Street Trucks February 2016

Many of us have family members and loved ones who don’t understand why we spend so much time and money customizing trucks. Most are nonplussed when we take perfectly fine, well-running vehicles and risk damaging them through modification. We’ve probably even wondered about this ourselves. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s removed a functioning piece from a working truck and wondered whether or not I could get it operational again once I’d finished putting everything back together. Just imagine how those who aren’t in the know feel when they see us do these things. The amount of money we spend on customizing can be confusing to outsiders as well. Sometimes we make personal sacrifices, like going on a ramen diet, in order to save cash for parts. I’m…

Known for enhancing and modifying, Shelby American has worked with sports cars from Ford Mustangs, like the Shelby GT 350, to the legendary AC Cobra, created from an AC Ace. Ever since Shelby American enhanced the 2011-14 Ford SVT Raptors, however, enthusiasts have eagerly awaited more truck enhancements. Recently Shelby American unveiled the all-new Shelby F-150 truck. With more than 45 enhancements, the ’16 Shelby F-150 offers an optional supercharger and custom-tuned performance suspension as it aims to reach that perfect balance between power and handling. The supercharger boasts 700 hp with an oversized cold air intake, billet aluminum high-flow throttle body, aluminum heat exchanger, higher flowing fuel injectors and updated calibration. Muscle car enthusiasts are sure to be pleased with a dual exhaust system with a roar said to…

SECTIONING (sek-shan-ing): One extreme approach to building a custom truck, sectioning comes from the same tradition as chopping and channeling. Sectioning refers to the process of changing the profile of a vehicle by editing a section of its body. Most frequently a horizontal section is cut out of the body and removed. The two remaining pieces are welded back together to create a custom look, reducing the truck’s height to make it radically lower. Less frequently the same technique can be used to lengthen, shorten or increase the height of the body.…

The custom car industry and automotive world as a whole suffered a loss in the death of customizing legend George Barris. Known for some of the most famous movie cars—among them the ’66 TV Batmobile, the Munster’s Koach and the Beverly Hillbillies hot rod—to novelty builds like the Bathtub Buggy, George Barris was clearly The King of Kustomizers. We find what is perhaps our favorite creation in the custom Kopper Kart, which started life as a ’56 Chevy, but other commissions like Bob Hope’s golf carts prove that no vehicle was safe from George’s creative eye. With a passion for model aircraft that led to model cars, a ’25 Buick in need of repair, and eventually his first full custom and first commercial customer, George’s life path seems to have…

EASY ACCESS Hedman billet aluminum oil filter relocation kits are available in a multiple port configuration and in both single and double oil filter setups. Whether you relocate your oil filter off of the engine block and mount it for ease of access or are negating clearance issues in an engine swap, these kits feature large -12 AN fittings that make them suitable for almost every engine application. CNC-machined in the USA from 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum, clear anodized for wear resistance and engraved with flow direction labels, each kit includes a billet oil filter bypass adapter, remote filter base, aluminum AN fittings and high-pressure/high-temperature Gates oil lines. Hedman Performance Group • 562.921.0404 • Hedmanperformancegroup.com FACE THE MUSIC Pioneer’s in-dash multimedia DVD receivers don’t just play Spotify, Pandora and satellite radio.…

In stock trim, the 2005-16 F-250 4x4 is a good work truck. If you opt for the factory FX4 package, you’ll also get skid plates for the transfer case, fuel tank, hill descent control and Rancho shocks. However, it’s still a work truck and rides like a heavy service vehicle on pavement and off. A Carli Suspension lift not only raises the stance of your rig, it improves function and ride in all driving conditions. The smoother ride and bolder look don’t sacrifice any of the truck’s work capacity, they just make it more fun and comfortable to drive. Carli offers both components and full kits. The two basic lift heights are 2.5 inches and 4.5 inches. We stopped in and followed along while the Carli crew upgraded a new…