Many truck owners begin a buildup from a bone-stock chassis. This allows the owner the freedom to tailor the buildup to suit his or her own specific needs. Yet when you stumble across a truck that’s already built just the way you like it, the rig is hard to resist. Such was the case when George and Siobhan Trohalides discovered this 1988 F-350 sitting in front of Dayton Ford in Dayton, New Jersey.
Dayton Ford was using the big F-350 to draw potential customers into the dealership. After a few months eyeballing the impressive rig, George approached the owner and the deal was signed. Although some of the drivetrain and suspension was built before George bought the vehicle, he has added a few custom touches during the past few years to make this one of the cleanest and most tasteful rigs we've seen.
Powering the beast is the venerable Ford big-block 460 V-8. For reliability, the motor was left fairly stock, although it does benefit from dual exhaust and an MSD distributor, a coil, and wires. Big-block power is sent downstream to the stock granny-low five-speed 1-ton manual tranny, beefed with a Centerforce clutch. The ponies are split using the stock Borg-Warner 13-56 transfer case.
To compensate for the larger tires, 4.56:1 gears were installed in the open Dana 60 and the Detroit-locked Corporate 101/4-inch axles.
Making room for the 44-inch Super Swampers on 16.5x14-inch Bart chrome rims are 8-inch National custom leaf packs up front and 6-inchers in the rear with a block. A 3-inch body lift adds further altitude. Ten Superlift shocks are more than enough to handle the damping duties, while a front shackle reversal enhances the ride quality. A 4-inch drop pitman arm deals with the steering chores in conjunction with quad stabilizers. Some chrome ladder bars were added to control axle movement and bring a bit more flash to the undercarriage. To help cover the massive rubber, Bushwacker fender flares were installed.
Exterior enhancements include a Warn Enforcer bumper up front housing dual foglights, a Grizzly triple/ double bed bar with four KC 6x9 lights, and dual fire extinguishers. Custom-fabricated chrome nerf bars help George and Siobhan hoist themselves into their massive ride. A Lund visor and bugshield add even more style. The interior features a custom rollcage along with a full security system.
George plans to add many more custom features to Big Red during the next year, including some engine enhancements and a fully redesigned interior. Since they have a good eye for style and beefiness, we imagine the Trohalides' finishing touches on Big Red are sure to make this great truck that much better. FW