Where Inspiration for the 2011 Ford F-150 Raptor's Hood Graphics Came From
Ford is giving 2011 F-150 SVT Raptor owners a new way to customize their pickups, with vinyl hood graphics inspired by off-road race trucks from the 1970s.
"When I started looking at off-road racing history for inspiration, I noticed that a lot of Ford Broncos from the 1970s were running matte black hoods to reduce the glare," said Bruce Williams, F-150 SVT Raptor designer. "So it's a protective graphic that has a functional benefit and ties in with our racing heritage."
Perhaps no other truck embodies Ford's classic off-road racing exploits than Parnelli Jones' and Bill Stroppe's Bronco, "Big Oly" (originally called "Crazy Colt"). Jones drove Big Oly to victory in the 1971 and 1972 Baja 1000s. The fabricated racer was powered by a 350-400 horsepower version of Ford's 351 Windsor V-8 -- not much less than the Raptor's 411 horsepower 6.2-liter V-8.
Note the matte black finish on Big Oly's hood. Maybe Ford will make Big Oly's roof wing an option for the 2012 Raptor.
Comments
yeah i dunno about the wing hood idea for the 2012 raptor. really diggin the matte hood though!!!
I don't see too many of those old Broncos around. Especially ones that didn't have the rear fender chopped for more tire clearance.
Cool rig.
I bet the current Raptor would be faster than this truck.
It's amazing as to how much things have changed in 40 years.(Feel like an old fart saying that).
I see wings like that all the time.
They are attached to the back of most teenagers tuner cars;)
Like the different color hood but that logo does not belong on the hood whether it has historical meaning or not its hideous
Never was a fan of flat black stickers !!
Funny now flat black is now called matte and its hip..cool.. WTF !!!Looks like a poor man with cheap junkyard parts on it !
What happened to the Ford fans that were making fun of the Dodge Power wagon's stickers...all of a sudden they love stickers because its on a Ford ? The Raptor's box looks ridiculous with those cheap looking messy splash stickers,reminds me of the kid's Civic down the block in 2002 ! It doesnt go faster with stickers !
Hey Gooey Bum (?!)
The Power Wagon stickers still look like crap.
Looks like something out of the bargain bin at Pep Boys.
Martok(?!)
Exactly what the Raptor's stickers look like ! Even worse like a 2 year old was left loose,worse than the Ford Splash edition's stickers years ago!!
C'mon now,the hood is good but the side crap ,looks idiotic!
Seriously there is nothing wrong with the Power Wagon's decals it looks 100% better than the cheap looking juvenile stickers on the Raptor..Hey I owned 12 Ford's in my life ,but the stickers looks like cheap and like hell,The Power Wagon doesnt look cheap,actually looks good,your just a typical Ford lover with any thing sticker ect. on it you would say it looks good because its a Ford,I am not that way !! The Raptor needs to have no welfare looking stickers on it !! Then it would be o.k.The only thing on the Power Wagon is I liked the chrome badging on previous models,but at least they dont have that lame side mess as per the Ford.
The anti-glare vinyl isn't bad idea but the rest of the marketing in it is bull*hit - they can also made a mattie carbon hood and call it a heritage to the 'Big Oly'... God almighty, the present marketing is jealous... Dodge made on a new Ram body those vintage 'Power Wagon' stickers and they also looks crap! At least Chevy isn't playing sicker game!
I'm not a brand-fanatic :-)
Okay, this is the second story about Fords stickers in the last couple of months. There has got to be something a little more news worthy than this from some manufacturer.
I like the graphics on the Power Wagon once I saw a "real" one. Pictures often make things look worse. I like the looks of the Raptor but I'm still not sure about the graphics. I have yet to see one in the flesh. Strangely enough there aren't too many Power Wagons around my town. Everyone buys diesel HD's. Most of the gassers I see are fleet trucks.
You want inspiration, this is what Ford should work on next.
http://www.raptorforumz.com/showthread.php?t=8364
@EX- I agree. I'm going to have a hard time going to sleep tonight after seeing that!! The bronco is my favorite. Thanks man!!!!!!!!!
@Ex: yeah, right man - I'd like to see the Bronco & Blazer again! Maybe then I'd consider twice of buying a Jeep Wrangler...
I am seriously looking at ordering the 2011 Raptor Super Crew, but the retail cost of the side graphics, $1,085 is a waste. I have mixed feelings about them to begin with. The hood I can live with and might consider.
A Raptor owner near me who is an absolute car crazy guy, designed his own, had it custom made and installed and although looking somewhat similar, they were unique and looked much better with the name Raptor integrated into the graphic. Apparently he did it for allot less than the Ford graphics on the build sheet.
Ironically one of the other trucks I am seriously looking at is the 2011 Ram 2500 Power Wagon. The graphics are not that bad, I can live with them, but given the option, if there was a box I could check to delete the graphics, I probably would.
I am okay with a clean look or perhaps a tastefully done two tone lower portion paint scheme. I guess I just don't like paying to be an advertising billboard. No surprise I am not a big fan of gaudy designer brands either.......
The comments to this entry are closed.