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I can't believe I haven't posted this yet. The day after picking up my BRaptor I headed over to @Livernois Motorsports for a little bone-stock dyno session. However, before spinning the rollers I wanted to get an oil separator plumbed into the intake tract. Certain EcoBoost engines (such as the Raptor's 3.0L) are particularly susceptible to coking up the intake valves because they don't have a port fuel injector spraying on the back of the valve. That fuel spray goes a long way towards keeping things clean. Not having that means keeping oil from the PCV system off the valves is paramount.

Luckily, I had a pile of old JLT oil separator parts laying around. I had used these units on several Fords in the past, and always been happy with the way they performed. So with a little help (and loaner tools) from the guys at...

While we were installing our prototype Whipple Intercooler at Pro-Dyno we decided to take a closer look at out Bronco Raptor on the lift. It did not disappoint.

Elevating its adventure game, Ford is introducing a new off-road package that brings increased capability and style with the new Bronco Sport Black Diamond Off-Road Package and is expanding Bronco Off-Roadeo access for customers that purchase a new 2023 Bronco Sport vehicle.

“For adventurers who want to get more from their Bronco Sport, we’re enhancing the ownership experience by offering more trail capability with the new Black Diamond Off-Road Package, plus an included opportunity to learn what their SUV can do at Bronco Off-Roadeo,” said Mark Grueber, Enthusiast Vehicle Marketing Manager. “Today, nearly 90% of Bronco Sport customers that attend Off-Roadeo are likely to go off-roading again, and 97% of customers are more knowledgeable and confident doing so, furthering our goal of getting into the wild.”

The Black Diamond Off-Road Package – available on Big Bend and Outer Banks series – delivers even more off-road capability by adding four steel bash plates covering key 4x4...

There’s just something about owning a Bronco that makes the ladies in your life want to go topless. That’s just a fact, don’t ask me to try to explain it. However, the last thing you want when you’re running wild and free is to get caught out without the proper protection. That’s where the fine folks at BronCover come into play.

One of the ever present threats of owning a convertible is getting caught out in inclimate weather with your top down. With a Bronco that anxiety can be compounded by the fact that you can remove the doors as well. If you have a hard-top that makes about half-a-vehicle worth of body panels you’ve pulled off, and that takes a little time commitment to reinstall. That’s why I like having a BronCover in the cargo area as a little added insurance.


BronCover makes an extremely high...

Mod-Nats 2022 is right around the corner, and SVTP plans to be in attendance to bring you all the sweet coverage you’ve come to expect. And since we are so close waking up to the sweet smell of VHT and the sound of a tractor dragging the track, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at ModNats 2021. You still have about a week to make plans to make it to South Georgia Motorsports Park to check out the 2022 edition of one of the best Ford drag racing events of the year. We’ll see you there.

All I can say is that you should have been there. We gave you a quick preview of what to expect from ModNats 2021 last week, but I’m here to tell you that the event exceeded all of my expectations. Though it was painfully cold at times for we Southerners, you could not have asked for better racing conditions. The mornings and evenings were both highlighted be negative Das. If you like racing in mine-shaft air, South Georgia Motorsports Park in November is the place for you...

We hold this truth to be self-evident, More Boost = More Better. You know the thing. The problem is, more boost also leads to power robbing increased charge-air temperatures. That’s where a part like the Whipple Intercooler we recently installed on our Bronco Raptor has the opportunity to shine.

While the entire Bronco lineup is capable of impressive off-road performance, the factory equipped intercooler leaves a lot to be desired in terms of power production potential. This is especially true for the unit found on the higher powered 3.0L EcoBoost equipped Bronco Raptor. In our testing we’ve found that it heat soaks fairly quickly, and really starts to have trouble when you throw more boost at it.

A few weeks back we installed a JB4 module from 5 Star Tuning, which gave us a very nice bump in performance. It works by basically fooling the factory ECU into...

Van life just received an upgrade with the arrival of the new 2023 Ford Transit Trail van.

