Lifted 2003 Ford F-250 looks great with third-generation Super Duty styling.
At first look, you might think that we crossed up our models years in introducing this 2003 Ford F-250, but this really is a first generation Super Duty, but the owner has added the front end from a third generation truck. This gives the rig a modern look while the extensive suspension upgrade and huge wheels add all sorts of “wow factor”.
Nickg116’s F-250
While the F-250 has been offered for decades, the formal introduction of the “Super Duty” line back in 1999 ushered in the first generation of the big Ford trucks to sport the name. The first generation of the Super Duty ran from 1999 through 2007, meaning that this 2003 F-250 – owned by Instagrammer Nick Griswell – is a first generation model.
However, when Griswell got to modifying his F-250, he didn’t want just another lifted Super Duty, so he undertook the task of swapping the front end from a third generation (2011-2016) truck onto his. As a result, this truck looks like a newer model while featuring the bones of a first gen. Most importantly, this new-looking truck is powered by the old 7.3-liter Power Stroke diesel.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
