Lifted F150's, post pics here.
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 0
From: Arlington, Texas
Lifted F150's, post pics here.
Thought I'd start a thread where I and you guys can post pics of newer F150's with lifts and info about them.
Kirk Dabney is notorious for being hard on his equipment. Everyone who follows monster-truck racing is well aware that Dabney only knows one speed: full throttle. Sometimes gravity gets in the way of Kirk's quest for the fastest way to get "Overkill" from Points A to B, and he often tries to tell Army Armstrong exactly what happened on TV. Problem is, Kirk is sometimes dazed and can't quite recall all the details of his kamikaze runs.
Speaking of full-throttle, campaigning the Overkill and Nitemare monster trucks is a full-time-plus job, but Dabney still finds time to build a so-called Ford show-truck every couple of years. His pavement-pounder Ranger can be seen in the Street Scene section, and Kirk's latest creation is a '97 F-150 that began life as a 4x2. Dabney chose a 2WD after deciding that a straight-axle swap would be easier on it than on an IFS 4x4. The conversion was surprisingly straightforward: a Dana 44 front axle aligned with the factory spring pockets, and Dabney says that no frame modifications were necessary.
Kirk's rolling-stock goal was 39x18.5 Mickey Thompsons on 15x14 Weld rims, so he also upgraded the rearend to 4.88-geared Ford 9" with a Detroit Locker to handle this extra beef. For tire clearance, Kirk and Auburn, Indiana, neighbor Jeff Cook of Cook's Body Shop/War Wagon Racing fabricated a monster-truck-inspired "bridge" with radius and mounts for L&L ladder bars. This design keeps the lifted suspension components' geometry closer to factory spec. The actual lift comes from 6" Trailmaster coils in front (with three Trailmaster shocks per wheel) and re-arched leaves in the rear (with two shocks per wheel). Jeff Cook fabbed new steering linkage to work in conjunction with dual Trailmaster steering stabilizers.
For power, Dabney is rarely interested in anything short of a big-block. His '97 F-150 is no exception. As a result, he swapped out the stock 4.6L engine for a 460 from a '70 Torino GT. But before the cast iron went in the hole, Dabney created some serious horsepower. Machine work included a .030 overbore, crank polishing, and head porting and polishing. Short-block guts include a Crane cam and rockers and TRW pistons and bearings. Up top, breathing was improved with a Pro-Dominator intake, a Holley 750 carb, and a 14" chromed air cleaner. Hotter spark was achieved courtesy of an MSD ignition and distributor, and a 105-amp alternator kicks out the DC juice. L&L engine-swap headers pass the gas through dual 2 1/2-inch pipes and aluminum glasspack mufflers. Kirk estimates the 472cid motor's output at about 400 HP.
For the body, Dabney relied on Cook's Body Shop. Jack Cook laid down the custom blue base, over which Fine Lines Graphics (Ft. Wayne, IN) added tasteful graphics. The body was completed with two Ramsey winches (12,000 lb. front, and 9,000 rear) and a Lund bed cover and sun visor.
Kirk Dabney is notorious for being hard on his equipment. Everyone who follows monster-truck racing is well aware that Dabney only knows one speed: full throttle. Sometimes gravity gets in the way of Kirk's quest for the fastest way to get "Overkill" from Points A to B, and he often tries to tell Army Armstrong exactly what happened on TV. Problem is, Kirk is sometimes dazed and can't quite recall all the details of his kamikaze runs.
Speaking of full-throttle, campaigning the Overkill and Nitemare monster trucks is a full-time-plus job, but Dabney still finds time to build a so-called Ford show-truck every couple of years. His pavement-pounder Ranger can be seen in the Street Scene section, and Kirk's latest creation is a '97 F-150 that began life as a 4x2. Dabney chose a 2WD after deciding that a straight-axle swap would be easier on it than on an IFS 4x4. The conversion was surprisingly straightforward: a Dana 44 front axle aligned with the factory spring pockets, and Dabney says that no frame modifications were necessary.
Kirk's rolling-stock goal was 39x18.5 Mickey Thompsons on 15x14 Weld rims, so he also upgraded the rearend to 4.88-geared Ford 9" with a Detroit Locker to handle this extra beef. For tire clearance, Kirk and Auburn, Indiana, neighbor Jeff Cook of Cook's Body Shop/War Wagon Racing fabricated a monster-truck-inspired "bridge" with radius and mounts for L&L ladder bars. This design keeps the lifted suspension components' geometry closer to factory spec. The actual lift comes from 6" Trailmaster coils in front (with three Trailmaster shocks per wheel) and re-arched leaves in the rear (with two shocks per wheel). Jeff Cook fabbed new steering linkage to work in conjunction with dual Trailmaster steering stabilizers.
