Meet The Team
Founder: Richard Lappenbush
When I was seven years old, my parents bought a 1979 Ford bronco, black and grey. I remember it like it was yesterday. Since then, I have always wished to be a Bronco owner. In the early 90s, my parents gave the Bronco to my uncle, who was having a rough time in his life.
Growing up as a teenager, I dabbled in some mechanical and wrench pulling by helping my brothers with their BMX bikes and helping around the farm yard, repairing equipment and other odds and ends. Then, after graduating high school, I would tinker around on weekends with my little Chevy Sprint compact car. I ended up getting into the welding trade, and then in 2000, I started my own business Rheton Welding Sevices Ltd.
After leasing my shop for 14 years, I decided to take the plunge and build our facility in the fall of 2014. So we moved into our new shop.
Last year my youngest son Terris asked his grandma if he could have grandpa's old 1967 Mercury M350 restored. After that restoration, I started thinking about getting into Broncos. So I started searching the Internet for older early Bronco's, and within a couple of weeks, I found a 1966 U15 in rough shape.
I knew that my son and I were capable of doing restoration on an older classic vehicle, like the early first-generation Broncos. I started researching restoration shops in Canada and looking for parts locally available. Found out that nobody specialized in the earlier generation Bronco's and that there were no parts companies in Canada. I decided to bite the bullet and start a new division of Rheton. On September 30th of this year, I started up Bronco North Restoration. To specialize in the first generation Bronco's from 1966 to 1977, supplying first-hand restoration and parts, everything from body steel, custom frames, complete builds, and bodywork. From the ground-up builds to a finished product. Within the first week, we have already started with our first customer, a complete retrofit of his 1976
Joe
I was born in southern Alberta but was raised in Grande Prairie. Now I call Beaverlodge home while raising three children.
I have 25+ years of Auto body experience. I started my career working for a company and then bought and managed a company for 15 successful years. Building and repairing vehicles is my passion. One of my philosophies is “never do something to someone’s vehicle that you would never want to be done to your own.”
When I was asked to come to work for Bronco North, I was more than happy. A dream come true working on older vintage Fords. I love challenges, big or small, and I believe I bring a positive and open-minded attitude and the knowledge to do whatever task is necessary and do it to my greatest ability.
Terris
As an Auto Body Refinisher Technician, I have gained valuable experience in the field of restoration and auto body work over five years. This hands-on experience has allowed me to develop a strong skill set and knowledge base in repairing and restoring vehicles. My passion for this industry extends beyond my professional pursuits, as I also engage in restoring Classic vehicles as a personal hobby.
In addition to my work in restoration, I am actively involved in my community through extensive volunteering endeavours. Giving back is something that I hold dear, and I believe in making a positive impact wherever possible. Whether its participating in local events or assisting in recreation and sports.
I am a dedicated athlete that has aged out of the Junior hockey league. This role has taught me the importance of teamwork, discipline, and commitment. These qualities that I have learned has translated into my work, where I consistently strive for excellence and aim to deliver the best results.
One of my aspirations in the industry is to grow a business with my father. Together, we envision creating a successful venture that not only provides quality services but also fosters meaningful relationships with our customers.
Autumn
I was born in Grande Prairie and have lived in the area my entire life, with the majority of my family being in the Beaverlodge area.
Although I was never really around vehicles much as a kid, my interest was sparked through an automotive course I decided to take in the 10th grade. From there I quickly decided auto body was the career I wanted to pursue.
I started apprenticing in the trade in 2017 and completed my schooling in December 2024, as both a Red Seal Refinisher and a Red Seal Auto Body Technician.
After working in the collision industry for 7 years, I was given the opportunity to come work at Bronco North.
I have a keen eye for detail and believe in doing things properly, or not doing them at all. The restoration business has been a great place to let my meticulous nature shine and continue to take pride in the work I am passionate about doing.
Janik-Justin
I was born in Germany, and raised in Canada. My father is a Red Seal Mechanic, so I was always around cars. With most of my experience coming from the mechanical side, I decided to try Auto Body as a profession, as cars have been in my blood since the beginning. I wish to keep it that way for the foreseeable future. My passion include working on cars, both new and old as well as fabricating parts for cars and other projects.