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The Time-Worn Look Is More Popular Than Ever Author Defining Patina in Street Rods Patina is defined as “a pleasing surface sheen on something that develops with age or frequent handling.” When that definition is applied to street rods, a patina rod can take on any number of variations. The exterior can be close to original, with age showing through the painted surface in the form of primer. Sometimes the faint appearance of rust can also classify a rod as having patina, provided the rust has not taken over the entire car. Many times these patina rods are built from those treasured “barn finds” that seem to be discovered by undaunted rodders scouring the country searching for the Holy Grail of hot rods. The Art and Trend of Patina One of the modern trends of the street rodding hobby has been to create that cherished patina look. The art of patina can be tricky. We have seen patina rods crafted in such a fashion that the naked eye cannot tell the difference between real and invented, the real old and the fabricated old. The Appeal of Patina Rods As with all aspects of rodding, each of us has a different definition of what makes a patina rod. There does seem to be one theme that runs through each variation, though: the owners have a lot of fun with their cars. For some, it is a chance to get back to the basics. For others, it is a chance to reverse the high-end trophy-hound trend.

SPRING TRAINING

The Posies Super Slide spring kit comes with all the parts you need. The supplied lower shock mounts have several holes drilled into them so the ride height can be adjusted accordingly. You provide the top shock mount. All the parts are top quality and fit perfectly.

4/7 SWAP

We showed you how to build a small-block engine that could make over 500 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque on 87-octane gas. It was a motor that could be driven just about every day with a hydraulic-roller cam and a good carburetor, making acquisition and maintenance almost nonexistent. Like many things we do in the engine world, the results we enjoyed—while good—just weren’t satisfying anymore. We wanted more.

Spotlighter

Super-High Super Duty

Selecting a Superlift kit for big-meat clearance and ride quality

Tall lift kits used to mean a rough ride. Times have changed—the suspension aftermarket has figured out how to accommodate huge meats without inflicting permanent kidney damage on the driver and passengers. Computer-modeling and other engineering advancements prioritize ride quality into the suspension design. Spring packs with more, thinner leafs is an example of how tall-truck suspension philosophy has evolved.

Author

Tom Morr

Photos by Tom Morr & Brian Cox

The Super Duty as a Prime Candidate for Lifting

Newer Ford Super Dutys are prime candidates for serious lifting. Stock, they look somewhat rugged and industrial-strength, but raising them up and slapping on aggressive rubber makes Super Dutys truly outstanding.

Installing the Superide Select 8” Kit on a 2001 F-250 4×4

To demonstrate that the competent do-it-yourselfer can still add a tall lift to a late-model truck, this article shows highlights of Superlift’s Superide Select 8” kit going on a 2001 F-250 4×4. (The system shown here fits leaf-sprung 1999-2004 F250/F350 4x4s.)

Features of the Superlift Super Duty Kits

The Superlift Super Duty kits offer several premium aspects. As mentioned already, ride quality is addressed with more, thinner leaves per pack: 9 or 10 in front (depending on lift level) compared to some other manufacturers’ 5 or 6.

Available Kit Sizes and Benefits

2” – fits 34” tires: This kit includes replacement front springs and U-bolts, a heavy-duty track-bar bracket, and front bumpstop lowering brackets.
4″ – fits 35” tires: Includes the 2” kit’s bracketry with taller front springs, longer front anti-sway bar links, and rear add-a-leafs.
6″ – fits 36” tires: Above components but taller front springs and a dropped pitman arm; rear leveling combines 2.5″ rear lift blocks with add-a-leafs or optional replacement Superide Select springs.
8″ – fits 38” tires: Builds on the 6″ kit by adding rear bump-stop drop brackets, front brake-hose relocation hardware, and either 4″ rear blocks for use with add-a-leafs or replacement Superide springs (shown here).
10″ – fits 40” tires: Adds new leafpacks at each corner with 2″ rear blocks for leveling; includes replacement front spring hangers, Bulletproof braided-steel brake hoses, an adjustable front track bar, extended front and rear swaybar links, and a rear-shock crossmember mount that has tabs for running optional dual shocks.

Optional Upgrades for Superlift Kits

All complete systems come standard with Superlift’s Superide shocks: gas-charged fronts and hydraulic rears. For this job, we upgraded to Superlift Select Series (SS) monotube shocks (Bilstein 5100s).

Additional Superlift Upgrades for Performance and Style

We also opted for a few other Superlift upgrades. First, dual front shocks mounts and dual steering stabilizers really optimize ride and handling.

Professional Installation and Final Adjustments

Superlift recommends that these Super Duty kits be professionally installed. However, they’re straightforward compared to many IFS kits, so we relied on Richard Kale and Alfredo Valadez at Off Road Unlimited (ORU) to give curious do-it-yourselfers an idea of what’s involved.

Results: A Super Duty Ready for the Road and the Trails

A day at ORU accomplished the mission. Now the daily-driven truck rides on 37” Cepek Fun-Countrys, and the 8” Superide Select springs (backed by multiple SS shocks) are softer and more compliant than the ride from the previous 6” springs.