This month, we are featuring three trucks that don't really have unique stories behind them. This isn't a tale of a classic truck found stashed in a barn and restored to its former glory, nor is it the story of a father and son teaming up on a kid's first ride. Nonetheless, each of these trucks is exciting to look at and provides a rare glimpse into the world of aftermarket parts suppliers and how each goes about distinguishing itself from the rest of the industry. You won't catch these trucks competing for trophies at your favorite show. Heck, you might not even catch a glimpse of them rolling down the highway, which is all the more reason for us to show them off while we have the chance. The Chevy SSR, Ford Ranger, and Chevy S-10 featured here don't even belong to anyone you know, unless you are on a first name basis with the owners of Godfather Customs, Leer, or Al & Ed's Autosound. Nope, these trucks are not daily drivers. Rather, these three have the distinct job of serving as rolling advertisements for some of the sport truck industry's biggest players.
As the producer of fiberglass bedcovers, Leer set out to market a truck toward an adventurous youth. Both Ford and Leer saw an increase in younger customers that were outgoing and owning fun-to-drive compact trucks. This '05 Ranger was built to better capture audiences and show them how the truck can be shaped up to fulfill the needs of those with active lifestyles.
The idea was to first take this very practical truck and enhance the styling while being able to keep its versatility. Since Leer was the head of the project, the truck was fit with one of the company's high-quality tonneau covers. The bedcover cleans the truck's design and turned the bed into a 6-foot-long trunk. Then, that area was filled with enough mobile entertainment components to make for one hell of a tailgate party and still have space for the necessities of a trip. In addition to that, the interior was hooked up, as well, for pleasure on the road.
If someone were to customize a truck like this, it would certainly not look or run like factory. The exterior stance was upgraded to sit over big wheels, and the body was painted in a clean yet noticeable scheme. Then, a power-boosting supercharger and other under-the-hood goodies were added to improve the performance for an active lifestyle.
The project Ranger was put together for promotional purposes and to be a part of the Leer display at SEMA. It was a parts scramble that led to a timing issue, getting everything together in time for the show. Luckily, it all came together in the end, and it shows how a truck like this can be tailored to an outgoing personality.
The 411
Owner/hometown: Leer
Year/make/model: '05 Ford Ranger STX Extra Cab
Engine/drivetrain: 4.0L V-6 engine / Magnuson Supercharger with Explorer Express kit / K&N intake / JBA headers / Gibson exhaust system / Superchips computer chip / five-speed automatic transmission / JET Performance transmission performance kit / Optima batteries
Installers: House of Tints in Tustin, California
Wheels/tires: 20- and 22-inch Origin, by Panther Custom Wheels / (Front) 255/40R20 Toyo Proxes ; (Rear) 285/35R22 Toyo Proxes
Suspension: Air Ride Technologies four-link / 2,500-pound Firestone airbags / Air Ride Technologies RidePro E / Baer Brake rotor and pad conversion kit
Fabricator: RPC Motorsports in Downey, California
Body Mods: Reflections cowl-induction hood / Sir Michaels roll pan / APC next generation Euro taillights / KC HiLiTES / Leer 700-series fiberglass tonneau cover / Precision Design billet grille / Street Scene bumper cover / Vertical Doors Inc. door hinges / shaved door handles
Bodyman: Damon's MotivNation Inc. in La Habra, California
Paint: DuPont Limetime, Silver, and Gray
Painter: Damon's MotivNation Inc. in La Habra, California
Interior: Legacy racing-style seats by Corbeau with three-point harness / Dash Works carbon-fiber dash kit / custom center console / Nifty carpet kit / Vitek custom diamond-plate floor mats / Webasto sunroof / Faze volt meter and boost gauges / Nu-Image stainless gauges / Wise bed-rug / custom bedwork
Installer: House of Tints in Tustin, California
Audio/video: Audiovox remote start / Audiovox mobile multimedia head unit, mobile computer for car, and 7-inch touch-screen for computer / Audiovox DVD player with touch-screen / Jensen two pair of 6x8-inch speakers for doors, six four-channel amps with four pairs of 6x9-inch three-way speakers, and four 12-inch subwoofers with two mono amps
Installer: House of Tints in Tustin, California