Euphoria Star Sydney Sweeney Restored Her Dream Car by Hand

‘Euphoria’ actress Sydney Sweeney has been documenting her restoration and modifications to her 1969 Ford Bronco.
Written by Serena Aburahma
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
When you hear about
celebrity car news
, it's usually about someone's lavish collection or a pricey new purchase. It's exceedingly uncommon to hear about a celebrity with a restored vehicle, let alone one that they worked on themselves.
Restoring a car is no easy task, and it usually involves a lot of unglamorous and dirty work. However,
The Drive
reports that the Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney has been restoring a 1969 Ford Bronco for several months. 
Why did she choose this vehicle, and what was her motivation behind the project?

This Ford Bronco was Sydney Sweeney's dream car

Sydney Sweeney's Ford Bronco was already in pretty good condition when she purchased it. It had been refurbished ten years prior and came with most of its original equipment. There were no rust marks or visible scratches on the body, which was repainted in candy-apple red.
However, Sweeney wanted to give it some modern mechanical upgrades. She installed a new suspension to give the Bronco a truck-like lift and replaced the fuel tank. She also removed the front and rear axles, installing disc brakes to replace the drum brakes.
She even installed power steering, which wasn't even optional for Broncos until 1973. Sydney Sweeney also applied some fresh coats of paint to the car's underside and carefully brushed away the rust that lingered on the frame.
Sweeney used the original owner's manual to research replacement parts and guide her through disassembling and reassembling the vehicle. Rod Emory, a renowned Porsche restoration expert, also assisted her along the way.
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What inspired Sydney Sweeney to restore this Bronco?

It's no secret that a celebrity could easily buy a vintage automobile that had already been restored. However, Sweeney said that she wanted the satisfaction of knowing that she was responsible for the work.
The quarantine that kept many people at home in 2020 also fueled Sweeney's desire to create. She retreated to vehicle auction sites for inspiration, where she eventually discovered her perfect restoration candidate.
After she bought the vehicle, Sweeney made a
TikTok
account dedicated to her restoration project. Her hard work paid off after 18 months, with her latest post showing that the Bronco is fully driveable. She says her next priorities are painting the grille and getting the interior reupholstered. 
 MORE: A 1963 Pontiac Tempest Is a Rare Yet Affordable Restoration Car

We're here for more celebrities enjoying classic cars

Some
Reddit
users discovered that the newly-restored Ford Bronco isn't the only vintage car in Sweeney's garage. While she was working on her Bronco, she also purchased a baby-blue 1964 Ford Mustang Coupe. She uploaded a TikTok of the car being delivered, teasing that she would begin working on this vehicle soon.
Lady Gaga also has her own ‘60s Ford Bronco, as well as several other classic American cars. In fact, the first car she purchased was a 1993 Ford SVT Lightning in excellent condition. 
Ludacris has held on to his Acura Legend for years, which reportedly now has over 250,000 miles on the odometer.
When you've got so much money to flex, an expensive sports car is hardly anything special. We think it's cooler when celebs take a genuine interest and form real attachments to their vehicles. It's also great to see classic cars getting some love and much-needed upgrades, even as they age.
MORE: You'd Never Guess These Celebrities Would Be Classic Car Collectors

Do restored vehicles have higher auto insurance premiums?

A restored classic car will probably have higher insurance costs compared to an unrestored example. When you start adding new or updated equipment to a vehicle, it raises the car's depreciated value.
A classic Ford Bronco is already worth close to $50,000 without any modifications, so it needs a good insurance policy. It's easy to find insurance quotes for both old and new vehicles through the
Jerry
app. If you're wondering how restoration might affect your classic car's policy, Jerry's expert team of insurance agents can answer all of your questions!
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