Revamped F-354 is Built Ford Tough(er): Video

Custom-Built Ford F-354 Becomes Unstoppable Monster Truck, Tackles Rocky Desert Like a Champ

If you look at the main photo above, your first thought is probably: monster truck. Well, they’re 54-inch tall Mickey Thompson tires, to be exact. So, you’re right. And if you’re a fan of Fords, especially the Ford F-354 and monster trucks, you’re gonna love the new video that the guys over at the YouTube Motor Trend Channel have released. It’s an awesome clip (below) detailing exactly how this bad ass behemoth truck was created.

We’ve written about this truck before, but to make a long story short: After buying the truck at a government auction, the owner, Fred Williams, had the idea to make it into a project truck. So he fitted 37-inch tires, 4.10 gears and Detroit Lockers in the front and rear.

With no idea of what to do next, Williams’ summoned a pal, who told him to keep the truck. They first set about overhauling the tired 351 and C6 combo before attacking the fenders with a reciprocating saw. The dudes installed a Skyjacker 6-inch lift kit to clear the giant 54-inch tires, and the result is a humongous funky-looking monster truck.

This video bellow recounts their story. Building the truck into its current form wasn’t easy. As a result, the build’s conclusion was followed with a trip to Johnson Valley, California. You know, to see what it could do!

With limited time to build the truck, the builders cut a few corners. The stock one-ton axles and small-block power plant were retained, although gearing was improved by use of a transfer-case doubler. The truck was also converted to hydraulic steering to help with the mass.

After a quick drive around town, the guys attempted some rock crawling after playing in the sand. Despite being under powered, the truck did alright on the dunes. Once it came to rock crawling, it did a pretty decent job of handling the difficult trails.

However, the Ford truck began to run hot once the engine and transmission became overworked. With a little more power, this would be a serious rock crawling machine. Don’t you think?

Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>

Cameron Vanderhorst

Cam VanDerHorst has been a contributor to Internet Brands' Auto Group sites for over three years, with his byline appearing on Ford Truck Enthusiasts, Corvette Forum, JK Forum, and Harley-Davidson Forums, among others. In that time, he's also contributed to Autoweek, The Drive, and Scale Auto Magazine.

He bought his first car at age 14 -- a 1978 Ford Mustang II -- and since then he’s amassed an impressive and diverse collection of cars, trucks, and motorcycles, including a 1996 Ford Mustang SVT Mystic Cobra (#683) and a classic air-cooled Porsche 911.

In addition to writing about cars and wrenching on them in his spare time, he enjoys playing music (drums and ukulele), building model cars, and tending to his chickens.

You can follow Cam, his cars, his bikes, and his chickens at @camvanderhorst on Instagram.

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