For power, Dabney is rarely interested in anything short of a big-block. His '97 F-150 is no exception. As a result, he swapped out the stock 4.6L engine for a 460 from a '70 Torino GT. But before the cast iron went in the hole, Dabney created some serious horsepower. Machine work included a .030 overbore, crank polishing, and head porting and polishing. Short-block guts include a Crane cam and rockers and TRW pistons and bearings. Up top, breathing was improved with a Pro-Dominator intake, a Holley 750 carb, and a 14" chromed air cleaner. Hotter spark was achieved courtesy of an MSD ignition and distributor, and a 105-amp alternator kicks out the DC juice. L&L engine-swap headers pass the gas through dual 2 1/2-inch pipes and aluminum glasspack mufflers. Kirk estimates the 472cid motor's output at about 400 HP.
For the body, Dabney relied on Cook's Body Shop. Jack Cook laid down the custom blue base, over which Fine Lines Graphics (Ft. Wayne, IN) added tasteful graphics. The body was completed with two Ramsey winches (12,000 lb. front, and 9,000 rear) and a Lund bed cover and sun visor.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: S. Pasadena, Ca
My 4" lift is getting done tomorrow, should have pics by 3/1.Here it is.....
------------------
97 XLT SC 4.6 4X4 3.55LS; Black, 16" Weld Wheels, 33" BFG's (soon to be 35"), 4" Trailmaster Lift (powdercoated Black), K&N filter, tinted windows, superwhite bulbs, superchip
Coming soon:
Billet grille, spay-in liner, velocity tube.
http://home.pacbell.net/kdschmit/kileyshomepage.htm
[This message has been edited by Kiley Schmit (edited 03-10-2000).]
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: Rocheport, Mo
Hey, finally figured out how to post a pic Pretty Cool! Might as well stick it under this post. Kiley, are you installing your lift yourself? Have fun with it!
[This message has been edited by Squanto804 (edited 02-25-2000).]
Pretty Cool! Might as well stick it under this post. Kiley, are you installing your lift yourself? Have fun with it! [This message has been edited by Squanto804 (edited 02-25-2000).]
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: S. Pasadena, Ca
Squanto, I am having a local shop do the work. It takes two days 
So I won't have my truck back until Monday night.
Is your kit a trailmaster? You have a body lift also don't you? Nice looking truck by the way.
------------------
97 XLT SC 4.6 4X4 3.55LS; Black, 16" Weld Wheels, 33" BFG's (soon to be 35"), 4" Trailmaster Lift (powdercoated Black), K&N filter, tinted windows, superwhite bulbs
Coming soon:
Superchip, billet grille, spay-in liner, velocity tube.
[This message has been edited by Kiley Schmit (edited 03-12-2000).]
[This message has been edited by Kiley Schmit (edited 03-12-2000).]
So I won't have my truck back until Monday night. Is your kit a trailmaster? You have a body lift also don't you? Nice looking truck by the way.
------------------
97 XLT SC 4.6 4X4 3.55LS; Black, 16" Weld Wheels, 33" BFG's (soon to be 35"), 4" Trailmaster Lift (powdercoated Black), K&N filter, tinted windows, superwhite bulbs
Coming soon:
Superchip, billet grille, spay-in liner, velocity tube.
[This message has been edited by Kiley Schmit (edited 03-12-2000).]
[This message has been edited by Kiley Schmit (edited 03-12-2000).]
Member
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: Stillwater, OK
[IMG]http://lw2fd.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/getmsg/Mvc-019s.jpg?[IMG/]
[This message has been edited by ad4x4ofrd (edited 02-28-2000).]
[This message has been edited by ad4x4ofrd (edited 02-28-2000).]
Trending Topics
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Somewhere in CA!
here's mine hope to getter better pics later
http://cochise.uia.net/amraam/biggreen.htm
[This message has been edited by silverback (edited 03-02-2000).]
[This message has been edited by silverback (edited 03-02-2000).]
http://cochise.uia.net/amraam/biggreen.htm
[This message has been edited by silverback (edited 03-02-2000).]
[This message has been edited by silverback (edited 03-02-2000).]
Member
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: El Paso, TX. U.S.A.
NICE TRUCKS GUYS MY LIFT IS STILL STOCK BUT AS SOON AS I GET MY TRUCK LOOKING THE WAY I WANTED TO I WILL DEFINITELY POST IT
1997 REGULAR CAB, 4.6, LARIAT, 4X4, 40 SERIES FLOWMASTER, K&N, MAINLY STOCK
1997 REGULAR CAB, 4.6, LARIAT, 4X4, 40 SERIES FLOWMASTER, K&N, MAINLY STOCK
Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: SE TN
I fell into the trap; OH NO! I wondered why all the trucks were older body style and the OP said:
Thought I'd start a thread where I and you guys can post pics of newer F150's with lifts and info about them.
