Ride along and watch from trackside as this modified F-150 tackles a series of jumps.
This week’s Freaky Friday video comes to us from the YouTube channel of Randal Buchert and it features a 10th generation Ford F-150 prerunner showing off its high-flying capabilities. The action is captured from a variety of angles and perspectives, including an on-board view and from an aerial drone, allowing us to watch this half-ton F-Series soaring over the dirt.
The Machine
Unfortunately, there are no details on this Ford F-150, but there is plenty to be gathered just from what we can see. This truck is from the 1998 model year, but it doesn’t appear to have many stock components left from the factory. The hood, cab and doors might be original sheet metal, but the front fenders, the bedsides and the front bumper are clearly all aftermarket units. When we view from the rear-facing, on-board camera, we can see that the rear chassis of the truck has been replaced with a custom tube setup, so very little of the components rear of the cab are original Ford parts.
Of course, this truck also has a substantial suspension setup, allowing loads of travel for the huge off-road tires mounted at all four corners. There is music playing over the video, preventing us from hearing the engine, but we can assume that this F-150 is packing V8 power. Ultimately, it is unlikely that this race-ready truck has a base V6 engine, but in the long run, the key aspect of the truck is the suspension setup and that is beautifully displayed in this footage.
Taking Flight in a Ford
The video begins with the on-board footage, allowing us to virtually ride along as this Ford truck hops over the dirt jumps. We watch out the front of the truck at first, followed by a look out the back.
The next series of shots give us a much better feel for what is going on, with trackside footage of the F-150 hitting the jumps at speed and popping through the air. This angle also provides some shots of the truck drifting through the dirt and generally just being cool, but this segment ends with a unique under-side shot of the truck jumping over the camera.
Finally, the video ends with a few clips of the F-150 from the drone, followed by one more tight flyby. A cover of Drowning Pool’s “Bodies” is playing loudly in the background, so this is one that you want to watch at work with the volume down, but metal heads will want to crank of their speakers and enjoy!
"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.
