Ford to Showcase Custom F-150s at SEMA Show
Ford will have seven unique F-150s on display at the 2015 Specialty Equipment Market Association Show in Las Vegas in November. The custom Ford half-ton trucks served as a blank canvas for aftermarket companies that wanted to highlight their products while showing truck enthusiasts what's possible.
We'll take a closer look at these and all the other custom vehicles and new products at the 2015 SEMA Show, so stay tuned. For now, here's a look at what to expect from Ford.
1. Galpin Auto Sports Ford F-150
The Southern California auto retailer and custom fabricator created this truck to conquer both the on-road and off-road world, with custom flares to accommodate 20-inch wheels, 37-inch tires, a custom suspension and a unique paint job meant to echo Ford's historic LeMans connection.
2. MRT F-150
We normally don't like two-tone paint jobs, but this track-ready F-150 from MRT Engineered Performance is likely to be one of our favorites of the SEMA Show. Why? Because MRT added a six-speed Tremec Magnum manual transmission, custom computer programming and a ton of special safety features to help keep the engine from overheating and tires from losing their grip.
3. Leer Outdoorsman F-150
Covering the more adventure-oriented, off-road part of the pickup truck spectrum, the truck accessory experts at Leer have lifted this truck 6 inches with help from Rancho. Leer also planted a custom, color-matched bed cap to the protect any bed gear and stuffed a set of Fuel Off-Road wheels and tires under the fenders.
4. Roush Performance F-150
Taking the term performance pickup to a whole new level, Roush Performance added one of its custom-tuned superchargers, reported to provide the lowered street truck with 650 horsepower and 600 pounds-feet of torque. Roush wanted to create the ultimate street truck designed to dominate any race track, drag strip or road course.
5. CGS F-150
With an eye toward accommodating the most discerning customers, CGS Performance Products went ultra-high end when putting together this glamorous F-150. Not only are the suspension pieces powder-coated and the wheels painted, but the lowered air-bag suspension delivers a luxurious ride thanks in part to the 24-inch Savini Forged wheels and Pirelli P-Zero 305/35ZR24 tires.
6. Air Design USA F-150
To highlight how simple it is to change the personality of any pickup truck with just a few trim and performance pieces, the experts at Air Design USA added a collection of new exterior accessory pieces as well as a new Gibson exhaust, Vortech high-performance intercooler and Bilstein 5160 remote reservoir shocks.
7. Forgiato F-150
The high-end luxury wheel maker designed this menacing custom F-150 to intimidate and perform. This off-road F-150 has a 6-inch suspension lift along with 24-inch-tall and 14-inch-wide rims with Nitto high-tech tires. The Whipple supercharger provides the drama, and the wall-to-wall Alea leather delivers unmatched style.
Manufacturer images
Comments
The new aluminium F-150 front end is becoming less attractive the more you see it. The front end in the pictures above make the front end look terrible.
I think the large pickups really need some design work to make them more attractive.
It seems in Ford's case the larger the "canvas" the worse the picture.
And as its production rate and sales rise and its production costs decline your subjective opinion on looks has little meaning Al.
SEMA... its fun but that's it. Nothing meaningful in the SEMA posts unless its about specific items not paint/wheel/package jobs.
I like the Forgiato F-150 pic the best. I would like it even better if it was a club cab.
@Big Al - "The new aluminium F-150 front end is becoming less attractive the more you see it"
and all this coming from the owner of a BT50 Mazda............
Lou,
Keep on keeping on, you'll be right.
Clint,
It is widely known that my view is Ford will be the number two player in the pickup market behind GM for some time in the US.
I don't see this changing.
Your comment is an overstatement with little truth.
Big Al from Oz - you remind me of an over the hill early 80's hair band that keeps playing the same tired songs over and over again hoping for a new audience to stand up and applaud.
golf clap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP6v4T3VT7I
Lou,
Why?
Lou if you want intelligent conversation, I'm all ears.
But, you seem quite limited in the way you operate on this site.
You back the Ford trawls and denigrate FCA trawls.
You appear to be quite unable to handle the deficiencies I highlight regarding the new aluminium F-150.
In the end you revert to name calling. If that is your best then so be it.
I do know metals and engineering.
As I've stated years ago, the automotive industry is moving closer in the direction of the aviation industry. Why not? There are many parallels in what is required from both.
The design and engineering of all vehicles is becoming more and more based on weight savings. You will see problems arise with this.
