SEMA Preview: Don't forget about Ford's Super Duty
by Alex Nunez on Oct 24th 2007 at 2:01PM 
Click image for a gallery of the SEMA Super Duty trucks
Ford's Super Duty trucks are some of the meanest-looking rides on offer from anyone. Big in power and stature, and dripping with machismo, it should come as no surprise that SEMA will showcase a trio of them built out to varying degrees of Truckzillaness. The Shaker 4x450 by X-Treme Toyz is lifted ten inches, accessible via a motorized step, deco'd with custom graphics, accessorized to the hilt and sports a modified 6.4L Powerstroke diesel. It rolls on 40" Toyos and frightens animals smaller than a polar bear. The Project "Power Storm" F-350 by Fabtech is also lifted 10 inches, rolls on 40-inch tires, and sports a laundry list of sccessories and custom elements of its own. Finally, DeBerti is bringing a low-riding F-450 (see above) optimized for motorcycle-hauling. A Dallas Smith Axleless Lo-Floor front-wheel-drive chassis conversion puts the bed floor close to the ground, making it a snap to roll your hog on and off with ease. Big, black, and low, the DeBerti looks like it's going to be one of our favorites already. For full vehicle descriptions, check out the attached photo gallery, where they accompany the pics.
[Source: Ford]
PRESS RELEASE:
'BUILT FORD TOUGH' SUPER DUTY PUSHES TO NEW HEIGHTS WITH AFTERMARKET INNOVATIONS
DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 23 – The all-new 2008 Ford F-Series Super Duty – the toughest truck on the planet – is also one of the easiest to customize. And with the help of DeBerti, XTreme Toyz and Fabtech, Super Duty is even tougher and more capable for the 2007 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas.
"There is no doubt that the new Super Duty is the ultimate 'Built Ford Tough' truck," said Mike Crowley, Ford Truck and SUV group marketing manager. "In fact, it's that solid foundation that makes Super Duty one of the most flexible trucks for customizing, which is essential when more than 50 percent of our truck customers are modifying their vehicles for work and play."
Ford will showcase the three customized Super Duty trucks among more than two dozen project vehicles including F-150, Edge, Mustang and Focus starting Oct. 30.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
FThorn 2:12PM (10/24/2007)
Great make a bigger bed, but no axle to support it.
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geo.stewart 2:19PM (10/24/2007)
check out the dallas website. they say it will support it.
now, will it tow anything else? doubt it. but then that's not what this is built to do.
Anyone wanting to rag on it, keep in mind its a niche product and suits its niche well.
load the gokart right in, no ramps no trailers, no nuttin.
garloosh 8:05PM (10/24/2007)
One word...AWESOME! I went on their site and saw these things have a GVWR of 16k lbs. The front suspension has a dana super60 and has a GAWR of 7k. While the rear AXLELESS suspension handles 12k GAWR....Well done!
Commuter 1:35PM (10/25/2007)
Support? Looks like it's ready to support an amphibious assault. Give the diesel a snorkel and you're ready for D-Day.
Simon 2:14PM (10/24/2007)
Ive always thought pickups should come in Front wheel drive and here we are! Awesome.
It is efficient and hauls a lot more.
But of course redneck trash know nothing dudes will flock here now saying a FWD pickup is this bad and that bad and how it makes no sense and this and that and more. Atleast its done to a Ford. If this conversion was done to a Tundra they would all say it makes sense considering the Tundra is a girly truck.
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butler-28 8:20AM (8/27/2009)
your a douche
Mattias 2:20PM (10/24/2007)
We germans usually modify our UNIMOGs this way:
http://www.eggers-fahrzeugbau.de/sonder/Triebk/Triebk.htm
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gouzizi 2:36PM (10/24/2007)
Impressive Unimog conversion!
Mattias 2:41PM (10/24/2007)
This conversion is very common. I spent some time in Passau, living about 2one mile from the ZF factory. They had dozens of Unimogs converted this way to haul around parts for gear boxes. These UNIMOGs seem to be able to deal with (and to lift) payloads around 15.000lbs.
Wally 2:27PM (10/24/2007)
I want it!
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mk 2:49PM (10/24/2007)
You could buy how many spare bikes for the cost of this truck???? Even expensive harleys?
And why haul a bike around in a truck, when you should be riding the bike???
This is better than a low-boy trailer how?
FWD truck is interesting, but what are the implications for the steering? Trucks usually need to "back in" fairly precisely, with large steering angle changes... how does trying to drive the front axle only affect that?
Interesting. Niche for sure, but is it a niche that is actually useful? Maybe the Teutuls (sp?) can use one with the OCC logo on the side... But they would have to chop 30-50% more bed length into it, for their choppers.
I would wonder what Jesse James/WCC thinks of it. I can see some of that high-dollar custom stuff being sheltered in there, under a clear topper, and locked tailgate.
Another one of those things that is very interesting to see built, but in reality are just an interesting design excercise, and one wonders about dedicating that many resources for the role it fills, in real life.
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mk 3:02PM (10/24/2007)
to be really cool, it needs an installed wheel chock and tie-down system, and a ramp extension that comes out of the tailgate edge, like the extend-a-step thing...
A diamond-plate ramp edge that extends out of the tailgate cap to the ground. Surely something like that could fit inside that massive tailgate. probably even motorized. The tailgate is low, but there is still a bit of a step there for a wheeled vehicle.
An on-board air-compressor, tools, etc. built in side toolboxes, and other fun stuff, even airbag suspension to really get low to the ground for loading... bike display lighting and cargo lighting... maybe even a load assist winch in the bed with covered cable end, to pull the bike up into the bed. somehow fit a portable bike lift jack in for roadside repairs... Really trick the thing out, like a flashy bike tow-truck/service wrecker.
IF it is going to be a purpose-built truck, then go all out, man!
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Brad C 6:38PM (10/24/2007)
It would also work well as a kickass alternative to my E-250 wheelchair Van, cut a door opening in the so that I could go up the tail gate and drive right into the back of the truck!
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tankd0g 3:38PM (10/24/2007)
One would assume this is not for you to haul around your Harley, it's for the Harley shop to go get your broken down Harley along with 15 others that day. Trying to maneuver a trailer around town is a pain in the ass.
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Pat Albrecht 4:15PM (10/24/2007)
Can anybody explain why they put slicks in the back?
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MikeW 11:31PM (10/25/2007)
Look closer.
It is a ribbed highway truck tire.
Kazoo 4:34PM (10/24/2007)
Um....main flaw is that it still retains the super skinny front tires.
Woohoo, 600+ ft-lb of torque to 225's. Sounds like a party.
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Erik 4:59PM (10/24/2007)
I guess I'm the only one who thinks the front end of the new Super-Duty is fugly.
Excluding the front, it's a pretty slick looking truck. Lovin' the fatties outback!
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Jason 5:01PM (10/24/2007)
What's with all the hog-haulin' heavy-duties for SEMA? First Dodge's BFT with a 10' bed, now this... (I like the BFT better personally, despite only being a regular cab).
I'm diggin' the Megacab'esque conversion on the SD though.
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mmm 5:52PM (10/24/2007)
Remember back in 87 to 89 when there has a Dodge Dakota converted to FWD with the same super low tailgate?