Why Lifted Trucks Should Travel in Pairs
Check out this video – it’s a good reminder why it’s good to off-road with another lifted truck (or in this case, run rivers with another lifted truck)…
Kumho Raising Prices 8% on November 1st
Are you planning to buy light truck tires made by Kumho in the next few weeks? If so, you may want to buy them tomorrow as Kumho is planning an 8% price increase on November 1, 2011. This is not surprising since BF Goodrich and Hankook raised prices in the last few months, Toyo raised their prices in Canada earlier this year, and Cooper Tire (owns Mickey Thompson) will be raising prices in December.
SoCal SAYS: This comes as no surprise since the government is printing trillions of dollars and pumping them into the economy. Expect the other brands to follow suit, which means Toyo U.S. (which includes Nitto) and Interco should follow suit. Thanks a lot Barack…we could use more jobs and lower tire prices, not the opposite.
Andrew Pierce joins the Mulisha
Last week, just before the Monster Cup in Las Vegas, the Metal Mulisha quietly made a big move that went mostly unnoticed, bringing on Andrew Pierce — a 15-year-old amateur motocross champion from Huffman, Texas — and noting that he’ll be “the first in a long line of amateur stars to join the Mulisha squad.” Read that again and take note: Brian Deegan and the Metal Mulisha are building an am army. “It’s an opportunity of a lifetime,” Pierce says. “I’ve been following Metal Mulisha for the last couple years and really looking up to those guys. I’ve always looked up to Brian Deegan because he’s a good role model — he came up from pretty much nowhere and made himself into a great success — and they’re all great guys. They all welcomed me to the team and it feels good.” Pierce has been making a name for himself in Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National Motocross Championships since 2008, when he won the 2008 65cc Modified class and took third overall in 65cc Stock. At the 2011 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships in August, he took third overall in 85cc Stock, behind Blake Green and Darian Sanayei, and took fifth overall in Super Mini, prequalifying for last weekend’s Monster Cup in Las Vegas where he first donned his red and black Mulisha MSR Racing gear. Pierce finished just off the podium in his first Super Mini Moto at the Monster Cup, then ripped his clutch lever off in a tussle with another rider in the second moto; he finished the weekend in 10th place overall.
“Everyone thinks Metal Mulisha’s all freestyle and hardcore dudes with a lot of tattoos, you know, that whole California lifestyle,” Pierce says. “I think they picked me as a way to balance it out and let people know they’re down with amateur motocross too.”
The Metal Mulisha team, best known for its core freestyle motocross riders, has been branching out in recent years, adding international riders, BMX star Brandon Dosch, and a mixed martial arts fight team (the latest, Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu prodigy Nick Diaz, joined the Mulisha this week in advance of Saturday’s UFC 137), as well as sponsoring Deegan and other Mulisha riders as they’ve been getting into rally car and off-road truck racing. Deegan has also been grooming a generation of young rippers even younger than Pierce: The Mulisha’s Mini Troops flow team includes Deegan’s own kids Hayden and Hailie “Dirt Princess” Deegan (in August, 10-year-old Hailie won Round 10 of The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, where she has become a Trophy Kart podium regular) as well as Chance French, Chaz Vazquez, Lucky Badgwell, and Trenton Briley. Still, Pierce represents a new direction for the brand’s motocross gear and apparel division as it reaches out to the ever-growing world of amateur motocross racing.
“We’re always looking for the future of Mulisha out there,” said Deegan, in a statement issued last week. “It’s great to see young riders like Andrew taking his sport to the next level, which is what Mulisha has been about since day one.”
It’s a future Pierce says he’s eager to play a part in. “Every kid’s dream is to be a pro, and that’s my dream too, of course,” Pierce says. “I just want to start doing better at more of the Nationals and putting Metal Mulisha on top as I’m coming up over the next three years and getting ready to race as a pro. That’s my ultimate goal. In the short term I’m really looking forward to the Mini O’s next month.” Watch for Pierce and his new Mulisha skull logos next month, November 23-26, at the 40th Annual Thor Winter National Olympics in Alachua, Fla.