Irrespective if a vehicle is made of aluminium or steel vehicle weights must reduce to meet the ever increasing demands by regulatory authorities.
Reducing weight will increase the risk of failure, in engine/drivetrains and vehicle structures.
The aluminium F-150 is a great case to highlight the different philosophies in design as we move closer to the aviation model.
As I've also mentioned in the past, take the simple step ladder. Loads are assessed with a 300% margin. This ensure it will meet regulated standards. Aircraft work on 150% for load testing.
I'd bet my gonads that the new Ford chassis has a much lower margin on it's chassis when load testing.
Manufacturing improvements has allowed for this to occur.
That's why I state that the biggest advancement with the new aluminium F-150 is the manufacturing technologies employed.
The end product, a pickup is only a pickup. It can't really do anything better than a steel pickup, except cost more.
Are the weight savings worth this?
As I also pointed out there are cheaper ways to improve the pickup first. If you want more load and tow why not invest a couple of extra bucks and develop carbon fibre springs?
That is the material of the future not aluminium. Graphine and graphite.
I would be happy with the LEER example, nice looking truck.
Trucks like these are not meant to look attractive, if you get a truck just because it's pretty, well, thats YOUR opinion.
These trucks are made for work, not look pretty in your driveway next to your Subaru Brat.
@BIg AL
"You appear to be quite unable to handle the deficiencies I highlight regarding the new aluminium F-150."
Al, just a week ago you said you have no problems with Ford using aluminum, its the way they went about it, now you have gone back to again problems with Aluminum, which is it? Your posts become more and more confusing as contradicting
I don't have any problems with the use of aluminium in the F-150.
The issue is with the B&B brand fans. They need a dose of reality. Just because Ford is producing an aluminium pickup doesn't translate into "it's the best".
There are and will be issues with this vehicle.
When people tend to make remarks and overstatements regarding the aluminium F-150, I will defend my position.
The F-150 has proven my view. The consumer doesn't really give a damn if a pickup is made of aluminium or steel.
Aluminium isn't as great as some here are touting. I work with aluminium day to day. It isn't new.
As I've stated the aluminium F-150 pickup is competitive. The there are no advantages with the use of aluminium.
I'm against Ford's spinning the pickup as something it isn't and the Ford phan club lapping this stuff up as kosher.
The consumer is voting. Look at the numbers of pickups moving. It seems to support my stance.
Frank,
These are not first and foremost trucks, as you call them.
They are SUVs and cars.
Some of these trucks look absolutely stupid. I don't mean to bash Ford, but I agree with Big Al, the grill on this truck is looking worse everyday. There is only 1 trim I don't mind, I believe it is the platinum.
@Big Al - you got called out on TTAC for being a broken record. Even the "nice" guys there are getting annoyed. The topic has been covered multiple times. Time to move on.
Do you see me still bringing up the "chicken tax"?
BTW, when have I said the F150 is currently the best because of aluminum?
It does appear that as time goes on less and less people on this site or at TTAC agrees with you. They all must be Ferd Fern Boyz or perhaps you need to modify your approach to communication.
Those custom beer cans look like crap, better luck next year.
"The consumer doesn't really give a damn if a pickup is made of aluminium or steel.
Aluminium isn't as great as some here are touting."
Posted by: Big Al from Oz | Oct 15, 2015 3:01:48 PM
I know I don't want an aluminum glued together truck. When they tested an F150 Aluminum vs F150 steel and crashed them into each other the steel fared better. Why pay more for less?
I just farted and poop came out.
johnny doe - as opposed to the class action suite against GM for exploding Corvette engines or ignitions?
Each brand has strength and/or weaknesses.
With that being said, I'm not a fan of the snout on these trucks either. I've seen a few aftermarket grills that clean up the looks nicely like the Galpin grills.
I like the previous 2015 Silverado snout much better than the 2016. The 2016 grill looks too much like a Sierra.
At the end of the day aesthetics are highly personal.
If you guys would ignore these oz guys they might go away. It would even help them to maybe overcome their inferiority complex. I wont reply to them.
@Johnny Blow, if you don't like em, then why did you even bother to look?? Your as ignorant as HemorrhoidV8. Yall didn't come from the same pair of gonads did you??
Shows a lot about you. Very little to show though.
Nice colors,,too bad the front end looks so awful,,no wonder it doesnt sell too good,!
@ HEMI V8. you said "I know I don't want an aluminum glued together truck."
