Vehicle Description
Sure, it looks like an F-150. Heck, it even has a familiar Ford
power-train. But this 1995 Ford F150 Pre-Runner is anything but
your daddy's weekend hobby truck. Instead, it's a full-blown Baja
race truck that was built to conquer the desert, and just about
anything else that stands in its way. Still curious? Well, take a
closer look, because these unique pieces of machinery don't come up
for sale very often.
The optics aren't too deceiving, this truck was not built for quick
runs to the local Home Depot (although it could certainly handle
that). Instead, it's been professionally altered to blast through
sand dunes, most notably by utilizing its custom suspension and
giant lift on top of oversized tires. The body has been augmented
for desert racing as well, with bulging Hanneman front and back
fiberglass fenders, a fully connected exterior-to-cab-to-bed roll
cage, and a lift-off Glassworks fiberglass hood that all work in
concert to reduce weight while stiffening the body. The cab, doors,
and tailgate are still Ford steel, and remarkably still function
like they did when this truck was just a regular F-150. The paint
is what you'd expect out of a truck with a few years of competitive
racing (2004-2006 to be exact) under its belt, a single stage
application this is not going to win any beauty contests. But
that's not the point of this rig, and who in their right mind would
paint up a trailer queen just to get it stuck in coarse sand? It's
still fairly presentable, but the finish isn't what grabs
attention, it's the expensive racing add-ons and rumble from
underneath the hood that brings the crowds.
Race-spec equipment is found inside the cab of this Pre-Runner too,
and that's a good thing because the support from that gear is
essential for both driver and passengers when this baby is hopping
around the desert. First thing you'll notice is that even though
the cab is reinforced with a six-point roll cage, it's fairly
unobtrusive in this full-size truck. One can easily slip into any
one of the three Beard suspension racing seats and strap on the
accompanying five-point harness. The windshield is gone, the dash
has been modified to accompany new switch panels, and the Artcar
gated shifter that controls the C6 auto is elevated for an easier
grip for the driver. Despite its rough-and-tumble design, the cab
is actually quite comfortable, and still features factory door
panels, plush carpets, and even has the added conveniences of an
aftermarket AM/FM/CD player and Lawrence Baja GPS unit.
You can't make it through the desert without power, and this truck
has plenty to spare thanks to the Ford big block 460 cubic-inch V8
that lives under the hood. Nestled neatly underneath part of the
roll cage, it's topped by an Edelbrock aluminum intake and
Edelbrock 650CFM 4-barrel carburetor. And since it's prone to spend
a lot of time working hard in hot weather, dual electric cooling
fans attached to a large radiator are present to keep the
temperature at bay. That powerful motor turns a recently rebuilt
(approx. 500 miles ago) C6 automatic transmission that spins a
heavy-duty gusseted Currie 9" POSI rear-end featuring 4.56 gears.
Yeah, it can drive up a mountain if you want it to. Remarkably, the
frame is still original, although it's been boxed for proper
reinforcement. The suspension work is extensive, highlighted by
I-beams and radius arms from Camberg Engineering along with
Sway-A-Way coilovers up front, and Deaver long-travel lift springs
and Sway-A-Way reservoir shocks and in the rear. The entire fuel
system was rebuilt in 2017, and the racing fuel cell located in the
bed has a 32-gallon capacity that can keep this truck supplied over
vast racing distances. The look is completed with blacked-out
wheels wrapped in humongous 37x12.5x15 Goodyear MTRs.
This real-deal Mojave Desert tested Pre-Runner is a
terrain-devouring beast with signs of professional workmanship
everywhere you look. With an asking price that's only a mere
fraction of the build cost, this Ford is a great way to get into,
or continue dominating, the hobby of Baja racing. Call today!
