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Mil-Spec Ford F-150 has all the rough and tough goods

Known for its boss Hummer H1 creations, the Detroit-based company tackled the F-150 with pretty stellar results.

Sean Szymkowski
It all started with Gran Turismo. From those early PlayStation days, Sean was drawn to anything with four wheels. Prior to joining the Roadshow team, he was a freelance contributor for Motor Authority, The Car Connection and Green Car Reports. As for what's in the garage, Sean owns a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and yes, it has Holden badges.
Sean Szymkowski
2 min read
Mil-Spec Ford F-150
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Mil-Spec Ford F-150

Here comes a boatload of fun in the dirt.

Mil-Spec Automotive

Mil-Spec Automotive is best known for some incredible Hummer H1 builds, but the young Detroit-based company was ready for a new challenge. What better truck to tackle than the best-selling vehicle in the US for decades on end?

The underwent the Mil-Spec treatment, and the results are what you see here. I think they're pretty great. Aside from the obvious things Mil-Spec decided to change, like the heavy-duty steel front and rear bumpers, the company went ahead and made this a bit like an F-150 Raptor on steroids.

There's a tuned 5.0-liter V8 engine under the hood that makes 500 horsepower. Mil-Spec says it's applied a performance tune that requires 91 octane to achieve the power increase, but there's no forced induction here. A new electric power-assisted steering system is meant to improve the driving experience and includes a new steering wheel with paddle shifters, too.

Mil-Spec Ford F-150 will roll with the best of them

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But what this kind of truck is really about is the off-road driving experience. Mil-Spec, of course, delivered. Imagined as a "tactical" alternative to the Raptor, there's a Baja Performance Suspension package that includes plenty of Fox Racing bits. Included is a long-travel suspension that will take bounces and move 11 inches if needed. The setup also created a truck with 13.5 inches more worth of track width than a stock F-150. Overall, the truck's 7 inches wider than a Raptor and as tall as an . Yeah, it's a big thing.

Buyers can add another suspension package that installs a fully adjustable coilover and shock kit. It includes 3-inch diameter bypass shocks and Eibach springs for the front and rear suspension as well. Mil-Spec even powder-coats this gear black to complement the truck's overall look. As for the rubber, the company fits 37-inch Nitto Ridge Grappler tires that wrap 20-inch wheels designed in-house.

In keeping with tradition, Mil-Spec offers quite the list of optional equipment. Fans in need of this kind of rig can add a 39-inch LED light bar, a Baja roof rack and a spare tire carrier that'll fit an oversize off-road tire. Inside, the changes are rather minimal, but some aluminum coats various knobs and every model gets leather upholstery. Mil-Spec slaps a number plaque on the center console to bolster exclusivity as well.

Where the company probably has a winner is with the price. Mil-Spec noted that  trucks like this often fetch $150,000, but this F-150 starts at $85,000. That includes the donor truck even. But, all the extras will add up. For example, the fully adjustable coilover and shock kit costs an extra $6,000, and a bundle of the exterior goodies run $8,600.

Mil-Spec should start building the trucks soon, though the coronavirus outbreak may delay things a tad. Before the builds commence, that should give you time to decide one thing: Mil-Spec's F-150 comes in agate black, magnetic gray, lead foot gray and Oxford white.

Watch this: Ford F-150 Raptor: An off-road hero?