For more than six decades, Ford has provided travelers with vans, trucks and chassis built for life on and off the road. In fact, more motorhomes are built on Ford chassis than any other brand.1 Today, Ford Pro announced it is continuing that tradition with Transit Trail, an upfit-ready adventure van that leverages the same capability, versatility and customization options that helped make Ford Transit® America’s best-selling commercial van.2

“No matter the task at hand – delivering packages or enjoying life off the grid – customers can rely on their Transit to get the job done,” said Ted Cannis, Ford Pro CEO. “Our decades of experience in the motorhome industry and insights from the van-life community helped us design a vehicle that makes it easier for adventure seekers to start their next journey.”

Equipped to take on more of life’s adventures

Available in three cargo van...

The all-new 2023 Ford F-Series Super Duty offers best in class performance right where customers need it with 1,200 lb.-ft. of torque*** available, 40,000 pounds maximum towing*, and 8,000 pounds of maximum payload**. That high level of capability coupled with ingenious new confidence-inspiring technology helps customers haul more** and tow more* than any other heavy-duty pickup truck while a new suite of cloud-based services adds productivity both on and off the jobsite.

“The all-new 2023 Super Duty is designed and engineered for America's builders. Our job is to help make our customers’ work feel easy, and this truck nails that commitment,” said Andrew Kernahan, Super Duty chief program engineer. “The combination of purpose-built construction, powerful engines, 10-speed transmissions and new technology means our customers can work, tow and haul with absolute confidence.”

Tow Heavy, Tow Confidently

Heavy-duty pickup owners use their truck for towing, so Super Duty offers...

Nearly two months ago I posted a thread looking for advice on ceramic coating for my then soon-to-be-purchased Ford Bronco Raptor. The detailing gurus on SVTP gave solid advice, and I appreciated their input. However, I wasn’t looking for the typical car show level of ceramic shine. I just wanted bug guts and dirt to come off the BRaptor more easily. Since time was of the essence (I needed to drive 800 miles the next two days) and the price was reasonable ($1500) I decided to give the detailing crew at Gorno Ford a shot. I was not disappointed.

They got the BRaptor in the wash bay early in the morning, and for the next few hours a crew of guys got to work on my new ride. They were super friendly and as you can see from above, invited me to film the process. They used ceramic products from the Cilajet line. This was not a quick process, and they took their time to make sure everything was properly applied. I was super happy to see the attention to detail they showed my new...

Equipped better than ever before to conquer daily adventures – from heavy traffic to lunch with co-workers or maneuvering into the last parking space on the block – the new Ford Escape® SUV is ready to shine in the city and for quick getaways.

Ford has given the compact SUV a thorough makeover that includes a stylish new ST-Line series, available 13.2-inch display with cloud-connected SYNC 4 Technology and new advanced driver-assistance system technologies. Continuing popular features include a sliding second row seat with more second-row legroom than the Toyota Sequoia,1 and hybrid and plug-in hybrid engine choices.

“The new Escape is the perfect getaway vehicle,” said brand manager Adrienne Zaski. “From large touchscreens that can wirelessly display Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ while your phone stays in your pocket to a sliding second row that offers more legroom, it makes everyday adventures easy to handle – from meetings on the fly, to coffee runs with friends, or even a...

I've owned a handful of EcoBoost vehicles over the years. While they all had the benefits that come with high compression and boost, they also have the exhaust note you'd expect from a small displacement non-V8. Among performance enthusiasts, the sound is nearly universally derided. Ford has major strides in EcoBoost exhaust tone quality with the Gen 3 Raptor and BRaptor, but there's still a lot to be desired. In a search for a better driving experience you can play around with aftermarket exhaust systems, buy I've always preferred to just increase the natural turbo noises.

That's why every EcoBoost powered Ford I have ever own has been equipped with a TurboSmart Blow-Off Valve. They are an extremely high quality piece constructed of billet aluminum and stainless steel. The install is super simple on the BRaptor because Ford placed the factory BOV in a very easy to reach location. It's easier to install this TurboSmart unit on a BRaptor than it is to change its oil...

