Defco BA-350 Is the Super Duty Raptor You Want
This life-sized RC truck doesn’t just look badass. It’s 100% usable in real-life situations, too!
Sadly, Ford doesn’t make a Super Duty Raptor. But if you want a super-sized, off-road destroyer of worlds, the aftermarket is here to help. We’ve already told you all about the Mega Raptor, which is a pretty incredible machine. But then a new contender emerged shortly before last year’s SEMA show from a company called Defco Trucks. Dubbed the BA-350, this new Super Duty Raptor promised to be even bigger than the already massive Mega Raptor. And the result more than lives up to that promise.
Our friends at The Fast Lane Truck were lucky enough to get a closer look at this incredible beast and documented it in this recent video. And in case you were wondering, Defco owner/builder Doug Paddock wastes no time in clarifying that the BA in BA-350 stands for “badass.” Paddock goes on to explain that his builds can actually be based on an F-250 or F-350, but all use the 6.7-liter Powerstroke diesel for motivation.
Suspension upgrades, designed and installed by Lewis Built Performance, are plentiful as well. As Paddock explains, this isn’t just some kind of mall crawler or off-road only rig, either. He says they’re “designed to be functional. If you can’t drive them every day, there’s no point in owning them.” And we certainly agree with that! Even better, Paddock also notes that the Super Duty Raptor retains factory towing and payload ratings, despite the mods.
Like an F-150 Raptor, the BA-350 sports a load of suspension travel – 12-inches up front in this case. And by moving the shocks outside the axle housings, they didn’t have to lift the truck some outrageous number to achieve that level of travel. Plus, there’s still room for massive Continental APT 81 365/80-20 tires, the same rubber used on the commercial grade Mercedes-Benz Unimog!
Parking this beast isn’t too difficult either, surprisingly. Spanning a massive 93-inches in width, it’s 3-inches narrower than a dually. But with a 7’2″ total height, you might not exactly slide in to those city parking garages. The bodywork looks incredibly natural, however. Which, as Paddock explains, was by design. He says that the goal was to “make it appear stock,” which is why they began the design process with an RC model truck.
But perhaps the most interesting part of this build resides under the rear. A unique cantilever shock design common in off-road racing allows for a massive 17-inches of suspension travel out back. Thoughtful details abound as well, including custom bumpers that incorporate factory parking sensors. Integrated winches and various hitch options add to the real-world usability factor even more.
Defco offers three different variations of the BA-350, beginning with one that looks just like this beast but without the long-travel suspension starting at $38,850 out the door. Stepping up to a Stage 2 with all the goodies will set you back around $69k. The big daddy LTFO version tacks on another $25k to the Stage 2 price. Not too shabby for a one-shop, turn-key product! And the best thing is, you can customize pretty much everything to your personal taste.
So while we may never see an actual Super Duty Raptor coming from Ford, at least we know such a thing is possible. And it’s tough to imagine anything turning out more “badass” than the BA-350!
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