For someone who's known for pushing the limits on his vehicles, Nick Baldwin's newest Ford pre-runner is above and beyond
extreme. It features a 100 percent Chromoly chassis and suspension components, carbon-fiber side panels and hood.
|
Like so many things in the Off-Road Nation, what started out as a simple enough idea turned into something much, much more.
Then again, that comes easy when the owner of the vehicle is the Off-Road Nation's larger-than-life Nick Baldwin. Known for
pushing everything he does to the edge, even this pre-runner makes him stop in his tracks. 
Cartwright's Racing Company, a.k.a. CRC Motorsports, built and designed the chassis for Baldwin's F-150 pre-runner. The cab
was actually split into three pieces to widen it by 6 inches. The paintjob was done by Phoenix, Arizona's Airbrush Zone.
|
"The thing took twice as long as it was supposed to take because I took it over the top like I do with all my shit," says
Baldwin of his CRC Motorsports/Tatum Motorsports Ford F-150 Trophy Truck pre-runner. "That's just how I've always done all
my stuff. I'm just fanatic." Baldwin is an accomplished racer who's had his hand in many different facets of the off-road racing world. While he's always
pushed the envelope with his vehicles as a racer and an enthusiast, his Ford F-150 pre-runner is on another level entirely,
something he readily admits.
Powering this "Trophy Truck" pre-runner is a 427 ROUSH Performance engine, which churns out 557 horsepower with 601 lb-ft
of torque. A four-speed Art Carr shifter stirs the GM 4L80 transmission, while a huge Ron Davis radiator with Spal fan keeps
the engine cool.
|
But it's not the 100 percent Chromoly chassis and suspension components that make it over the top. It's not the demonic, custom
paintjob that warns doubters that this vehicle is no joke. It's not even anything on the exterior at all. If you want to know
how sick this vehicle really is, simply take a look inside the cab and check out the interior, which came about after Baldwin
scrapped the first guy's work he contracted and had to find someone new.
King 3-inch coilover shocks are used for the rear suspension, as well as 4-inch, four-tube King bypass shocks and 3-inch King
bump-stop shocks. Rear wheel travel is 32 inches. CNC six-piston-caliper brakes with 14-inch rotors are used on each corner.
|
"I finally found this guy Miguel, who's kind of an odd-ball guy who's not much into this off-road thing," Baldwin says. "I
got him, took a look at some of his work, and I found out he learned how to do all of this upholstery stuff when he was 7
years old living in the streets of Tijuana. What I did is I showed him my CL65, my Mercedes. It's the exact interior as my
Mercedes."
Mike's Upholstery furnished the inside of the F-150 cab with black leather throughout, copycatted from Baldwin's AMG Mercedes.
Even the roll bars are covered in leather. The custom stereo system features a DVD player, navigation, MP3 connection and
a 1000-watt amplifier. Bling bling, baby.
|
But what was it exactly that led Baldwin to this point? Like most off-road junkies, he had to get his fix after getting rid
of a vehicle.
Check out these monster billet-aluminum custom A-arms by CRC Motorsports, which are customized even further with the Baldwin
Motorsports logo.
|
"I used to have a Ranger, it was a real red Ranger – I called it Little Red," Baldwin says. "I had it for five years ... and
then I sold it. And from the day I sold it I've regretted it. So I said, I've gotta build another truck."
Look underneath the Baldwin pre-runner and you'll notice the jewel-like and bulletproof Chrisman rear end, which houses a
5.40:1 ring and pinion. By the taillights you can see the two tool kits built into the bed. This truck exudes trick from every
angle.
|
Somehow, someway he needed to fill the void. Even though his racing career has slowed down some, he still has to get his fix.
The cockpit looks more like that of a private plane than an off-road vehicle. A Lowrance GPS unit provides direction, while
a Kenwood race radio and PCI intercom keep the crew in touch with the control tower.
|
"I raced for like 20 years, and if I sold all of this stuff – and you can ask any other racer the same exact question – and
didn't have a racecar to look at or a pre-runner to go pre-run in or something I'd be Jonesing, because it's just an addiction
that gets into your brain. It's like a sickness. It's like gambling."
With the amount of detail involved in this fully customized vehicle, it should come as no surprise that Nick Baldwin's F-150
took almost three years to complete.
|
Baldwin's the first to recognize just how far he takes things, but even he marvels at what he created with this pre-runner.
Specifications: Nick Baldwin's CRC Motorsports/Tatum Motorsports Trophy Truck Pre-Runner
|
"I'm sick when it comes to doing this stuff anyway," Baldwin says. "All of my stuff has always been notorious for being over
the top, but this thing is just ridiculous. It's the ultimate in sickness."
Sick and yet sweet all at the same time.
