Twin-turbocharged F-150 is 1000HP of Rear Tire Peril
Daily Slideshow: Trust Kurt Busch to partner with ZB Customs and build a 1000HP Ford F-150 street truck.
Apex pick-up predator
When we think about a high-performance F-150 truck, the mind immediately imagines the Raptor. As awesome as it is, the Raptor only truly comes into its own when you are barreling along an off-road track reminiscent of the Baja peninsula’s worst backroads.
The Lightning was a high-performance variation of the F-150, a decidedly on-road truck with a supercharged power unit. This show truck was built by ZB Customs for SEMA 2018, and it looks like a throwback to the days of Ford's Lightning. It was also a project quite fittingly associated with stock car racing phenom, Kurt Busch.
Ballistic blue oval street truck
The Kurt Busch build project commenced with a donor F-150 Lariat Sport 4×2 SuperCab. Most of the custom work was undertaken by Zach Brown and his team of skilled artisans at ZB Customs.
A collection of design details distinguishes this F-150, but its hue is the first and most noticeable: Axalta Electron Blue. For a high-performance blue oval street truck, this unique blue paint finish is most appropriate.
Beyond the vivid color, those bolt-on fender extensions and the front spoiler command attention. Giving the Kurt Busch project truck a great sense of authenticity is the fact that those upgrades are fully functional. The larger and wider wheels required bigger arches to house them (hence the fender extensions) and considering the performance potential of this truck, some truck front aerodynamics were needed too.
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Ford's Mustang crate V8, with a lot of boost
At the heart of this project truck is a very big number. It is four digits long and represents a power output ordinarily seen in specialized ¼-mile vehicles.
Kurt Busch’s aim was to produce a 1000HP sport truck and the team managed to achieve that power output with an unusual application of mechanical engineering. Most of Ford’s historic high-performance street trucks were supercharged, such as the F-150 Lightings. But the Kurt Busch ZB Customs truck utilizes twin turbochargers instead. Those turbochargers feed a 5-liter Ford quad-cam V8, and with 1000hp channeled to the rear axle, those low-profile street tires are getting a run for their money.
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On a brake caliper, red doesn't mean fast - it symbolizes power
Building a 1000HP truck is admirably ambitious but managing that overwhelming momentum can be challenging. The team of builders knew they had to source the very best brakes possible, eventually turning to Italian specialist: Brembo. Renowned for its outstanding racing brakes, Brembo supplied a set of stupendous stoppers, with 16.2-inch rotors being clamped by eight-piston calipers.
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Supercar rubber, for a true Supertruck
Keeping this monumentally potent F-150 stable as its attempts to convert 1000hp to traction and forward momentum are a set of PAC Racing coilovers with accompanying sway bars. There are also 2-inches of ride height adjustment available courtesy of a JRi Shocks hydraulic circuit.
Wheels might be aesthetic accessories for most, but when a truck has this caliber of performance, they need to be strong and wrapped in the very best high-speed rated rubber. The 100HP F-150 project truck rolls 22-inch Forgeline FF3 truck wheels, shod with Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar tires, measuring 285/35.
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