I’ve heard that some Raptor owners don’t actually use their trucks as trucks; that they just drive them as cars, and then use them for off-road shenanigans. Now, I completely understand that, since, from the factory, the Raptor has a body-color painted bed and they don’t want to scratch up the paint. Fortunately, I went for the dealer-installed Linex bedliner ($400), since I plan on actually using this thing as a truck to haul my crap around in, not just a camera car or off-road toy.
The Raptor Diaries – Part 2: Raptor as a Grip Truck
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010The Raptor Diaries: Part 1
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010
On June 5th, 2010, I bought a 2010 Ford SVT Raptor 6.2L from Galpin Auto Sports. This wasn’t just on a whim, as I had been lusting after this truck since we borrowed one from Ford to drive on the 2009 Bullrun Rally. On that trip, we learned that, not only does the Raptor have more off-road capability than nearly every other car currently in production, but also it makes a fantastic daily driver, with levels of comfort, storage space, technology, and luxury that are on par with some of today’s best luxury cars. When we decided we needed a daily driver and camera vehicle for The Smoking Tire, the Raptor seemed like the only logical decision. Of course, I waited for the 6.2L engine to arrive, since you can’t make that extra 100hp in the aftermarket for less money than the $3,000 upgrade from Ford. 9 weeks and 3,500 miles later, here’s what we’ve learned about the best sport truck money can buy.
Matt’s New Ford SVT Raptor 6.2!
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
Every show needs a camera car, right? Well here it is, Matt’s new Ford SVT Raptor 6.2L. Back on the old show, Matt said that his next car purchase would be a Ford SVT Raptor. True to his word, the new 6.2L beast is now at its permanent home here at The Smoking Tire HQ. Expect the truck to appear on video soon…. Initial impressions and photo gallery after the jump.
The Coolest Trucks of the Long Beach Grand Prix
Monday, April 19th, 2010
The Long Beach Grand Prix is really an amazing event. Four different races (Indycar, ALMS, World Challenge, Toyota Pro/Celebrity), and dozens of practice and qualifying sessions over a weekend is nearly overkill, even for the biggest car fans out there (read: me). After a few days, even the most badass Aston Martin prototypes seem less interesting. Fortunately, there was no shortage of cool trucks in Long Beach, which brings me to these bad boys; the coolest trucks of the Long Beach Grand Prix.
Bizarre Roadside Sighting: Money Can’t Buy Class Edition
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
Celebrity cars are all over LA. Some are beautiful, others very plain. But sometimes they just make you shake your head. The car in the picture above is actually Candy Metallic Pink. (I think the color broke the camera on my iPhone.) It belongs to the MTV VJ LaLa. Instead of wasting my words here, why don’t you guys tell me what comes to mind when you see something like this?
- Daniel Volz
Bizarre Roadside Sightings: Stove-pipe exhausts in Beverly Hills
Monday, February 1st, 2010
Who doesn’t like a badass-looking lifted truck? Sure, most of the ones we see are driven by tattooed jackasses that stand at 5 feet 3 inches and like to season their pizza with HGH, but the trucks still turn heads. That 5 year-old part of our brains that endlessly played with Tonka trucks and BIGFOOT models in the mud never completely goes away. So when I saw this truck, less than 50 feet from the swanky Ivy Restaurant of Bevely Hills, I had to cross the street to check it out. At first it looked like a normal 4-door short bed with a good lift kit; black truck, black wheels, yada yada. But something peaking over the roof caught my eye. What is that black, angle-cut cylinder poking up from the bed? Is it a tow hitch? The tip for Kim Kardashian’s lipo machine? No. It is the exhaust tip to end all exhaust tips. Fart cans of the world, this is your god. If you own a Nissan Altima, with an “R” badge and 6″ coffee can muffler, you are no longer leader of the idiots. I have seen plenty of trucks with the semi-style “smokestacks”, and while stupid, at least there was a connection. Semi-TRUCK, pickup-TRUCK. A thin connection, yes, but a connection nonetheless.
Bizarre Road Trip Sightings #3: Why’d you even buy it? Edition…
Monday, December 7th, 2009
Welcome to Bizarre Road Trip Sightings, where we cock our heads, laugh, cry, or just stare at strange cars found while on road trips. This time, we found a guy who can’t seem to figure out how to properly use a trailer.
From TST friend Vinny Russo.
Got a Bizarre Road Trip Sighting? Email Matt@TheSmokingTire.com
Bizarre Road Trip Sightings #1
Monday, November 30th, 2009
Welcome to Bizarre Road Trip Sightings, where we share strange vehicular occurrences spotted while on road trips. This week: a Ford F-150 with an exoskeleton! This has got to be some kind of creation for a movie or something, possibly Death Race or an upcoming Mad Max remake? Or it could be the burliest of camera-carrying vehicles for the movie biz, given its flat-black treatment. Apologies for the blurry photo, it was taken by my girlfriend off the back of a motorcycle at 80mph. Know the origin of the exoskeleton F-150? Let me know, at Matt@TheSmokingTire.com
*Edit* Dan The Intern discovered that this F-150 is a hollywood camera car that was famously used in the Ferrari chase scene in Bad Boys 2. Good work, Dan.
Roll in style and comfort with Ford F150 truck accessories from AmericanTrucks.
SEMA 2009: The Very Best and the Very Worst
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009The Smoking Tire heads out to Las Vegas for the 2009 SEMA show, where all the major aftermarket and custom manufacturers show up with their latest goods. Host Matt Farah shows off the Best Truck, Best Sports Car, Best Motorcycle, Best Low Rider, Best in Show, and of course, the Worst in Show.
Livin’ The Low Life – Viewer Submission
Monday, October 19th, 2009Last week, a friend mentioned to me that his first “automotive love” was lowered trucks. Being strictly a car guy, I have never looked into the world of pickup trucks, stock or aftermarket . I have always thought that 85% of the pickup trucks on American roads are driven simply as a commuter vehicle that maybe haul the fishing boat a couple of times in the summer and suck a little bit more gas.
My friend, however, enlightened me to very specific breed of dumped (i.e. lower than low) trucks out on the roads today. Trucks such as these are a very dividing thing; truck guys will say they are a waste of a good truck (I beg to differ, check out the one towing the F40! -MF), car guys will wonder why you didn’t just buy a car and drop it. Think what you will about these examples, but I present to you a small collection of dumped diesel duallies. Very cool, in my opinion. – Ryan Maki
Drop your truck low with Ford truck suspension parts from American Trucks.