SoCal Says: This is great news to hear the Mulisha has signed Pierce. The Mulisha guys are known for building sick lifted trucks and we can’t wait to see Andrew’s truck. 15? Can he even drive yet? If he can join the Mulisha he should be allowed to get a driver’s license at 15!
AutoAnything.com Promotion
A recent promotion with AutoAnything.com means that you can save $5 when you make a purchase of $99 or more. Enter the coupon code “SOCALTRUCKS” when making your purchase. This will only run for a limited time, so if you are going to buy, do it before this ends.
AutoAnything has tons of aftermarket products for your lifted truck. We hope this promotion helps you save a little cash when buying products for your lifted truck.
U.S. Senator From Massachusetts Drives a Truck
Did you know that someone in the U.S. Senate actually drives a truck? Did you know that he comes from one of the more liberal states in the nation? That’s right, Scott Brown, Senator from Massachusetts drives a GMC Canyon. Now, we were hoping he drove a Silverado or maybe a 2500 HD, but at least he drives a truck. Not only that, he is proud of it and even ran a campaign ad with the truck. Here it is:
SoCal SAYS: Scott, it’s not surprising that you won considering you drive a truck. Trucks are good looking, fun to drive, and very functional for moving, hauling, or towing things. We would love it if you lifted your Canyon or upgraded to a Silverado. That may be too “flashy” for a Senator, but give it a thought. Thanks for supporting trucks across the nation.
2012 Ford SVT Raptor is picked as Truck of Texas
Ford continues to raise the bar in off road performance with their 2012 F-150 SVT Raptor.
The 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor was named by the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) as the 2011 Full Size Pick up Truck of Texas in the Texas Truck Rodeo just completed.
The 2012 Raptor was one of the F-150 trucks entered by Ford in the Truck of Texas competition and was a key factor in many of the TAWA journalists decision to award the overall 2011 Truck of Texas trophy to the Ford F-150.
First shown at the recent Texas State Fair and then driven at the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) Texas Truck Rodeo this past week, this latest version of Raptor exceeded my expectations as I took it through the challenging off road course at Knibbe Ranch.
The F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew for 2012 in Race Red (new color) has several new features that I found improve measurably the off road capability and add to driver ease, comfort and confidence in handling off road driving.
Overall, the 2012 F-150 SVT Raptor has enhancements that include a new Raptor Logo bodyside graphic. It uses gloss, matte and textured black finishes complementing other grained exterior parts like the hood vents, fender air extractors and running boards. The new Euroflange wheels (luxury package option) give the Raptor a new look while protecting wheel weights from debris and obstacles by placing them on the inside. The Raptor is 7 inches wider than the standard F-150 and when adding the SVT-tuned 35-inch BFGoodrich™ All-Terrain TA/KO 315/70-17 tires to the Euroflange wheels, Raptor has added aggressive appearance.
Ford also concentrated on enhancing the chassis and suspension for 2012. In addition to being wider, Raptor has unique cast aluminum front control arms and internal triple-bypass FOX Racing Shox (first on a production truck) to provide position-sensitive dampening and extra suspension travel for extreme off road plus a smooth ride on the road.
The new Torsen front axle (differential) increases grip significantly in the front end allowing Raptor to pull itself over obstacles and up steep grades even when traction is split between the front wheels. An internal system forces torque from the wheel losing traction to the one that has traction to maintain vehicle traction. The system is set to minimize steering feedback in the process.
The 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is powered by a 6.2 liter V8 producing 411 hp at 5,500 rpm with 434 lb.-ft of torque. The transmission is a six speed automatic overdrive with tow haul mode. The 2012 Ford SVT Ford Raptor ran with ease across the range land and handled every obstacle on the off road course with confidence and ease.
