Stealth Trophy Truck

[TDBrown]

I have this odd desire to create a "sleeper" or "stealth" truck (to the degree that's possible given it's a Raptor) out of my 2014 (while I wait for Gen 3). Something that you guys would recognize for being extremely capable off-road (think trophy truck, not rock crawler), but the average person would think is just a stock truck. So a few questions:

1. Has something like this been done before and if so, do you have a link? Don't mean to beat a dead horse. I just can't find a thread.

2. Exhaust: Is there an exhaust generally recognized for being quiet at light acceleration but roaring at WOT? I've read a few posts where the writer claims this for Corsa Extreme, but I'm not sure if "quiet" is relative to other free-flowing exhausts, or relative to stock. I'm trying to get a LOT more horsepower (like Whipple s/c) without making it too obvious. Is that even possible?

3. Long-travel suspension: I'm sure a person on this forum would notice a long travel suspension, but if I kept the support cage under my tonneau cover, you think an average person would notice a difference? Would a mid-travel be a better option?

4. Lighting: I think Ford Raptor Lights' fog-light insert has a pretty stock look to it. If I paired that with a couple BD amber SAE fog lights, think I could get away with it? I'll hide a bigger light bar behind the grill.

5. Winch: Is a winch a dead give-away? I was thinking an SDHQ mount with outlet through the lower bumper grill. But I'm wondering if that ruins the idea of a sleeper truck.

6. Tires/fiberglass: There seem to be conflicting opinions about whether 35's or 37's are better for desert running. Seems that 37's require fiberglass to be really comfortable on a Raptor with a mid- or long-travel suspension. True? If so, and I put on fiberglass and 37's, then painted it factory, would it be obvious to everyone?

Sorry if these are common questions done to death. I'll appreciate any thoughts...including letting me know if this is a dumb idea before I start down this path.

 

[Ruger]

What's your motive for "stealth?" If you're going to spend an amount of money that's in the same ballpark as the original purchase price of the truck, why hide it?

 

[Ricoman]

STEALTH...Hell NO...Hard to hide a SC-Shelby..and why would I want to hide it...its a thing of beauty,lololololol..and the fastest MF'er around...also saves me a lot of gas,not having to show them..they usually wave,smile,and go on their way....As my Mechanic told me,you done have to prove anything.
If you really want Stealth,go buy a PRIUS and drop a Whippled 6.2 into it...now THATS Stealth....

 

[TDBrown]

Yeah, it's probably a dumb idea. As a kid in high school in the 80's, I loved the "sleeper" cars that looked like crap but blew others away at the stoplight when they got challenged. Now that I'm old, and supposed to be "mature," I know no one is going to challenge a truck at a stoplight. I haven't been to a Raptor Run yet (plan to), but I imagine there's more support than challenge. I just like the idea of surprising people with capability. Again, probably dumb.

 

[Matt Delro]

Glue a camo tarp to it from the army navy surplus store, no one will see you coming.

 

[Glenn Laborda]

What’s the consensus ETA gen 3?

 

[jondle]

I actually liked the idea at first glance and generally love sleepers. After thinking about it I don't think it is doable in this case because you really need to hack the truck up a bit. A sleeper is generally for racing and I don't know a lot of off-road guys that actually race each other. You'll also find it very hard to "sleep" on someone that would race you off road as the mods become pretty apparent to someone that knows what they are looking at.

2. Exhaust: Is there an exhaust generally recognized for being quiet at light acceleration but roaring at WOT? I've read a few posts where the writer claims this for Corsa Extreme, but I'm not sure if "quiet" is relative to other free-flowing exhausts, or relative to stock. I'm trying to get a LOT more horsepower (like Whipple s/c) without making it too obvious. Is that even possible?

I think exhaust is the easy part. You can get a custom, dual exhaust with a large mufflers that are quiet and would flow free enough. Harder to hide the whine of a supercharger.

3. Long-travel suspension: I'm sure a person on this forum would notice a long travel suspension, but if I kept the support cage under my tonneau cover, you think an average person would notice a difference? Would a mid-travel be a better option?

I don't think a tonneau cover would really stay on while off-road. On top of that, you have to have room for a couple spare tires, a jack, spare fuel, tools, air, etc. all in the bed as well. It is pretty tough to get all of that under a cover.

4. Lighting: I think Ford Raptor Lights' fog-light insert has a pretty stock look to it. If I paired that with a couple BD amber SAE fog lights, think I could get away with it? I'll hide a bigger light bar behind the grill.

Behind the grill would be good enough for the front, but those lights also block the radiator and transmission cooler. You'd probably be okay with a single bar, but I wouldn't run hard with multiple bars behind the grill. Also, you need chase lights as well. It is pretty tough to make those stealth as only a real off-road truck would have rear facing ambers.

5. Winch: Is a winch a dead give-away? I was thinking an SDHQ mount with outlet through the lower bumper grill. But I'm wondering if that ruins the idea of a sleeper truck.

Leave the winch off. Nothing to attach to in the desert and a lot of weight in front of the front suspension.

6. Tires/fiberglass: There seem to be conflicting opinions about whether 35's or 37's are better for desert running. Seems that 37's require fiberglass to be really comfortable on a Raptor with a mid- or long-travel suspension. True? If so, and I put on fiberglass and 37's, then painted it factory, would it be obvious to everyone?

There is no conflict on 35's or 37's being better. 37's are better, 39's or 40's are even better (as long as you have the power and gearing to turn them). The issue is clearance. You'll want fiberglass up front for 37's without rubbing, but won't need bed sides. Most people on this forum can recognize glass with a quick glance, but the general public couldn't with +2/+2 front fenders painted to match. Bigger than +2/+2 glass is pretty obvious.


The thing you are missing that is a must for heavy off road, in my opinion, is bumpers. To avoid smashing the skid plates constantly, you'll want bumpers that require cutting. Front frame horns and dovetailing the bed will give a significantly improved approach and departure angle. These modifications are pretty apparent with a quick glance. Then you have a VHF antenna mounted to the roof and off road GPS mounted to the dash; those are things everyone that sees my truck asks about.

 

[Ruger]

Concerning the exhaust, the stock factory exhaust that came on my 2011 was a sleeper. It was mild at normal throttle openings, but at wide open throttle it had a raw and raspy character that nearly scared a Miata convertible completely off the road when I passed him. Note the use of the past tense. I removed the factory muffler in favor of a Magnaflow muffler of nearly identical dimensions. (P/N 12388) You can see down the Magnaflow muffler from end and out the other, so I thought it would be even more provocative than the factory muffler. WRONG. It's smoother. No more raspy exhaust note at wide open throttle. Damn.

Now as to turning a Raptor into a any kind of trophy truck, stealth or otherwise, it's not possible. The Raptor weighs far too much, you can't get the wheel travel out of it that a trophy truck has no matter what you do, you'd spend tens of thousands and fail to achieve your goal, and when you're done you'd have a truck that weighs twice what a trophy truck weighs and won't do half as much.

Be happy with your truck, buddy. You bought The Truck, the one that all other manufacturers try to compete with, and still can't after trying like hell for ten model years. Do not expect Ford to improve on the original Raptor. SVT is no more. Ford corporate is interested only in profit margin. Performance? What's that?

 

[PlaynCA]

Likely better off to buy a used race “truck” and spend your $ making it street legal

 

[PlaynCA]

On the other hand if you are passionate about converting a truck, do an internet search on Corey Terry’s Raptor prerunner... close to what I think you are talking about