2002 Ford F-150 SuperCrew - Super Fly

Prerunning has come a long way over the past few years. Scores of desert races are infiltrated by off-road enthusiasts by the truckloads, and thousands of off-road-altered pickups pound the pavement on a daily basis. The line between trophy truck and daily driver gets thinner and thinner as engineers chip away at the problems concerning performance and drivability. Bolt-on long-travel kits, wide-open fenders, remote reservoir shocks, skidplates, and off-road tires have created a new age in the development of functional thrashing.

All of these trends were not lost on Don Sneddon of Mickey Thompson Tires in Temecula, California. When Don chose to build a SEMA prerunner show truck two and a half months before showtime, he decided his truck needed as much go as show. The techs at SoCal SuperTrucks Inc. of San Bernardino, California, took Don's '02 Ford F-150 SuperCrew and modified the suspension to gain 15 inches of travel in front and 18 inches of travel out back. That's a lot of suspension action considering that the stock travel is right at 7 inches and the slick CST suspension is a true bolt-on kit.

CST's 7-1/2-inch Long Travel Kit for the F-150 formed the nucleus of this prerunner conversion. The front components are comprised of CST's custom control arms and shock hoop kit. The Sway-A-Way coilover shocks, which are equipped with heim joints, give Don's four-door prerunner more than a foot of front-wheel travel. The CST A-arms attach to the stock mounts and not only increase suspension travel, but also increase stability with a 6-inch (overall) gain in track width. Limiting straps were installed to prevent excessive suspension droop. Eibach springs were used with Sway-A-Way Race Runner shocks to absorb the landings of this frequent flyer.

The tail section of the SuperCrew uses landing gear that employs custom-built Deaver spring packs. A set of King bypass dampers, attached to the scratch-built bed cage keeps the leaves stable and rough-country ready. This rearend setup provides the low cruising crew cab with an amazing 1-1/2-feet of well-controlled suspension travel. The custom tube front light cage and rear bed cage were created by SoCal SuperTrucks specifically for this SEMA shocker. A liquid spray-on polymer by Line-X coats the inside of the bed for excellent protection. The bed cage holds a Warn winch, which lifts horizontally for easy cargo access. Don says the bed allows him to fit his Yamaha YZ250 in the back with no problem.

The SuperCrew sits on a set of 17-inch Mickey Thompson Classic II wheels wrapped with Mickey's ever-popular Baja Claw Radials that are poised and ready for the dirt. Geiser Brothers' fiberglass one-piece vented hood and race-style fenders were installed for the Trophy Truck look - and to provide clearance for the Ford's new, larger skins. Custom flame-embossed, polished aluminum fenderwells fill a void and provide engine compartment protection - plus the alloy sheets just look bitchin'. SoCal SuperTrucks also installed the front auxiliary lights, a pair of Dick Cepek Euro Tech flamethrowers, and two Super Off-Road long-range pencil beams.

A Pace Edwards carbon-fiber dash lines the cockpit and complements the instrumentation needed to monitor this fierce four-door's vital stats. Koenig V racing seats hold the passengers in place when extreme maneuvers are in order. Bully pedals (supplied by Pilot) provide maximum foot traction for the riders' feet when the going gets rough.

Like all great works of art, this Blue Oval required a striking coat of pigment. Don flew the SuperCrew to Starbucks (no, not the snobby coffee shop) where the block-sanding and paint-shooting took place. Doug Starbuck of Riverside, California, laid down the primary red over yellow and accented the now wildly colorful 'runner with back contrast bands.

Whomever said that form and function can't coexist has obviously not had a close-up look at Don Sneddon's stylish prerunner. But if they're ever in the desert and keep their eyes peeled, they just may get a glimpse of this super-fine SuperCrew.

Visit www.off-roadweb.com for an additional look at super fly