So I got a wandering eye, and stumbled on these old American Racing wheels for the lowered Bricknose F150… super cheap & super local. 15×10, mega-low offset, old-school 3-spoke style. Curiosity killed the cat, and I copped ‘em!
TIRES: Cooper Cobra Radial GTs in 295/50/15
The market for 15-inch tires is dwindling. Basically at this point you have 1) 90s econobox pizza-cutter fitment, 2) off-road MTs, or 3) race tires for Miatas. So thank God Cooper still makes the Cobras… a wide, meaty, manly, muscle car era tire. Even the name is badass.
PAINTing Wheels…
Before the Cooper Cobras got mounted, I decided to paint the wheels to blend into the patina of the truck. I sanded ‘em down by hand, and used 3-4 cans of SEM Trim Black (Charcoal Metallic #39033). This stuff was recommended to me years ago by a professional SEMA-level painter… for shade-tree type stuff. It lays down really evenly, and has proven to be durable in other applications where I’ve used it. I kept patient, and let the freshly-painted wheels cure for a week before I had the tires mounted… and the tire machine didn’t scuff the paint at all.
WHEEL ADAPTERS
1.5-inch spacers/adapters were used to adapt the bolt-pattern from Ford’s 5×5.5 to the wheel’s 5×4.5.
FLARES
Fenders & quarters were gonna have to be cut… no question about it. I wanted a JDM-style, simple plastic flare. And after trying a couple different sets, I felt like a concave flare fit the profile of the truck best. These are 60mm wide on the front, and 80mm on the rear.
Downsizing to a 15” wheel gave the ol’ lowered Bricknose F150 about another inch of drop…
And a more period-correct vibe in my opinion. It also took a lot of rotating mass off the truck, which you can definitely feel in acceleration.
SUSPENSION
DJM dream beams & rear axle flip kit
Defiant Motorsports frame notch
Hey man love the truck! Just wanted to ask you a question, I’m looking to do a JDM style truck with my 86 f150, just wanted to ask you how is the turn radius with your set up anything rubbing?
Nah no rubbing. But I’ve cut-out a lot of the OEM fenders & 1/4 panels, and removed the front inner fender liners.
What kind of running boards are those? Love the style you have done with this truck!
Hey I just found a set of OEM running boardsfrom that era on Marketplace & then painted them with SEM trim black.
Hey man love you truck ive been planning on lowering mine just like yours but im not exactly sure how to get it like this, ive got a 87 xlt lariet with a 8ft bed not sure if it would make any difference, anything other than a lowering kit ?
I did a Belltech lowering kit first & foremost. It came with new shocks all around and new springs up front (and new leaf spring mounting brackets for the rear). It’s an awesome kit, but it didn’t go low enough for my taste on its own. So then I added DJM Dream Beams up front, and a DJM flip-kit in back. At that point, I had to notch the frame in back, which I took to a buddy’s shop for that. Also has a Hellwig rear swaybar.
Wow okay so I expected some kits to get it that low but i didnt expect the notch. Man i wish i could see this in person, how its setup rn is exactly what i wanted to make mine look like, do you know how much they notched to get it where it is?