Adding Attitude to a 2004 F-150 FX4 SuperCrew

An average 11^th generation F-150 is transformed with some simple upgrades.

Ford Motor Company sold a ton of F-150 pickups during the 11^th generation (2004-2008 model years), flooding the current used-vehicle market with a bunch of trucks that all look alike. Fortunately, as F150Online member “Carolinaboy32” proved with his build thread, a few simple upgrades will allow one of these half-ton pickups to stand out from the crows.

The Introduction

When the OP first introduced us to his 2004 Ford F-150 FX4 SuperCrew pickup, he explained why he went with this particular truck, what he had done to it so far and what he planned to do in the future.

“Well I bought this truck New to me on July 15, 2009. I was in the market for a 1/2 ton pickup. I wanted a GM or Ford. (*Not brand bashing just my opinion) I didn’t like the way the Tundras were laid out and not a huge fan of the Dodge’s interior

Well with that said I started my hunt. I looked and looked and all the Chevy 1500s I looked at were out of my price range or super high mileage. I wanted to stay around $17,000 at my MAX. I found a nice 03 F150 gorgeous interior and exterior but they wanted about 3 grand more for it than it was worth IMO. So I let it slide. I didn’t exactly have the money for it at that time anyways.

I came across this Truck on ebay cruising the internet one night and it was up in Augusta, GA about 2 hrs away from us. So I took a day off work and headed up there with the old man. They had this truck originally listed for $14,900. It had 57,000 miles on it on a 2004 FX4 Supercrew 5.4L Triton V8. Well all in all I walked out the door with it for $12,000. I was a little mad at the old man for not letting me make the offer he offered about $1000 more than I would have.”

He didn’t share any images of his F-150 in stock form, but he began the string of photos with a few taken after he made his first three upgrades – bedliner, headlights with black interior bezels and a locking tool box in the bed.

Exhaust, Taillights and a Good Detail

After installing the new headlights, the OP installed a custom dual exhaust system with Dynomax Bullet mufflers and a cold air intake. There were no pictures of those items, but he did make a video of the 5.4-liter V8 running with the new pipes.

He then spent time detailing the entire truck, returning the factory shine and removing the unsavory swirl marks from the paint along with adding some DIY Harley-style taillights and a smoked third-brakelight cover.

Interior Upgrades

Along the way, the OP upgraded the interior lighting to bright white LEDs along with adding a premium touchscreen stereo system.

 Big Tires, a Lift and a Saleen Face

Finally, in addition to adding undercoating to the 2004 F-150 FX4, the OP added a leveling kit with Bilstein 5100 shocks, KMC XD Monster wheels wrapped in GoodYear Duratrac 295/65/18 tires and the Saleen-style grille.

The result is one great-looking 2004 Ford F-150 FX4 that would stand out from your average 11^th-gen truck, but it has been upgraded without spending a fortune.

Of course, there is far more information in the original thread, including a full list of modifications and more pictures of this sharp 2004 Ford F-150 FX4 Supercrew.

Patrick Rall

"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.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Facebook   Twitter