F-150 with the most basic upgrades is nearly in the 12-second quarter mile range.
Today’s Ford F-150 pickups are quicker than ever. An “average” half-ton truck with the popular 5.0-liter V8 packs more horsepower than the old SVT Lightning, and in the right configuration, a standard F-150 offers similar performance to the Lightning. Best of all, in addition to having loads of stock power, today’s V8 engine takes nicely to modifications. Since the engine in the F-Series lineup is shared with the Mustang GT, there is a ton of aftermarket support. This leads to some very quick pickups with few upgrades.
Today’s Truckin’ Fast Wednesday video from the Jeebs ACR YouTube channel features a 2018 Ford F-150 with the 5.0-liter V8 and a handful of common upgrades. This truck is similar to many of the trucks sold in the United States, yet with simple modifications, it is as quick as many new performance cars.
The 2018 V8 F-150
The truck in the video above is a 2018 Ford F-150 SuperCrew. It is powered by the 5.0-liter V8with help from the 10-speed automatic transmission and an advanced four-wheel-drive system. In stock form, this engine delivers 395 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. The new 10-speed gearbox provides aggressive acceleration. We can see that this truck is riding on the stock 20-inch wheels and the details point out that it is on stock tires.
The details on the upgrades are limited. We know that this F-150 has an aftermarket muffler, a cold air intake and a tune, but there is no other information. We don’t know who provided the tune or what type of tune. However, for the many owners of modern V8-powered half-ton Ford trucks who have wondered what exhaust, intake and a tune would do for you in the quarter mile, here you go.
Sniffing 12s
In the video above, this F-150 is making a quarter mile pass at Grand Bend Motorplex in Canada. The driver is launching in four-wheel-drive and leaving it there. This allows for solid traction at the line with a heavy, preloaded launch.
We don’t get any fractions, but the V8 sounds great as the big F-150 roars down the track. We know that this run resulted in a time of 13.2 seconds and a speed of 106 miles per hour. So, if you have a newer V8 F-150 and you are looking to run in the low-13-second range, this video shows how little you need to do to reach your goal.
"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.
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