Classic Ford F-150 with V8 power doesn’t get through the mud quickly, but it crosses the finish line without a tow.
Purpose-built off-road parks are the best, as they allow trucks like this seventh generation Ford F-150to show off their capabilities in the worst possible. While you might be able to find a natural mud pit like the one shown here from Buck Motorsports Park in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, there are far too many variables to expect a sloppy trench like this one to exist in the wilderness to maintain this condition.
More importantly, the muddy trench at Buck Motorsports Park makes it easy for mudding fans to watch the action in person from the safe confines of the grandstands. One of those fans had their phone handy when this old school F-150 hit the pit, allowing us all to see what it means to be “built Ford tough” for ourselves courtesy of the YouTube channel of Casey Strawser.
Slow-Mudding F-150
Unfortunately, there are no details on this Ford F-150, shy of the fact that it is owned, built and/or driven by a guy named Jeff Lefever. Based on the exterior design, we know that this truck was built for the seventh generation of the F-Series, running from 1980 through 1986, and while the body doesn’t appear to be heavily modified, this old Ford does have an aftermarket cowl induction-style hood and a bull bar. It also appears to lack a tailgate or rear bumper, but it does have a big set of beefy mud tires to help dig through the slop.
Finally, we can tell from the sound that this Ford F-150 is powered by a V8 engine, but we don’t know what engine. If it is running a modified version of an original engine, it would measure either 302- or 351-cubic inches, but it could also be a big block or a modern engine. In any case, we would bet that it is a not a stock Ford V8, so it has plenty of power to spin those big tires.
Flinging Mud at a Crawl
The video begins with Lefever’s F-150 charging into the mud trench with plenty of speed, but when the front end of the truck hits the deep, runny mud, it quickly slows dramatically. Thanks to the high mud banks on each side, this trench is almost like a river of liquid mud, so as the truck pushes its way through, it creates a wake out front that only leads to more mud to move.
As the run goes on, the old Ford continues to slow down, but with the big mud tires spinning, the F-150 is able to pull up onto the high ground at the end of the track.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
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