What makes a Raptor...

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Primez

Primez

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I like it. What are your thoughts on doing the body kit on a 2012'ish extended cab? Nothing crazy with the suspension, other than a small lift, maybe run 33's, would probably want to regear if we did stock size tires. Would have to run wheel spacers I guess, or find some offset wheels. Would be a fun little truck for the kid.

What kit is that.

I personally wouldn’t touch the exterior or mess with the Fiberglass panels at all. It’s a pretty involved process and requires a lot of work to accomplish. Plus the 33s would look out of place. Most of the fiberglass kits available have large arches for bigger tires. Even my 35s looked tiny and out of place on these bedsides/fenders before moving up to the 37s.
 

GCATX

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So you used a 2nd gen bed and front clip, factory parts? Did it bolt up, or was there heavy modification? Maybe I misread, I thought this was a 2012?
 

Braaaaptor

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Respect the game! Anyone who spends that much time and effort planning and executing large mods like that has my respect. I really like the idea of getting an older F150 to prerunner status like what your inspiration truck is.

To answer your original question, besides the beefed up suspension parts and the frame changes, the hardest part to replicate and what makes a Raptor a Raptor IMO is the drive modes. Baja mode is just bat shit and there's no way to really replicate the bipolar nature of a Raptor, the whole is greater than sum of its parts and you still have a warranty.

You can certainly go beyond a stock Raptors capabilities through the aftermarket and I'm interested to see where you build takes you!
 
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Primez

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So you used a 2nd gen bed and front clip, factory parts? Did it bolt up, or was there heavy modification? Maybe I misread, I thought this was a 2012?
The short answer is that it's a pretty heavy modification.

All of the bodywork is from Fiberwerx. They sell a "Gen 2 Conversion Kit" for 04-14 F150s, which primarily accommodates the slight dimensional changes. For the bedsides, Gen 1 Raptors are about 2" taller than the Gen 2's. The front clip also needs some slight modification as the nose of the Gen 2 is a bit shorter than Gen 1. Primarily - this means some trimming of the core support corners in order to squeeze the headlights in. (This is the part that's not for the faint of heart.) You also need to create custom brackets for the front-end components, like the grille, headlights, and bezels. I spent many days with my entire front end torn apart while just staring and trying to assess how to attack the project. Eventually, after enough deliberation I figured it out... there's also no directions provided so it's a complete YOLO.

Outside of that, it's just finessing, trimming, and filling of the fiberglass to make everything line up correctly.
 
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Primez

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So back on topic...

I replaced all of the front brake hardlines on the truck this weekend.
Added some stainless steel braided brake lines, upgraded to some beefier UCAs, and threw on some caliper covers for some flash.

haters going to hate but I’m digging the look of the covers tucked behind the wheels.

3C76BB15-1CB0-4C63-BC36-E5C36BCB3841.jpeg
 

Big Blue

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Moved to the proper jalopy section

You've ragged on this thread three times already, I think we get your point. Voicing your disapproval is certainly anyone's right and expected on an open forum, but doing it three times on the same thread is just being a ****.

I may not consider this truck a "Raptor", but I have a lot more respect for the owner/build than I do any real Raptor that spends it's life going back and forth to Starbucks.
 
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