 2021 Bronco known as El Bandito, a machine that blurs the line between a show truck and a full-blown trophy truck.

Engineering A Race-Ready Chassis

The build brought together some of the biggest names in off-road fabrication. Kibbetech handled the tube work while Triton Engineering designed the suspension geometry. Quinn explained that the cab was from one of the very first Broncos ever built, which was supposed to go to a crusher, and they were able to salvage it. The suspension features Fox 2.5 coilovers paired with massive 3.5 external bypass shocks using Race Live Valve technology. To handle the abuse, the truck utilizes 74 Weld’s own hardware.

The Heart Of El Bandito

Quinn stated that the power plant on this thing is a little bit better than the Raptor R. It is powered by a GT500 V-8 equipped with a Whipple supercharger. According to Quinn, “It’s the GT500 race motor, but this one has a Whipple supercharger on it that pushes, I think, right at 1,000 horsepower.” That power is sent through a Turbo 400 transmission and an SCS gearbox, a single-speed transfer case typically found in monster trucks. Because of this high-speed setup on El Bandito, Quinn emphasized that this is not a rock crawler. The goal here is raw speed and jumping capability rather than technical slow-crawling through boulders.

Inside The Cockpit

The interior is a mix of race car functionality and factory remnants. While it features Recaro seats and digital displays, the team kept the original door pockets for a touch of OEM style. Driving it requires some adjustment because the engine sits low and wide in the chassis. Quinn admitted that the pedals are offset to the left side, and he kept his foot sliding over and just pushing on the firewall at first. The rear suspension design also serves a strategic purpose for the race team. Quinn explained that they wanted to be able to steal shocks if needed from this to throw on a race car if they’re in a pinch.

One Of A Kind

This Bronco sounds aggressive and performs stunts that would tear a standard vehicle apart. Looking at this build, you’ll realize that this is what happens when budget is no object and fabrication skills are limitless. However, you cannot just walk into a showroom and buy one. Quinn concluded the walkaround and said, “If you want your very own Bandido, you have to go out and build your own because this one’s not for sale.”