Everything is bigger in Texas, including one man's aspirations for his 2015 F-150 Lariat.
Simple Intentions
Jeremy Brown had good, small intentions. He bought his 2015 Ford F-150 Lariat with the plan of using it as a tow vehicle for his 1989 Toyota. The build started modest enough with Brown installing a Phat Phabz hidden trailer hitch behind the rear license plate. Things began to snowball from there.
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Breaking New Ground
Brown quickly learned his F-150 was not destined to be a regular tow vehicle. His mindset quickly changed and so did his goals. With all desires of modesty scrapped, Brown decided to have his F150 become the first of the 2015 models to be body dropped. He enlisted the Phat Phabz crew of Oklahoma and tasked them with building a custom frame to accommodate his plans.
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The Work Begins
Phat Phabz installed Airlift 2,600 airbags in the front to go along with custom tubular control arms and spindles. An Airlift V4 air system helps inflate the bags. In the rear, Firestone 9,000 airbags are in charge of lift and drop. The rear suspension is comprised of a triangled three-link with wishbone and custom body mounts. A five-gallon air tank and Viair 480 chrome compressors can also be found out back. Monroe shocks sit at all four corners. The wheels measure 26x9 in the front and 26x10 in the rear. They're cloaked in 295/30R26 and 305/30R26 Lexani tires, respectively.
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Lighter and Lower
Brown's 2015 F-150 Lariat was the first model year to feature an aluminum body construction. Ford cut around 500 pounds from the cab and bed by utilizing aluminum over steel. They kept steel for the firewall in an effort to made the 2015 model quieter on the interior. Weight saving was also achieved through the use of lighter seats, leaf springs, and lower control arms.
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A Bed Fit for a King
Phat Phabs designed a custom bed for Brown's F-150. The bed is lined with Bullet Liner and also houses a custom gas filler door which feeds a 23-gallon fuel cell. An Elite tonneau cover hides the craftsmanship and fuel filler when Brown is on the move.
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Custom Paint, Flames, and Pinstriping, Oh My!
After the major chassis and suspension fabrication was dialed in, Brown's F-150 needed a new look. It had a stance all its own and craved the bodywork to match. With that in mind, the F150's emblems and stock gas door were shaved. Patrick Reid of San Leon, TX was called upon to make the paint pop. He utilized the stock white base color and spiced things up with black flames. Blue paint outlines the flames as they make their way from the F-150's front to the rear. Reid added pinstriping for the final touch.
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Fire in the Engine Bay
Brown's F-150 features the 3.5L EcoBoost V6. The twin-turbo motor is factory rated at 365 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. In stock form, it'll haul the SuperCrew F-150 to 60 MPH in less than 6 seconds. Brown's truck has a little extra motivation courtesy of tuning by Bo Woody of Oklahoma City, OK. The engine also looks the part thanks to Patrick Reid's flames and pinstriping.
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On the Inside
Brown's Lariat came well equipped on the interior from Ford, but he didn't neglect the details. The interior trim pieces were painted to match the body and they play well off the factory tan leather. The F-150's interior looks and feels rather airy thanks to the factory panoramic sunroof.
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Back Seat
The "White Hot" theme continues into the rear half of the interior with a custom box for the two Rockford Fosgate P3s which blast their sound downwards. An AudioControl LC7i processor manages the woofers and the Rockford Fosgate door speakers. A Kinetic battery was also relocated to the rear seats. Build and installation was handled by Alberto Grothe of Houston, TX.
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