Purple Passion: 2015 Ford F-350 Super Duty Build

Michael Kilcrease’s 2015 Ford F-350

For truck enthusiasts, dreams start with a key. Standing at the dealership, surrounded by a sea of identical trucks, factory stock and bland, one’s imagination begins to wander, thinking and dreaming of how your truck will be different, how it will stand out from the crowd.

Twenty-two-year-old Hamburg, Arkansas, resident Michael Kilcrease felt these exact things in November 2014 when he was handed the keys to this brand new 2015 F-350 Super Duty 4×4. But, this wasn’t his first rodeo. Thanks to his father, Kilcrease has been involved with cus- tomizing trucks for almost six years and has a number of previous builds under his belt, such as an F-150, both a Chevy 1500 and 2500, and a couple of F-250s. But he planned this F-350 to be different than the builds he accomplished before: This one satisfies a life-long goal.

THE WHEELS ARE WRAPPED BY INTERCO’S 40-INCH SS-M16S TIRES, SET APART FROM OTHER TIRES BY THE MILITARY THEME, DECKED WITH CHEVRONS AND 5.56 SHELLS AROUND THE SIDEWALLS.

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THE GROUND UP

With friends Josh White, Brandon Rogers, and Jamie Gulledge, the two- month build was quickly underway. Leav- ing the Platinum-trimmed chassis stock, Kilcrease swapped out the stock steering box and gear for a custom built chromoly system by Custom Metal Worx. The axle ratio, fore and aft, was upgraded from the stock 3.73 to 4.11, and the brakes con- verted to Eline cross-drilled rotors and pads, coated black to match the theme. The purple brake lines—well protected with five layers of braiding (including Kevlar and Teflon)—were sourced from Precision Metal Fabrication in Tucson, Arizona.

The bumps are put in their places by 2.0 Factory Series smooth body shocks from Fox. The shafts are chrome-plated, heat-treated steel, while the bodies are zinc-plated alloy, with remote reservoirs. The purple-trimmed differential cover domes from G2 Axel & Gear.

The lift kit was supplied by Kelderman Manufacturing. The 8- to 10-inch four-link air ride suspension kit removes the rear leaf springs and front steel coil springs, re- placing the factory equipped suspension with a very durable fabricated four-link designed system that includes long travel, high capacity, remote controlled air bags. The factory trailing arms are replaced with more durable, longer components to en- sure correct axle location; and, wheel hop is virtually eliminated with the replace- ment of the rear leaf springs.

ROLLING STOCK

A lot can be told about the quality of a truck’s build by simply looking at the tires. Cheap wheels and tires suggest the owner cut corners everywhere else. Where the truck meets the road, it’s important not to scrimp. This is one of the things Kilcrease learned from his previous builds, which is evident by the rubber and aluminum on the four corners of his truck. The 24-inch, 10-lug Shift wheels are from the Super Dually series, made specifically for dually owners who want their front wheel to match the rears. Made from 6061 alu- minum, they were powdercoated purple, as per the color scheme of Kilcrease’s project.

The wheels are wrapped by Interco’s 40-inch SS-M16s tires, set apart from other tires by the military theme, decked with Chevrons and 5.56 shells around the sidewalls. The front end is stabilized by a pair of Fabtech’s Dirt Logic 2.25 dual steering stabilizers with remote reservoirs.

UNDER THE HOOD

The stock 6.7L Power Stroke diesel en- gine was left mostly stock, while an SCT 7015 X4 engine programmer boosts the factory horsepower and torque up to an impressive 600 hp and 1,000 ft./lbs., an increase in horsepower by nearly 150.

SCT claims that its 7015 X4 power flash programmer will not only increase horse- power and torque, but will increase throt- tle response, provide firmer shift points and increase fuel mileage. Tuning was provided by Punch It Performance in Deltona, Florida, and an Air Raid MXP induc- tion system keeps the incoming air fresh and cool.

Because of the efficiency and durabil- ity of the 6R140 TorqShift six-speed transmission, it was left unchanged. As well, the exhaust was altered to accom- modate Flow-Pro’s five-inch stainless system, coated in a high-temp black powdercoating. A black powdercoated tip peeks out from just behind the rear bumper.

TOPSIDE

The exterior is tuxedo black, stock from the factory, but at every opportunity, pur- ple trim accent pieces and accessories have been added, a color theme that was taken inside the cab as well. The bumpers on the front and rear are from Fusion Bumpers out of Payette Idaho, powder- coated to match the truck’s paint, while the grille insert up front comes from Cus- tom Metal Worx. Accessing the cab is made easier by Amp Research’s running boards. Its line of PowerStep XL running boards offers a three-inch lower step than the standard PowerStep model, but still is able to support up to 600 pounds on each step. Automatically extending when the door opens, they include four LED lights on each pivot point.

Cargo in the bed is protected by BedRug’s bed liner, essentially a 100-per- cent polypropylene material that is made to look and feel like carpet. Molded specif- ically to fit the F-350, it’s UV resistant, non-skid, and can be easily cleaned with just water. Gear and equipment are kept extra secure under the tonneau cover and stowed inside the dual undercover Swing Case truck tool boxes. Holding up to 75 pounds each, they swing 180 degrees from their locked position to provide full access to the contents. They’re weather and moisture resistant and made from rugged ABS.

LIGHTING

Shedding light on the trail ahead is a host of LED lights from Rigid Industries. The E-series line of flood lights is Rigid Industries’ first light bar to be produced. Twenty-two examples fill out the Fusion bumpers, grille and headlights and pro- vide enough power to easily turn night into day. Tail lights were sourced from Anzo.

Showing that practice makes perfect, Michael Kilcrease’s sixth custom truck build takes from his prior experiences and presents a truck that typifies his passion for the industry, for a well-built rig and a strong pride in ownership. DW