Inside, the 2012 Ford F-150 Raptor has new accent leather trimmed front seats with unique leather inserts and accents on the center, rear seats and door panels. The aluminum trims on instrument panel and flow through center console. And, for those who need or want it, Raptor now offers cooled front seats in the luxury package which are very nice when running a demanding course in a hot environment.
The 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor now has a new class exclusive and patent pending front camera system to enhance the off road experience while adding safety and control for the driver. This was, for me, a fun and very effective tool in being able to maximize the performance of the Raptor with good safety margin. The camera is placed in the grill and allows the driver to see what’s ahead when the view is blocked by the hood or hampered by the constantly changing terrain. The camera comes as part of the Navigation System option and operates only when in off road mode at speeds under 15 mph. Activated through the 4.2 inch LCD productivity screen, the system displays the forward view on the 8 inch navigation display in the instrument panel face. The road track is shown very similar to a back up camera display with a moving curve track to show where the current angle of the front tires is going to take you.
“We found the system particularly useful for avoiding large rocks or placing a tire on a rock. It can even take the place of the spotter at times, which is a great feature when the truck is in one foot of mud”, said Jamal Hameedi, Ford SVT Chief Engineer.
I can tell you this was a real “wow” for me in running up steep inclines, over the edges at the top of hills and avoiding large rocks and holes while placing wheels where they got me the best and fastest traction. And, it has its own dedicated lens washer system activated by pressing a lever on left steering column.
This new front camera system was so well received by the media, that it finished a close second to the EcoBoost engine technology as the 2011 Outstanding Feature in the Truck Rodeo.
Written by James Nelson, Austin Cars Examiner
SoCal Says: This is our second article in as many weeks regarding this truck. We have heard nothing but good things, and can’t wait to see what aftermarket products become available for the Raptor. We are also excited to see the Fox Racing Shox as a standard on this vehicle. This could be a great sign for things to come in the truck industry.
Gibson to Offer Big Discounts at SEMA
Gibson Performance will be attending the 2011 SEMA show at Booth# 22961 Central Hall. The SEMA show is a great opportunity to learn about new products, obtain once a year show specials, and meet your account reps. Why is it important to swing by the Gibson Performance Exhaust Booth #22961? Here are a few:
1) Be the FIRST to place your pre order on the “Metal Mulisha Exhaust” and “Mulisha Tips”
2) 50% Discount off JOBBER pricing on stocking orders of Gibson and Metal Mulisha Exhaust system
3) See Gibson’s NEW 2012 Product Line up and be the first to market
4) A Chance to WIN a First article Metal Mulisha Exhaust, Brian Deegan Signed Hat, and T-shirt
5) Grab your FREE Metal Mulisha/ Gibson Poster
6) Meet Brian Deegan founder of “Metal Mulisha” November 1st 2-3:30 pm
If you are serious about increasing your sales and want to jump on board with a new brand and product line stop by the Gibson Booth and see what opportunities we may have for you. Ask for Shawn Gibson and tell him SoCalTrucks.com sent you.
Toyo Expanding the Nitto Brand in China
The headline isn’t exactly what you think. First things first, in case you weren’t aware, Nitto is owned by Toyo Tires. Not surprising since they are both top quality brands. The story above is true, but it relates mainly to a partnership on passenger car tires in China. Toyo is going to partner with a truck and bus tire manufacturer in China, so this could be a sign of more trucks to come in China. And if China gets more trucks, it’s only a matter of time before they get lifted trucks 🙂
SoCal SAYS: As China gets more wealthy, they are going to want trucks. Why? Because more stuff requires vehicles to move that stuff, which means trucks will be more and more necessary. We can’t wait until we see pics of the first lifted truck in China. One day my friends…one day.
American Idol Winner Awarded New F150 King Ranch Truck
Did you know that Scotty McCreery won American Idol? If so, did you know that Ford offered the winner a new Ford vehicle of their choice? Did he take the Focus? No. Maybe the Explorer? Wrong again. Did he choose the most expensive Ford, the Expedition? Sorry, that’s not it. Scotty, sticking to his country roots, chose a big Ford truck.
