BRONCO DADS - TIM HULICK

To Kailey Hulick, her father, Tim, has always been “the Bronco guy.” Growing up, her classmates continuously asked her about her Dad’s Bronco and told her anytime they spotted it out on the road. Kailey’s love for Broncos grew too, and she even started wearing Bronco shirts just like her dad. In middle school, Kailey was asked to bring something to class for show and tell. Her choice? Her dad’s 1966 Wimbledon White Bronco. Around the same time, Tim fondly recalls Kailey asking him out of the blue “Dad, can you build me a Bronco for when I graduate?” Tim thought about it, then said, “Well, what graduation are you talking about?” “High School!” Tim thought about it some more, “High school’s great. But you’re going to college soon. I think the best reward is for you to go to college, finish a degree, and I’ll build you a Bronco.” Perfect motivation for Kailey, and plenty of time for Tim—or so he thought. Kailey went to college, became president of her sorority, got her degree, and was out in the corporate world for a few years when he realized he was running out of time! In 2015 Tim bought a ’74 Bronco from Colorado. The good news? Years in the dry mountain air kept the vehicle rust free. The bad? Years in service as a snowplow left it a little worse for wear. However, Tim knew with the right restorations made by capable hands, it was the perfect Bronco for Kailey. But sometimes life has a way of getting in the way. Between spending time with Kailey and her two younger sisters and running a small business, Tim had trouble finding the time. So, Kailey’s Bronco rested on the shelf waiting for repair, until in 2018 when he called in reinforcements. “I called in some buddies of mine, both Bronco enthusiasts, diehards, and I said, ‘Guys, I made a promise 10 years ago, can you help me out?’” The Bronco community came through, and together they completed Kailey’s Bronco last February. After years of sharing her father’s passion, she finally has a Bronco of her own thanks to a little hard work and a lot of love from her father. Kailey’s Bronco has an original Chrome Yellow paint job, and she and her father refer to her Bronco as “Frito” (Tim has a Bold Orange Bronco, which he calls “Cheeto”). Now, Kailey loves driving through town showing off her Bronco. During a recent drive through Des Moines, a woman waved her down just to tell her “I love car!” As Kailey puts it, “It’s a showstopper. You feel like a celebrity when you’re in it. Over a 10-mile stretch you would not believe the waving, staring, or shouting from the sidewalk.”