Did you know that most panels such as door panels on vehicles are GLUED on today's vehicles? Not welded. So get used to it. It's a better process because it's a full seam glue not a "here and there weld" that water then rust can go.... Aluminum panels have used on many car such as Volvo's, Jags and others for years. And the thought better thought of NOT having a rusted out vehicle after several years is a good thing not like most today.
Way to go Dodge and Canada. Second year in a row the Dodge 1500 won the Canadian truck king challenge. Hijacked yet another ford article
Posted by: roadram | Oct 15, 2015 6:00:34 PM
Still looking for your article you found but I did find this one.
http://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/technology/ford-f-150-named-2015-canadian-utility-of-the-year-145462/
At least you're looking for it and not taking my word or hurling insults. Thanks
Do you have a link. the only thing I found was a quick blurb but no article.
Aluminum vs. steel most consumers are not that interested. Many who are Ford fans will buy a Ford truck anyway regardless of what it is made of. Many will buy based on features or the best deal. The F-150, the Silverado, Sierra, Titan, Tundra, and Ram all have their strengths and weaknesses and any of them would be a good choice.
the thought better thought of NOT having a rusted out vehicle after several years is a good thing not like most today.
Posted by: supercrew02 | Oct 15, 2015 6:16:47 PM
Yeah you just have a over priced corroded aluminum POS in 7 years instead and will cost you more to repair then rust.
Ram: truck of Canada
by David Zatz on 2015-10-15
The Ram 1500 diesel has, once again, won of the Canadian Truck King Challenge, beating 13 other contenders. This is marks back-to-back wins and a triumph over both the new Silverado and the new F-150.
The Canadian Truck King Challenge is a rigorous, multi-day event in which light-duty pickup trucks and commercial vans are tested head-to-head by nine expert judges focusing on capability, consumption, and features. The testing included 6,000 pounds of towing, 1,000 pounds of payload, and off-roading.
Ram trucks are Canada’s longest-lasting pickups, as measured by the percentage sold in the last 27 years that are still on the road today, according to third-party data.
@ johnny doe "Yeah you just have a over priced corroded aluminum POS in 7 years instead and will cost you more to repair then rust." Pure speculation on all counts as we'd expect. As other mfg's use more non steel parts, expertise increase, cost on whole go down. What "repairs" you guessing at? Most folks cars or trucks never need to get repairs done. So an older vehicle not rusted would be nice.
FYI, my '02 supercrew bought new has factory aluminum hood as they all did, other than few scratches NO other issues with aluminum. You'll need other reasons to hate them.
i personally like the front end on these, the only thing i dont really like on the F150 for the stock trucks is the stance, they need to sit higher in the front or lower in the back, they look like a sling shot dragster, if i was to buy one i would definitely look into a leveling kit, other wise its a great truck in all aspects.
That red Air Design would look great in my drive way !
I don't care for the new F150's. The front isn't terrible but the lowered belt line and tall greenhouse make it look like a pope mobile.
Got behind some 2016 Super Duty trucks that appeared to be out testing yesterday. They had minor camo on them, and laptops hooked up inside.
The front is is WILD looking. I think I kind of like it. The biggest thing that stood out to me is how TALL they are. There was one in regular configuration and two with flat beds and gooseneck hitches. The one with the regular bed was really tall...it almost looked like it had a lift kit on it. I'm 6'4" and I'd have trouble reaching over that tailgate. It was a HUGE looking truck. Single rear axle. At least 33" tall tires if not taller. It was really quiet too...couldn't hear the engine hardly at all.
Hey Brian, do you know when you are getting old? It is when your dreams get drier, and your farts get wetter! But my vote goes to the Leer!
check this out from fox news
The Canadian Truck King Challenge results are vague because the guy who runs the test sells the test report to e-zines and newspapers.
The 1/2 ton trucks were tested with 1,000 lb in the box and 6k trailers.
On an interesting side note, the Colorado diesel came in second overall (Ram Ecodiesel 1st) and came in 1st in the midsized category. The Ford Transit won the van competition and the Sierra 3500 won the HD title.
