The Ultimate Fun Haver, One Insane F-150
(Photos by Larry Chen, Courtesy of Vaughn Gittin Jr)
For those outside of the rubber-melting and sideways action of drifting, the name Vaughn Gittin Jr. might not ring a bell. As one of the most successful drift drivers and all-out personalities, the Monster Energy Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR driver has made a name for himself as one of the best and most aggressive showman in his field. Known for his fun-loving personality, it wasn’t too surprising when we caught wind of Jr.’s latest creation, the Ultimate Fun Haver.
So, what’s an Ultimate Fun Haver? The Fun Haver started off life as a 2015 Ford F-150 Supercrew 4x2 XLT truck. Obviously, stock wasn’t going to cut it, so the truck became a build collaboration between RTR and Kibbetech Offroad Fabrication & Design. The idea behind the truck was simple, yet daunting. Jr. wanted a truck that could shred asphalt like his drift Mustang, but be durable enough to get loose in the dirt. When we say get loose, we mean jump, drift, and generally cause terra mayhem!
While the F-150’s 3.5L twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 is impressive from the factory, it was going to need a little help keeping up with the tire-shredding demands. For this, a K&N air intake system was installed along with a MagnaFlow custom exhaust and Full Race intercooler. To achieve the 400 wheel horsepower and nearly 450 lb-ft of torque, a custom tune was created from Revolution Automotive. This power is all funneled through the stock six-speed transmission.
Meeting the demands on a truck that needs to do of all things jump, was no easy task. In order to create the low center-of-gravity needed for drifting, while retaining the vertical wheel travel potential for going fast off-road, Kibbetech built a fully custom suspension system. Up front, long-travel control arms from Camburg Engineering were used in conjunction with King dual-bypass shocks. These custom-valved shocks work with AirLift Performance air bags and King bumpstops to provide a well-dialed 12 inches of vertical wheel travel.
Out back, you’ll find a Currie Enterprises full-float rear axle that was designed as a direct replacement for the F-150 Raptor. This gives the Fun Haver the extra width and strength needed match the long-travel front suspension. AirLift air bags, along with a set of massive King triple-bypass shocks moderate the rear suspension travel. This is all controlled via a custom radius-arm rear suspension that uses a track bar to center the axle.
To get the look and function he needed out of the F-150, Jr. installed a set of 35x12.50R18 Nitto Terra Grappler G2 tires. Going with the aggressive all-terrain would provide the critical on- and off-road footing, which was imperative for the trucks performance. The G2 all-terrains were then wrapped around a custom set of 18x10 RTR wheels. Covering the tire and wheel package are fender flares built by Auto Explosion Custom Auto Body. To protect the paint and offer a different look, a XPEL Stealth protection wrap was installed. The illumination you see is thanks to Raptor Retrofit Custom Lighting and a V-Leds LED light conversion.
Van Gittin Jr. is all about having fun with your friends. So, instead of a gutted single-seat interior, you’ll find five Recaro Sportster seats. Strapping in the occupants are harnesses by Takata Racing. Of course, there’s also an ASD Motorsports hand brake, because drift! This multipurpose rig is one of the most original and unique car-guy-plays-truck creations we have ever seen. It flat-out shreds.
Check out the video below to see the Fun Haver in action!
