1999 Ford F350 Super Duty - The Replacement

Dave Engelsman was a happy camper. The Elmhurst, Illinois resident had just completed modifications on his new Dodge Ram 3500 and it sported a long list of cool touches, including a custom 12-inch suspension lift and 40-inch 'Boggers. Sadly, Dave's bliss came to an abrupt end when a speeding drunk driver blew through a stop sign and collided with the just-finished truck. The violent broadside impact destroyed the Dodge, leaving Dave back at square one, pondering what to buy and build to replace the doomed Dodge. He settled on a brand-new '99 Ford Super Duty F-350 Crew Cab, which he and Matt Dinelli at Attitude Performance in Elk Grove Village, Illinois immediately began modifying in an effort to achieve enhanced capability while retaining day-to-day driveability.

The first order of business was to create a lift tall enough to fit 44-inch tires. This was by far the most labor-intensive part of the buildup, because as we all know, larger tires and tall lifts create a domino effect of mandatory driveline changes. To create enough lift to fit the big tires without tire-to-body contact, the stock front springs were removed and replaced with custom National Spring 12-inch-lift leaf springs, while the stock rear springs were also replaced with National Spring 12-inch-lift leaf springs as well as custom billet steel 3-inch lift blocks. Dual Rancho RS 9000 shock absorbers reside at each wheel to dampen trail bumps. The new lift wreaked havoc on the stock steering angles, so a BDS drop pitman arm and a custom drag link fabbed by Dinelli were installed to return the steering geometry to factory specs. These work in conjunction with an Off Road Unlimited hydraulic-assist steering system to ensure that Dave can easily control the 44x19-16.5 'Boggers on 16.5x14 Weld Scorpio V wheels. A pair of custom driveshafts from Suburban Driveline in Villa Park, Illinois carry the power to the front Dana 50 differential and the rear Sterling 1011/44-inch differential. Both diffs were regeared with 4.56:1 gears from Randy's Ring & Pinion. Rear wheelhop is kept under control by a pair of Fabritech 6-foot-long ladder bars, and both the front and rear diffs feature Off Road Unlimited aluminum covers that are repolished yearly by Personal Touch Polishing in Streamwood, Illinois, to compensate for the salty Illinois winters. The final driveline hurdle that had to be overcome was the elimination of front driveshaft vibration due to the extreme driveshaft angle created by the lift. To beat this pesky problem, Attitude Performance installed its new transfer case re-indexing kit, which effectively rotates the transfer case to lower the front output shaft location.

The tasteful, yet eye-catching,...        read full caption The tasteful, yet eye-catching, blue-flame graphics were designed and applied by Sticker Dude Designs in Lake Zurich, Illinois.

A pair of Fabritech 6-foot-long...        read full caption A pair of Fabritech 6-foot-long ladder bars were installed to reduce the chances of wheelhop under hard acceleration.

Attitude Performance installed...        read full caption Attitude Performance installed its transfer case re-indexing kit, which rotates the 'case to lower the front output shaft location. This decreases the angle of the front driveshaft and eliminates vibration.

Dave wanted an attractive but not gaudy truck, so he kept the exterior modifications clean and simple. First, he purchased a set of Bushwacker cutout fender flares, which were then painted to match the Ford's factory white paint by M&B Auto Body in Schaumburg, Illinois before being installed by Attitude Performance. In addition to the visual appeal, these flares create even more room for the 44-inch 'Boggers to travel without contact. The truck then went to Sticker Dude Designs in Lake Zurich, Illinois for the custom vinyl flame graphics before Dave bolted on Design Automotive Back Country stainless steel nerf bars, a Smittybilt Outland brushguard, custom taillights and four Hella Jumbo 220 lights.

In an effort to retain the V-10 engine's factory reliability, Dave chose to use just a few simple bolt-on items to help it develop a bit more horsepower. He installed a K&N air filter to enhance the engine's ability to take in air, while a set of JBA headers, dual 3-inch custom exhaust and Flo-Pro mufflers combine to guarantee a free-breathing exhaust system. This horsepower flows through the stock 4R100 four-speed automatic transmission, which has been enhanced with a Trans Go shift kit.

Inside the truck Dave was pleased with the luxurious leather seating and the host of factory options, so he chose to add only the controller for the Rancho RS 9000 shock absorbers and a Panasonic DF800U head unit with CD.

When Dave finished modifying his Dodge 3500 he had no idea that fate would quickly erase the truck and he'd be forced to build its replacement so soon, but he rallied to create this functional and visually stunning Super Duty that serves as his daily driver, dirt-bike hauler and off-highway tool. Of course, he's not done modifying the truck. It's currently slated to receive a supercharger to ensure that its performance matches its aggressive look.

Custom taillamps add visual...        read full caption Custom taillamps add visual impact to the tail of the Ford, while Bushwacker cutout fender flares offer more space for the big 44-inch 'Boggers to flex without tire-to-body contact.

The rear Sterling 10 1/4-inch...        read full caption The rear Sterling 10 1/4-inch differential was regeared with Randy's Ring & Pinion 4.56:1 gears. The suspension is composed of custom National Spring 12-inch lift springs, billet steel 3-inch spacer blocks and dual Rancho RS 9000 shocks at each wheel.

Custom National Spring 12-inch...        read full caption Custom National Spring 12-inch lift springs and dual Rancho RS 9000 shocks at each wheel comprise the front suspension, and a BDS drop pitman arm and custom drag link return the steering to stock geometry. Dave also installed an Off Road Unlimited hydraulic assist steering system to help turn the big 44-inch tires.

Specifications