F150online Forums - NCSU's Truck Transformation Thread

You know the drill, lots of pics included, and maybe a few links. I'll also do my best to stick to a chronological order.

I'm originally from Detroit, and my Grandfather, who has since passed on, worked at a Ford plant for over 30 years. He was able to get me an X-plan (employee pricing) pin number back in Dec 2005. When I graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, I wanted to get a new truck. With the X-plan and the rebates offered at the time, along with the $2k I put down from selling my old Ranger, I was able to get out the door at about $28k for my nicely loaded FX4.

Here's how she came from the dealer:
http://www.truckmodcentral.com/forum...&pictureid=316
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ck/3c48re2.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ck/9318re2.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ck/1b08re2.jpg

The first mod I did was a spray in bedliner. I'm not 100% what the shop used, it's like Line-X, but not exactly. I also ran those wolf head cut outs in the window for a while. It was an old North Carolina State University logo. This was the only pic I could find that shows the bedliner too.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...earWindow1.jpg

I never really liked the Ford logos on the front and rear, so I got a set of these from DeVries signs. Kept em on for almost 2 years and they held up great.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...erlay-Rear.jpg

Having driven 2 Rangers, with the 4-banger in my last one, I had always dreamed of having a truck that sounded like a truck. After some researching I decided to have Henry's Muffler Shop custom fab me a true dual system with Flowmaster 40s.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/DSC01295.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq9yNA30pY8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA8gci7Obqo

Continuing along the lines of "de-Fording" my truck, I got some FX4 overlays to go over the "Ford" on the steering wheel and the wheel centercaps. I also mounted a ScanGauge II.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...heelBadge1.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...heelBadge2.jpg

At this point the only place left on the truck that said "Ford" were the fender badges. So I looked around and stumbled upon Billet Badges. After some discussion with the owner, I discovered I could use a CADD program I was using in school (SolidWorks) to design my own badge, then they could manufacture it for me. Here's what it looked like in CADD:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...adgerender.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...dgerender2.jpg
and how it looks on the truck:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/DSC00183.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...DSC00177-2.jpg

At about the same time I installed a Putco Spiderweb Grille Overlay. Not really sure what possessed me to do this, but hey, here it is. I also installed chrome turn signal bulbs, you can see the difference between stock and chrome bulbs in this shot:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...arVSAmber2.jpg

Sometime over the summer I picked up a Pace Edwards Jackrabbit cover on sale. It's retractable and the canister sits pretty much flush, and takes up very little space.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ackRabbit2.jpg

By this time I had found this forum, and everybody kept talking about custom tuning, so I started researching that. I chose Troyer Performance to tune my truck based on the customer reviews and after talking to Mike Troyer himself. I also got a 3.25" ID Air Force One intake, dyno proven to provide gains on the 5.4L F150. As far as tunes go, I got a 93 octane performance tune, 87 performance and 87 tow (i think, maybe a 93 tow), but I only use the 93 perf.

Air Force One:http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...irForceOne.jpg

Stock 2005 5.4L F150 dynos (not mine)
http://inlinethumb09.webshots.com/41...600x600Q85.jpg
My 2005 5.4L 93 Octane Dyno:
http://www.truckmodcentral.com/forum...&pictureid=302
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drWZ6ZTcf0M

Around this time I decided to add some black to the truck, and started with the head lights. It was an easy swap, replacing the stockers with HD heads. This was also about the time I installed the AVS in-channel vent visors. In this shot I have some different "stealth bulbs" because one of my chrome bulbs burned out. I also installed a G.A.P (grille accent piece) to fill the gap in the lower grille.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...uck/Grille.jpg

After the HD heads came the HD tails:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...llights-HD.jpg

After replacing the "stealth bulbs" with chrome bulbs again, my next move was going to be a bull bar or brush guard. eBay made up my mind for me when I happened to see a black Westin bull bar, complete with PIAA 525s, for around $300. I jumped on that deal, the lights alone are worth more than that!!

Here's the bull bar:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w.../FrontShot.jpg

The coolest part about the 525s, IMO, are the LEDs that light up when my parking lights are activated. The LEDs give a "glow" to the 525 housings.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ck/LEDPIAA.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/PIAAGlow.jpg

The next step was a leveling kit, so I could fit larger tires. Ford did the install for me, and overcharged me, but oh well.
Before level:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w.../2ndDetail.jpg
After level:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ailAfterAS.jpg

To further the blackening, I used NiteShades to tint my 3rd brake light, and got my front windows tinted with 18% to match the rears. No specific photos of that stuff, but you should be able to see them in some other photos that follow. I also replaced the "chrome fire" emblem overlay with my Scuba flag overlays.

Now that the truck was leveled, I decided to go for new wheels and tires. I went with Ultra Titan 6 wheels with 285/65/20 BFG TA/KOs.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...iresHeadOn.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...TiresFront.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ter4-13-08.jpg

At this point, the old spiderweb grille had to go. I debated over a couple different options, and in the end the HD grille won out.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/HDGrill2.jpg

While I didn't really need this next mod, the coolness factor sucked me in, and a couple drinks later I clicked the "place my order" button. AMP Powersteps, they still make me smile when I open my door.
Stock Steps:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ck/StepBar.jpg
AMP Steps:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ont4-13-08.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG_0jJj9HS0

Now that I was pretty happy with the exterior, I wanted to upgrade my stereo. I went with JL all the way around. C5-570 Front Components and XR-570 Rear Speakers powered by a JL 300/4 amp and a 10" JL Stealthbox sub woofer powered by a bridged JL 300/2 amp.

The stock Audiophile sub is on top, the new JL sub is below.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...Audiophile.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...uck/JLAmp2.jpg

(I need to readdress my set up, my drivers side front speaker went out, and the sub occasionally cuts out)

And finally, the Rancho Lift:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/DSC01947.jpg

and new KMC 660 wheels:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ck/KMC6602.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ck/KMC6601.jpg

So now for some before/after shots...

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ck/9318re2.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...rwebGrille.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/HDGrill2.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...iftedFront.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ck/e2f2re2.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...ailAfterAS.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...C00073Edit.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w.../KMC6602-1.jpg

And finally, my favorite "mod" to date:
http://www.truckmodcentral.com/forum...pictureid=1872

There are a few small things I left out... maybe I'll get around to including them at some point. This took alot longer to put together than I expected!