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Jim Morgan's '98 Ford F-150

All Go, and a Bit of Show
February, 2009
By Ken Brubaker
Photography by Ken Brubaker
1998 Ford F150 Side View
1998 Ford F150 Rear Corner View
Brian Townsend and Jeff Fusselman... 
   
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1998 Ford F150 Rear Corner View
Brian Townsend and Jeff Fusselman of Fort Wayne, Indiana, painted the eye-catching checkered flag design. It blends nicely with the Toreador Red paint that wraps the rest of the vehicle.
1998 Ford F150 Front Interior View
The interior was left in its... 
   
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1998 Ford F150 Front Interior View
The interior was left in its stock trim, but a full array of Auto Meter gauges were installed. These allow the driver to monitor engine rpm, oil pressure, water temperature, amperage, and fuel pressure.
1998 Ford F150 Shocks View
Keeping the massive front... 
   
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1998 Ford F150 Shocks View
Keeping the massive front 2 1/2-ton Rockwell axle in check are three Superlift gas-charged shocks at each wheel. They mount to custom shock hoops.
1998 Ford F150 Under Front View
Up front, a 2 1/2-ton Rockwell... 
   
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1998 Ford F150 Under Front View
Up front, a 2 1/2-ton Rockwell axle was installed, and it sports Chuck’s Trucks custom disc brakes and Selectro lock-out hubs, in addition to custom coilover air springs
1998 Ford F150 Engine View
Sitting on custom motor mounts... 
   
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1998 Ford F150 Engine View
Sitting on custom motor mounts is a modified 472ci big-block engine, and it’s stuffed with a number of performance goodies, including Speed Pro pistons, a Lunati camshaft and valvetrain, Edelbrock Stealth intake manifold, Holley 750cfm double-pumper carb, L&L headers, and a custom 2 1/2-inch exhaust system with Flowmaster mufflers. The result is an engine that cranks out an estimated 500 horsepower.
1998 Ford F150 Under Front View
After all new custom frame... 
   
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1998 Ford F150 Under Front View
After all new custom frame crossmembers were installed, a beefy Chuck’s Trucks-built 2 1/2-ton Rockwell axle was installed in the rear of the F-150. The truck also sports Superlift re-arched leaf springs and two Superlift shocks per wheel.
P145598 Image Large
The specs.

Opening the hood of this beautiful F-150 reveals a potent big-block powerhouse that measures 472 ci and generates an estimated 500 horsepower. Stephens & Hull, also in Fort Wayne, did the machine work before the engine was assembled with Speed-Pro pistons, a TRW oil pump, Moroso oil pan, and a Lunati valvetrain and camshaft. Induction is through a Holley 750 double-pumper carburetor and Edelbrock Stealth intake manifold, while the ignition system is comprised of a Mallory Unilite distributor and Mallory spark plug wires. Exhaust gases are passed through L&L Industries headers, a dual 2 ½-inch exhaust system, and Flowmaster mufflers.

Behind the engine is a C-6 transmission that was heavily modified by Russ Moore Transmissions in Fort Wayne and it features a TCI torque converter and flywheel, as well as a heavy-duty cooler. The result is a transmission that can easily handle the power from the bored-out 460ci engine. The tranny is bolted to a heavy-duty remote-mounted NP205 transfer case, and this unit splits the power to the 2 ½-ton Rockwell military axles (built by Chuck’s Trucks in Orlando, Florida) via custom driveshafts that were fabricated by Fort Wayne Clutch. A custom hydraulic steering setup helps Morgan turn the massive 48x25-20 Goodyear Super Terra tires, which are mounted on custom 20x20 Midwest aluminum wheels.

The frame of the F-150 underwent a substantial number of modifications, including the removal of every stock crossmember. They were replaced with custom-fabbed heavy-duty crossmembers, and all were drilled with numerous 1-inch holes for weight reduction. The custom suspension consists of custom coilover air springs in front, with three Superlift shocks per wheel. The rear suspension includes custom re-arched Superlift leaf springs with two Superlift shocks per wheel.

With the truck sporting such a mind-boggling array of beefy drivetrain mods, it was only natural to make it visually eye-catching as well. After installing an Aero-Form cowl hood, the truck was left in the care of master painter Brian Townsend of Fort Wayne. He and Jeff Fusselman went to work spraying the truck with Ford Toreador Red paint, and laying on the checkered flag graphics in Corvette White and black. The painting was completed at Fussey’s Custom Painting in Fort Wayne then a number of exterior bolt-ons were added, including a Tekstyle bedcover and Ramsey 9500 Pro winch on a custom winch mount. The Ford came equipped with a full array of factory options, so the interior is inherently very comfortable. Hence, it was left mostly stock. However, keeping an eye on powerplant functions was paramount, so a full array of Auto Meter gauges were installed to monitor engine rpm, oil pressure, water temperature, amperage, and fuel pressure.

Lest you think that the F-150 is nothing more than a show vehicle, Morgan is quick to point out that the truck is street-legal in his home state of Texas, and he not only drives it often, but plans on crushing cars with it just for fun.


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