The Art of Customization: Glenn Hunter’s Standout F-450

You would figure that a F-450 dually is plenty big enough to stand out in a crowd. But with the plethora of large lifted diesels on the road these days, there’s only one way to make something that big REALLY stand out… cool customizing and some wild custom paint.

So when Glenn “Rusty” Hunter of Delta, Ohio, approached Terry DeLong of Avila, Indiana, about coming up with something special for his brand new but plain-looking black 2012 F-450, it didn’t take Terry long to figure out a plan. Terry has been building award-winning SEMA vehicles for years, so he knows how to get the right combination of parts and appearance to make a custom really stand out in a crowd.

First up was adjusting the stance of the behemoth. A 6-inch Fabtech lift kit was installed by Les Smith and Rob Hakey of Kendallville, Indiana, which included longer front radius arms and Fabtech Dirt Logic 4.0 coilover shocks. Four-inch leveling blocks at the rear provide added room for huge 37-inch 315-50-24 Nitto Terra Grapplers mounted on 24×10-inch MHT Fuel and Throttle wheels.

Since the stock 6.7L Power Stroke is rated at nearly 400 horsepower and 800+ lb/ft of torque, the only modifications that were needed were in the air management department. On the intake side, the truck was fitted with an Airaid MXP intake while a MBRP DPF-back polished 4-inch system helps with breathing and keeps the truck smog legal.

“When it came to appearances, Terry pulled out all the stops by creating a custom carbon fiber hood, front and rear bumper steps and tailgate skin with carbon fiber lettering.”

When it came to appearances, Terry pulled out all the stops by creating a custom carbon fiber hood, front and rear bumper steps and tailgate skin with carbon fiber lettering. More custom airbrush lettering appears on the grille with the front Ford emblem and grille, thanks to Gary Morgan at Morgan Sign in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who also applied tailgate artwork.

What really makes the behemoth stand out is the wild combination of DuPont Hot Hues colors applied by Terry. A candy basecoat sets the stage for the Custom FX Candy Apple Red and Scarlet Night on top. More DuPont Hot Hues of Amber Ecstasy and Tango Orange were applied while Terry is credited with also coming up with the custom orange fade. John Wargo of the Custom Shop in Flannigan, Illinois, gets credit for the tear-away graphics.

Terry also smoothed and painted the stock outside mirrors and added a complement of Recon lighting including smoked cab clearance lights. Finishing touches included a Bedlocker power tonneau cover and Amp Research Power Steps. On the inside, the dash and door panels were painted to complement the custom colors on the outside. Also, the stock leather seating was given black leather perforated inserts by Tom Duty of Wolcottville, Indiana.

Needless to say, the truck is now a huge standout, and is the perfect rolling business card for Rusty’s business. It was also a huge hit at the most recent SEMA show. And speaking of SEMA, Terry credits Nelson White, Jim Grocock, Joe Ulle and Darcy Hines for getting the truck ready for the show. DW