In terms of gag gifts, it was a good one – perfect, in fact, for a classic car enthusiast. Now years later, it will finally get the attention it deserves.

The 1968 Ford Bronco wagon was left for Jay Leno as a joke, arranged by fellow late-night TV host Craig Ferguson to be parked in Leno’s spot on the eve of his last taping. Ferguson was unaware of the iconic status of the Bronco – and had no idea how highly sought after these models are. But long-time car collector Leno knew. He happily accepted the gift which ended up sitting in his garage unrestored until recently.

A project years in the making, the announcement of the new Bronco spurred many discussions when anyone from Ford would visit Leno’s garage. The effort to restore the vehicle finally materialized early this year with Ford Performance and SEMA Garage leading a collaborative team to give it new life.

The upfitted and newly restored 1968 Bronco was on display at the 2019 SEMA show.

The 1968 Bronco wagon will be seen on an upcoming episode of Jay Leno’s Garage on CNBC and will be showcased in detail on Jay Leno’s Garage on YouTube.

Ford Performance worked with some of the industry’s restoration all-stars to bring that Bronco back to its former glory – and then some. The Bronco has been outfitted with the heart of the all-new Mustang Shelby GT500, the most-powerful street legal Ford ever.

Ford Performance engaged the expertise of noted Bronco licensee Kincer Chassis to help restore the vehicle – Kincer built the chassis and installed the powertrain, including the aforementioned Ford Performance 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine.

Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts provided body panels, while SEMA Garage contributed its technical expertise in computer-aided design, 3D printing and calibration work. LGE-CTS Motorsports, the award-winning and women-owned shop, revived the body with new sheet metal, custom body mods, paint, and final assembly.