DRIVERS: Sydney Sweeney and Her 1969 Ford Bronco

DRIVERS is a series highlighting influential individuals in the HYPEBEAST sphere and their passion towards all things automotive. The approach is simple: what is car culture to you, and why do you have a passion for it? Each contributor is given a chance to shine light on their personal vehicle or vehicles, and asked to remark on how they are driving culture forward, both metaphorically and literally.

For our latest DRIVERS, we caught a quick moment with Sydney Sweeney, super star actress off of HBO’s mega hit drama Euphoria. It’s not often we get to highlight a Hollywood A-lister, and “we’ve never, ever been happier.”

For those who’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, Sydney Sweeney plays Cassie Howard, Euphoria‘s hopeless romantic-slash-overly dramatic train wreck who’s sister to Lexi (Maude Apatow), “best friend” to Maddy (Alexa Demie), and love interest to… actually, we won’t get into that. Cassie’s character has a gigantic role in Season 2 of the hit drama and if you haven’t seen it yet, we won’t spoil it for you. Rest assured, Sydney’s performances throughout the episodes have now cemented her as a veritable rising star, on her way to Hollywood royalty. Beyond Euphoria, Sydney can also be found on another hit HBO series The White Lotus, as well as previously on Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale.

Beyond her acting prowess, it was recently discovered via her own TikTok account that Sydney is quite the petrolhead. Each video depicts her working on her car, ranging between simple fixes – wire brushing rust and affixing badging – to mechanic-grade services like rear axle installation and suspension overhauls. Each of her videos has garnered at least a million views, with the finished project video topping 10 million.

The car she works on is not your average jalopy – quite the opposite actually, as Sydney is proud to restore a stunning 1969 Ford Bronco pickup. The Bronco has been particularly hot in the market these days, with its newly-released 2021 modernization that is piquing the interest of enthusiasts all over the globe, but deep down the original ’60s-70s gen is the real eye catcher. With its boxy looks, classic bulky height, rugged styling and true off-road capabilities, the OG Ford Bronco has never been more coveted in a sea of family-friend SUVs and crossovers. Sydney’s restoration project has turned the half-century-old brute into a gorgeous, refined, classy drive that is both modern and capable still.

For this year’s New York International Auto Show, we caught up with the actress at Manhattan’s Classic Car Club, where she – and previous DRIVERS alum Emelia Hartford – showcased their builds with eBay Motors. Check out Sydney’s Ford Bronco below and, in case you missed our last DRIVERS, we previously featured Vincent Chan’s near-1:1 Initial D replica “Hachiroku.”

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Tell us about your car.
My car is a Cherry Red 1969 Ford Bronco.

When did you acquire it?
I bought the car around February of last year.

What made you choose this car specifically?
A Bronco, specifically a ‘69, has always been a dream car of mine.

What is the main purpose of this car for you?
It had a lot of purposes. To challenge myself, cross off a dream of mine, and have a perfect car for when the sun’s out.

Any details? Modifications? Changes?
Since buying my Bronco, I’ve changed a lot! The transmission, brakes, leaf springs, interior, outside details. [I] modernized the mechanics of it all without taking away its original integrity. It’s really important to me to preserve the integrity of the original Ford build. And when I need a rare part – like a unique transmission adaptor that can be nearly impossible to find — eBay Motors is my first stop.

Some notable parts:
- Roll bar
- Chrome trim detailing
- Steering linkage kit
- All new leather seats

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Any interesting stories you’d like to share about this car?
I hit a roadblock during the build when I was switching over the Bronco transmission from manual to automatic. There was an adaptor that just would not click, and I couldn’t find the piece anywhere. I finally found it on eBay Motors and I was so relieved because without that piece I would have had to totally scrap what I was wanting to do.

What are cars to you: aspirational achievements, functional tools, stress-relievers, etc?
I think cars are a little bit of everything. The day I got my license was the day I was gifted what felt like freedom. I think there are memories and stories behind each car; they are achievements and my own milestones in life. I feel most like me whenever I’m either working on a car or behind the wheel.

What have you owned before?
This is actually the first car I’ve ever bought for myself!

What’s in your three-car dream garage?
My dream garage would include my Bronco, a vintage Porsche, and a Mercedes-Benz 300SL.

What is the future of the automotive industry, and car culture in general?
I think it’s been really great to see more females getting involved in car culture, and I think spotlighting the work that women are doing in this space will help to further break down the gender roles that exist within the vintage automobile world. I think women have to not be afraid of putting ourselves in a male-dominated environment, we need to support each other and push ourselves to learn new things and challenge ourselves.