MEN AT WORK

Is it us, or does it seem that Jim Bell and his crew at Kenne Bell turn out hot trucks at truly astounding rates? In the past, they have built such a wide variety of trucks and SUVs that it’s hard to count them all. But when you consider all their other projects, such as their ’05 Mustang, the ’04 Focus and the ’04 Escape, it seems they have been busier than a one-armed paper hanger (whatever that means). One of their latest projects is this ’04 Ford F-150. As with most all of the other Kenne Bell projects, it started out as a new vehicle and was destined to be displayed in its SEMA booth.

Even though the truck doesn’t really look as though it can sit too low, with the gigantic Oasis wheels already filling up the wheel wells, a full Air Ride Technologies air suspension system lurks beneath the Ford. The Air Ride system has its bags full with the job, but with all of their know-how, it was easy. The crew at Advantage Performance did the work to install the Air Ride system, and they did a great job.

Speaking of the huge Oasis wheels, they are called the B1-6 (for the six spokes) and are from Oasis’ Luxury Alloys line. Measuring out to a massive 23 inches, the wheels give the new Ford a great stance while still maintaining the vintage look of the classic spoke design. In keeping with the sporty theme of this powerful truck, a set of 40-series Toyo Proxy tires were used. The Proxys are a high-performance design, and they not only look great standing still, but they also work particularly great at speed.

Another aspect of the Ford that makes it look as if it is flying even when it is standing still is the killer paint job. House of Kolor has long been known as one of the best choices when it comes to eye-popping paint, and the Golden Sunrise found on the Ford confirms this. The color is not only hard to miss but is also hard to forget. And lest we forget, the paint was applied to the Ford by the pros at Mike Pace Auto Body of San Bernardino, California.

But the paint job did not go on without a few body modifications to the Ford. First, a trick steel-tube Stull grille was changed out for the unexciting stock plastic unit. The change is one of those necessities that makes it easy to see that the builder is really after the custom look. Another necessity, especially for late-model trucks, is to cover the bed with a tonneau cover. And once again, the Kenne Bell Ford features what is arguably the best-known name in tonneau covers: Gaylord’s. The special thing about this particular cover is that it is its very first Flareside cover. 

Another unique item can be found inside the Ford. As with most of the pickups on the truck/SUV market these days, the F-150 featured a full leather interior. But it wasn’t one that features the custom stitchwork that Bell was looking for, which is one of Katzkin’s specialties. Sure, Katzkin makes killer leather interiors, but it is its ability to embroider virtually any design or logo onto them that made Bell give Katzkin a call. It seems that he wanted the name of the truck, the “Top Gun,” to be included in the backs of the seats and stitched in yellow/gold thread. Not a problem for Katzkin—the results are there for all to see. What do you want your seats to say? Another one of the Kenne Bell touches to be found inside the Ford is the KB boost gauge to keep an eye on the supercharger. Did we mention that the truck is supercharged?

As nice as the rest of the vehicle is, the highlight of this truck, as well as any of the many Kenne Bell vehicles that they have built, is, of course, the Kenne Bell supercharger. KB has two models available for the 5.4-liter Ford found in the F-150. One is a fully intercooled unit that can safely deliver a full 9 psi, while the other is a non-intercooled model that delivers a more conservative 6 psi. But the Ford is very happy with even that increase and takes on a whole new personality with an increase of this life-giving air. But with that increase, there are other factors to be considered.

Kenne Bell thought these things out, because KB has not only increased the flow rate of the fuel system, but it has also “tuned” the induction system with a Cool Air kit. The ignition and transmission have also been enhanced. With the increase in air pressure, the need for more fuel is paramount so that the additional oxygen will not cause the engine to lean out. The results are not good when this happens, but because Kenne Bell reprograms the computer to provide more fuel, this is not a problem. Increasing the induction capabilities means a hotter spark can and should be used. To do this, they installed a Boost-A-Spark system to add plenty more usable voltage.

  With the increase in the “in” department, the “out” also needs to be addressed, which is why this F-150 has been outfitted with a complete MagnaFlow exhaust. The MagnaFlow system increases the diameter of the exhaust to a full 3 inches, and the system included a free-flowing catalytic converter as well.

To better take advantage of that newfound horsepower, changes needed to be made to the rearend gearing (the stock rearend gearing was changed from its stock 3.55:1 to a more performance-minded 4.30:1) and to how the transmission gets the power to it. While they were programming the computer to give the system more fuel, Kenne Bell tuned the transmission shift points, the firmness of the shifts and the operation of the kick-down.

So, what does this mean when you hit the throttle? Well, the supercharger alone will increase the horsepower from a stock 300 hp to 453 hp, thanks in large part to the 9-psi increase in fuel/air pressure. Combine that with the other performance enhancements and you have an F-150 that will get you down the road in a hurry with comfort and style.  

The truck was built with all of the best parts, extending beyond the supercharger system. KB has taken a nice truck and pushed it to the limits of what we think is a great all-around balance. It looks great, thanks to the Air Ride Technologies’ adjustable air system and the running gear that includes those Oasis wheels and 40-series tires. The House of Kolor paint is just right, and the Katzkin interior is just plain plush. Just when we think that Kenne Bell is ready for a well-deserved vacation, it comes up with a truck like this.