Featured EraThr3 2016 Ford F-150 – Oregon Trail John Schwartze January 24, 2017 Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Learn More EraThr3 and Hulst Customs Unveil a 750 Horsepower Lobby to Increase the Speed Limit Photos by Sheri Johnson / EraThr3 In this column you're typically used to seeing a helping of tactical vehicles, mainly done as one-offs by gun enthusiasts looking to make their rig more … shall we say … practical for this lifestyle of ours. But what if a gun company churned out a truck that was as much about performance and perfection as their line of firearms were? Those of you familiar with the EraThr3 name know them as a purveyor of boutique guns and goods that's all about precision and letting freedom ring. Did you know they build vehicles too? Their latest unveiling at SEMA 2016 was another extension of their engineering expertise on four wheels. The idea for this truck began with Jason Hulst, cofounder and designer of EraThr3 and proprietor of Hulst Customs. He and his crew batted some concepts back and forth and decided to do an EraThr3-themed truck that was all about horsepower, performance, and a low-slung stance. Next stop? Submitting the idea to Ford's Vehicle Image Program. The program basically consists of design proposals for Ford to select from and decide who has what it takes to build custom vehicles with the Blue Oval moniker on it. As a graduate of the ArtCenter [sic] College of Design in Pasadena, California, Jason has been participating in the program since '03, so it's safe to say Ford has faith in his ability to showcase their products. The platform is a '16 F-150 XLT 5.0 2×4, and there's plenty on this truck that's hidden in plain sight. The front bumper was lowered 2.5 inches from the original locale and they clayed up a front bumper cover and shaped it to how they wanted it, then laid out the fiberglass parts to be installed. Heat extractors were added to the hood, which was also given a Wrap It Up vinyl wrap treatment. The visor was dropped, and a new rear bumper was sculpted as well. Lower side rockers were made from steel and added to hide any low-hanging rails under the truck. The front end was radically modified with a big-mouth grille shaped from foam and molded into glass as well. Door handles were tucked in 3/4 inch, the keypad on the pillar moved into rearview mirror, one-off fender badges created, and the beltline below the windows was given aluminum trim that was all hand-shaped and polished. Shod in Southern Polyurethanes black, you could practically use the reflection to watch yourself shave. The truck's low stance was accomplished via some one-off suspension accouterments. Up front, the shock towers were modified with an air spring in place and the shock was relocated outside the control arms. Upper control arms were moved about 3 inches to keep the camber straight when it was laid out on the ground. In the rear, a scratch-built four-link was made. On top of the rearend they did a couple links to a custom cradle so you have uninhibited movement for the adjustable suspension using VIAIR components. Powering this beast is the standard 5.0L V-8, hopped up with a Whipple Supercharger. A CGS Performance cat-back exhaust system plumbs fumes around the spare tire and goes through the rear bumper with custom exhaust tips. The inside of the bed was adorned in leather that's a nice complement to the factory lighting and tie-downs. The crew radiused the aluminum edges on all the raised surfaces of the bed as well. It's all sitting on Lexani Forged Monza wheels wrapped in Lexani LX Thirty rubber. The interior of the truck was given the Katzkin diamond-pleated leather treatment using their Zkintech series seats. Custom plastic adornments in platinum silver were also added throughout the truck. You'll find a Console Vault gun safe in the center console along with EraThr3 dice as switches for the Aire Jax manual valves to operate the ride height. A Kicker integrated subwoofer keeps the tunes loud and clear. Under the Striker Trucks part of the business, Hulst Customs designs, prototypes, and manufactures vehicle parts on the cars they display at SEMA, and this truck was no different. If you like what you see on this truck, hit up EraThr3 to see if the part is available for you to add to your own F-150. Although Jason would like to add more touches, such as a bed lid and custom gun racks, what they've produced in a truncated time frame is nothing short of mind-boggling. We look forward to seeing more of what they come up with. EraThr3 F-150 Make Ford Year 2016 Engine 5L V-8 w/Whipple Supercharger Drivetrain six-speed automatic URL www.erathr3.com; www.hulstcustoms.com Paint Make Southern Polyurethane Model Show-finish black URL www.southernpolyurethanes.com Tires Make Lexani Model LX Thirty: 295/30-26, front; 305/30-26, rear URL www.lexani.com Wheels Make Lexani Model Monza 26-inch URL www.lexani.com Air-Ride Suspension Make Hulst Customs Model F-150 5L URL www.strikertrucks.com Front Bumper/Grille Make Hulst Customs Model Custom Made URL www.hulstcustoms.com Supercharger Make Whipple Superchargers Model F-150 5L URL www.whipplesuperchargers.com Switches Make Aire Jax Model Four Play / EraThr3 Dice URL www.airejax.com; www.erathr3.com Safe Make Console Vault Model F150 Under Front Middle Seat URL www.consolevault.com Interior Make Lexani Model Zkintech Seats URL www.katzkin.com Exhaust System Make CGS Performance Model Cat-back Exhaust URL www.cgsmotorsports.com Rifles (Right and far left) Custom Remington 700 AX chassis; 20-inch Creedmoor builds. (Center) Operation Klepto URL www.erathr3.com Explore RECOILweb:Son Of Tabuk: Exploring Saddam's Strange GunsRECOILtv SHTF/OFFGRID: Bug-Out Bag ShowdownNEW From Silencer Central & Banish: The BUCK 30 Suppressor [First-Look]Daniel Defense Guns and Gear Sweepstakes NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOILFor years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included). Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.You want this. Trust Us.
