REBIRTH

BRINGING AN RVI BRONCO BACK TO LIFE

- WORDS BY BRANDON BURRELL AND JEN FEDOR PHOTOS BY BRANDON BURRELL

In the hills surrounding Las Vegas, a sun-faded Ford Bronco sat forgotten but not lost. It wasn't just any Bronco—it was a 1978 conversion by RVI (Recreational Vans Inc.), a little-known custom outfit based out of Torrance, California, that dared to break from convention during the heyday of American van culture. RVI wasn't building for the masses; they were building for people who wanted more—more stripes, more chrome, more sunroofs, and apparently...more attitude. This wasn't your run-of-the-mill 4x4. It also wasn't just a rare custom truck with a backstory, vintage RV flair, and a future that no one could've predicted. Well, except for Jake Gertsch from Montana. He knew he had to have more than a basic restored Bronco—one that checked all the boxes. Jake also knew he had to have the best in the custom Bronco game take care of such an epic build. Let's get into how the process played out.