Every vehicle that came in 1st had a diesel engine in it.
supercrew02 Google Ford F150 AL hood corrosion, google Ford mustang AL hood corrosion. There is tons of corroded hoods as new as 2011 and that math comes up as only 4 years old, and already the AL is rotting away. Oh just think that if AL hoods that are 4 years old are rotting away that don't get as much road spay as rocker panels do, what will 2 year old AL rocker panels will look like. They will look like white rust holes.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrB8p_AWCBW304AXaqJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBsZ29xY3ZzBHNlYwNzZWFyY2gEc2xrA2J1dHRvbg--;_ylc=X1MDOTYwNjI4NTcEX3IDMgRiY2sDNmVtYzdwbGIxdjhuZCUyNmIlM0QzJTI2cyUzRDk2BGZyA3lmcC10LTkwMS1zBGdwcmlkA2FFakhSYUh4U3R1aW1haXYzdEJyV0EEbXRlc3RpZANudWxsBG5fc3VnZwMwBG9yaWdpbgNpbWFnZXMuc2VhcmNoLnlhaG9vLmNvbQRwb3MDMARwcXN0cgMEcHFzdHJsAwRxc3RybAMzNQRxdWVyeQNhbHVtaW51bSBjb3Jyb3Npb24gb24gRm9yZCBtdXN0YW5ncwR0X3N0bXADMTQ0NDk2MDQ5NgR2dGVzdGlkA0IwOTQ0?gprid=aEjHRaHxStuimaiv3tBrWA&pvid=BI45pTY5LjFnWYfNVh.i7QN_MjYwMQAAAAASRS7j&p=aluminum+corrosion+on+Ford+mustangs&fr=yfp-t-901-s&fr2=sb-top-images.search.yahoo.com&ei=UTF-8&n=60&x=wrt#id=71&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.carcomplaints.com%2Fmedia%2Fcomplaints%2Fimages%2F1efb3cc6-867a-1032-b743-4c3114d2dee3r.jpg&action=click
johnny doe - run through GMC/Chevy through that same search engine. It can occur to any aluminum panel.
Lou_BC Yeah I know that. That's why I won't be buying a AL truck from any maker. I mean if a Sport car hood is corroded away in 4 years time, that only gets drove in good weather 99% of the time. Yeah no thanks.
So why do aluminum control arms on 15 year old Cadillacs look new as the day they were shipped to the manufacturer? they are coated with transparent anti corrosion adhesive. I have veiwed a few decade old ford lower control arms that started to rot. I live in a salt belt. trucks rust out overly fast! like stupid fast... need an alternative and aluminum most likely will out perform steel in longevity of corrosion. Body panels arent that much money to replace in steel. and if you look at what the scrap yard is bringing from the port on aluminum. Those panels wont cost much more to buy. Personally i think the aluminum is good for body and frame. It makes things more rigid overall by nature of its makeup. thats how i have learned it in all the dirt bike and bicycle frames ive ridden. If people think it will cost to much to repair i suggest they buy better coverage insurance. State farm, all state they seem to keep reasonable rate for people with no tickets in the last 5 years of there lives. its all different i know. Bottom line is that when you get into a fender bender and it not your fault and you can prove it, it doesnt cost you a dime! if it is your fault and you think the panels are too much to replace maybe you shouldnt be so wreck-less PUN... since you cant afford it!
The lightness of the pickup has zero factor in the quality. if it did GM would have had many more issues with their trucks than they did. GM is by far the longest lasting trucks PERIOD! they are good for 300k regularly maintained. i know too many contractors that travel all over NY putting 60k a year on trucks driving and just have very little issues with GM. I Never saw a truck do as good as GM. Older superduty can but you will spit a few plugs during that time and to some weak at heart that is too much to handle...
OZ, Go away, You keep bashing aluminum, then aluminum is ok? Why is that? Is it because your GM love is saying they are going aluminum too? I will bet ALL manufacturers will go aluminum to reduce weight.
And of coarse TODAY its more expensive to repair because most shops didn't deal with aluminum but guess what? They will as more and more of them have aluminum. Some guys here sound like when fuel injection came out and they said that carburators are the better way since its cheaper to fix and not all shops can fix fuel injected cars because they would need more expensive tools and training...
Thank god the population still moves forward because I would hate to be stuck in the past.
Bob, Actually aluminum has been used for at least 10 years. I believe Ford has been using for longer. There is an old TSB for Ford bodyshops on how to properly repair aluminum damage. Our 05 Suburbans have aluminum panels. The only real difference now is Ford has changed the way they approve of aluminum repairs on the new F150.
Syclone Rob,
Thanks for your feedback!
Aluminium is a fantastic material and so is clay and good top soil for farming.
LMAO,
Aluminium has been in use since the 19th Century.
The comments to this entry are closed.