Not only that, but he went with the 2012 F150 King Ranch which runs about $42,000 base, so he got a nice truck. The question is: Will he lift the truck? How sick would it be to see McCreery roll-up on Paula Abdul’s limo at the next Grammy’s with a 12″ lifted King Ranch on 40″ tires and 20″ wheels. That would blow Bieber out of the water! Here’s the picture of the truck:
SoCal SAYS: Nice choice Scotty. We love that you chose a truck, especially since Ford and Idol probably wanted you to choose one of their electric models. Full-sized trucks may not be popular with the media, but it’s nice to know that the latest music sensation stays true to who he is when it comes to choosing a vehicle.
Ford SVT Raptor unleashed at SEMA
The Ford SVT Raptor is one of the most extreme off-road trucks to ever come from the factory. But, when it comes to the SEMA Show and Las Vegas — which happens to take place there early next month — stock doesn’t cut it. Enter the Addictive Desert Design/JPM Coachworks Luxury Performance Raptor. Its spec sheet includes some of the best who’s who in the aftermarket industry.
Based on a black-on-black 2011 Raptor SVT SuperCrew, the Addictive Desert Design/JPM Coachworks Luxury Performance Raptor has visited some of the best aftermarket company in the industry. First stop was at Hennessey Performance where John and his crew blessed it with the VelociRaptor 600 SC package giving it 605 horsepower from the addition of a supercharger.
Next it traveled down to JPM Coachworks in Temple, Georgia for a complete interior overhaul featuring Royal Hides from Edelman Leather and Alcantara. It continued on to High Desert Mobile in Albuquerque, New Mexico for an audio upgrade complete with Mosconi amplifiers, Blackhole sound deadening, and Tsunami wiring harnesses and connectors. It also received a NAV-TV system that integrates front and rear Chasecam 3 cameras into the Ford navigation system for better visibility around the outside. The components are controlled by a JPM Coachwork control panel custom mounted in the center console. Visualogic fabricated a custom head rest mounted rear seat entertainment system.
After the interior and audio/video was complete the modified Raptor moved onto Addictive Desert Designs for some more off-road pieces: Stealth front and rear bumpers, Rigid LED lighting, rock guards, aftermarket front and rear suspension (King Shocks 3-inch coil-over shocks in the front and a 3-inch triple bypass piggyback setup in the rear with 14 inches of travel) and Fuel Hostage wheels (with bead-locks installed by Marsh Racing) wrapped in Goodyear MTR Kevlar tires. Baer Brakes provided Extreme Plus Calipers and 15-inch rotors.
The Raptor then travelled to California where Hi Tech Collision in Costa Mesa added some custom touches to the bodywork. Spintech Muffler added a one-off true dual exhaust system that dumps the spent fumes toward the ground just before the rear axle. The bed, wheel-wells, underside, and bottom 12 inches of the body were coated by Line-X.
Renny Doyle of Detailing Success finished off the project with a 12-step process to get the factory paint completely smooth in preparation for XPEL STEALTH Protection Film to protect the truck’s paint finish.
Affliction Clothing will hold a contest to name the beast [something shorter and catchier than Addictive Desert Design/JPM Coachworks Luxury Performance Raptor]. Participants could also win prizes. To keep up with the build and contest visit the official page (http://luxuryraptor.com/) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LuxuryRaptor)
Source and Photo courtesy of: http://www.ford-trucks.com
Read more: http://www.trucktrend.com/features/news/2011/163_news111019_luxury_ford_raptor_2011_sema/index.html#ixzz1bQRfFVrG
SoCal Says: This truck is pretty legit, and we look forward to seeing it at SEMA. Also, kudos to Affliction Clothing for sponsoring the contest of the naming of the new truck. Get out there and submit some names.