It may not look shiny and new, but this 1985 Ford F-250 is more capable than before thanks to a substantial lift and strong winch.
As nice as shiny, fresh paint and gleaming trim is to see on a truck, the truth is that it does nothing to help it do one of its main jobs: Hauling and towing things. When it comes to work, what really matters is the substance under all of that flash. The man behind the Youtube channel Red Poppy Ranch (RPR) seems to know that well, which would explain his approach to his 1985 Ford F-250 4X4 farm truck build.
He set out to make his F-Series more capable and better able to handle his property’s terrain. His philosophy was simple, even if the work to physically manifest it wasn’t. He focused on function instead of form. He did change some major body parts, but he only did that to make his rig a more effective farm truck.
The head of RPR tore off the original front bumper. A simple upgrade wouldn’t do, though. To improve his truck’s lighting, he cut into both ends of the new bumper and installed two 20-inch bars in the new holes before bolting the whole assembly into place. He also fit a 10,000-pound winch in the middle of the bumper. As cool as it looks, he had a practical, non-aesthetic reason to put it there: So he wouldn’t get stuck…again.
To make sure his F-250 could get over obstacles on his property, the head of RPR gave it a four-inch lift and fresh mud tires. Despite the lift, his truck’s ride quality is pleasant. He also upgraded the front axle, which he saw as its weakest link.
The bed was rusted and busted, so the owner of RPR ripped it off. He also removed the rear fuel tank, bumper, and skid plate. After all was said and done, he shaved about 700-800 pounds off of his truck, although he added back some of that with a new flatbed and a 40-gallon auxiliary fuel tank.
The end result is an honest truck that’s ready to work hard, dents and rust be damned. Sure, it won’t win any beauty contests, but it looks pretty damn good to us.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
