From Regretted Sale To Dream Build - See How Mark Created His Perfect Bronco With TOMS OFFROAD

Full Circle: The Bronco That Was Always Meant To Be

Mark Player, a 54-year-old resident of Carson, Washington, traces his Bronco story back to his early teens. At age 13 or 14, his mother was searching for a four-wheel drive vehicle for winter commuting. They visited a dealership to look at a 1979 Ford Bronco XLT, and Mark immediately fell in love with it. Unfortunately, budget constraints led his mother to purchase a 1973 F100 instead, which Mark drove throughout high school.

Approximately eight years later, Mark's mother bought a 1983 Ford Bronco XLT, eventually passing it down to him. He enhanced its off-road capabilities with a lift kit and other modifications. However, at around age 24, Mark sold the vehicle—a decision he would regret for years to come.

A close high school friend who had purchased a 1970 Bronco (which he still owns today) consistently encouraged Mark to buy another one. Finally, at age 46, Mark attended the Northwest Bronco Roundup where he met numerous Bronco enthusiasts and the team from TOMS OFFROAD.

The following March, Mark purchased a 1974 Bronco tub and frame from one of his new Bronco connections. Over the next few years, he collected parts and fabricated suspension components. During the COVID pandemic, he began the actual build, constructing extended front radius arms with 5.5" lift coils in the front and a 4-link rear suspension with 1.5" lift coils. He installed a fuel-injected 5.0L engine from a 1998 Ford Explorer, paired with a 4R70W transmission and a 203/205 doubler using the NW Fab adapter and JB Fabrication triple shifters.

"Thank you, TOMS OFFROAD, for always having the parts needed to build Ruby and for all your support to the Bronco community."

— Mark Player

The front axle, sourced from a 1979 Bronco, features chromoly axle shafts, an electrically shifted OX locker, and 5.13 gears. The rear axle is a 9" from a 1979 Bronco with chromoly shafts, a Detroit Locker, 5.13 gears, and a disc brake conversion. The Bronco sits on a 2" body lift to accommodate the dual transfer cases without them hanging below the frame rails.

Nicknamed "Ruby" after its Ruby red wrap, the vehicle rides on 37" Cooper Discoverer STT Pro tires. Mark added a family style interior bar and rear quarter panel guards for protection. He also fabricated rock sliders integrated into the rocker panels.

Additional features include a Warn 8274 winch mounted in a Warn winch bumper and a vintage hard top modified without side or tailgate windows to create a safari-style top for weather protection. The interior boasts a Samsung tablet that monitors engine temperature, RPM, and speed. A Carr Parts center console houses the automatic shifter, JB Fabrication shifters, cup holders, a wireless phone charger, front locker switch, and audio system controls.

Ruby has performed exceptionally well on every trail it has tackled—from the Tillamook State Forest (Brown's Camp) trails where Mark grew up, to challenging routes in Moab and the Dusy Ershim trail. The Rubicon Trail is next on Mark's list of conquests.

At TOMS OFFROAD, we were honored to support Mark's build with the quality parts and technical expertise that helped bring Ruby to life—the same level of service we're committed to providing for your Bronco project.

Build Specs

• Body: 1974 Bronco tub and frame with Ruby red wrap
• Engine: Fuel-injected 5.0L from 1998 Ford Explorer
• Transmission: 4R70W with 203/205 doubler using NW Fab adapter
• Front Suspension: Extended radius arms with 5.5" lift coils
• Rear Suspension: 4-link with 1.5" lift coils
• Front Axle: 1979 Bronco with chromoly shafts, OX locker, 5.13 gears
• Rear Axle: 9" from 1979 Bronco with chromoly shafts, Detroit Locker, 5.13 gears, disc brake conversion
• Tires: 37" Cooper Discoverer STT Pro
• Body Lift: 2" to accommodate dual transfer cases
• Protection: Family style interior bars, rear quarter panel guards, custom rock sliders
• Recovery: Warn 8274 winch in Warn winch bumper
• Top: Modified hardtop (safari style) without side/tailgate windows
• Interior: Samsung tablet for monitoring, Carr Parts center console with JB Fabrication triple shifters