It’s no secret that the Gen 4 Coyote, first introduced in the 2020 F-150, brought with it many changes from previous iterations of the dominant 5.0L V8. One of them, which is somewhat baffling, is an alteration of the intake manifold bolt pattern. I’m not sure why that change was made, likely to reduce cost or streamline machining, but it makes the 2020+ F-150 V8 engine incapable of accepting previous generation intake manifolds.

This can be a huge drawback to those looking for more performance than the factory truck manifold can provide. However, Livernois Motorsports have developed a solution. During our last visit to their shop we were able to get an early peak at a set of prototype adaptor plates for the Gen 4 heads. These billet aluminum pieces will allow you to mount Gen 1-3 intake manifolds to your Gen 4 Coyote heads.

Ford has today revealed the first race-prepared seventh-generation Mustang, with the 2023 Mustang GT ‘Gen3’ Supercar uncovered at Mount Panorama ahead of the famous Bathurst 1000.

Ford’s challenger for the 2023 Australian Supercars Championship was shown in pit lane this afternoon, in a global first appearance of the seventh-generation Mustang in racing guise.

The road-going variants of the seventh-generation Mustang were revealed in Detroit last month, with computer-generated images of the race cars shown at the same time.

“It is fantastic to be able to show, for the very first time globally, the seventh-generation Mustang in racing form,” said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports.

“The reveal of the Mustang Supercar is the first of many, with Mustang to race in GT3, GT4, NASCAR and NHRA competition globally.

“Mustang has been an iconic brand on and off the track for 58 years and its legend will continue around the world. We always say Mustang was...

Honoring America’s only Le Mans-winning supercar that includes wins in 2016 and the historic 1-2-3 podium sweep in 1966, the 2022 Ford GT LM Edition celebrates Ford GT’s global race-winning success.

“With innovative materials, design and engineering, the Ford GT is unlike any other production supercar,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “As we close this chapter of the road-going Ford GT, the GT LM Edition gave us a chance to inject even more heart and soul from a podium-finishing racecar, furthering the tribute to our 2016 Le Mans win.”

The Ford GT remains exclusive, and these final 20 special-edition supercars will add to its collectability. Deliveries of the 2022 final model-year Ford GT LM Edition begin this fall with production wrapping up later this year.

Race-Livery Exterior, Asymmetric Designed Interior

With its carbon fiber body proudly lacquered in Liquid Silver exterior paint, the limited-edition Ford GT LM is uniquely...

Ford, America’s truck leader*, today introduced the all-new 2023 F-Series Super Duty lineup of pickup trucks and chassis cabs. Redesigned inside and out, every Super Duty is built with unprecedented levels of work capability, ingenious new technology and a suite of cloud-based services for new levels of productivity.

“From F-250 pickup to the F-600 utility truck, Super Duty is the badge America’s hardest-working men and women have come to trust to get the toughest jobs done,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. “Super Duty customers are builders – the backbone of our communities and our economy. We poured every ounce of know-how and ingenuity we have into developing the truck of their dreams – smarter, more powerful, full of clever features and technology.”

Ford Super Duty is not only the tool of choice for builders; it plays a significant economic role. Super Duty also is the preferred choice for essential industries with more than 50 percent market share in utility...

Let's face it, we all knew this day had to be coming soon. In the true SVTP fashion we had to add more boost. The BRaptor had driven from MI to SC and now had about 1,200 miles on the odo. Truth be known, we had been planning this install with the guys at 5 Star Tuning for months. However, we didn't know if this device was going to be compatible with the Bronco Raptor's 3.0L EcoBoost engine.

Like many new Fords, the Bronco's ECU is locked from the factory. That means outside of a few exceptions, custom tuning is not yet available. However, that hasn't stopped the aftermarket from finding ways to increase performance. The 5 Star Tuning Crew crew have been installing Burger Tuning JB4 Devices, with great success, for quite some time now. So naturally we had to try out the JB4 on the BRaptor, and it worked perfectly.

Ford once again sounds a wake-up call for sports car lovers around the world with the introduction of the all-new Ford Mustang. The seventh generation is the most exhilarating and visceral yet, from its fighter jet-inspired digital cockpit to new advanced turbocharged and naturally aspirated engines to its edgier yet timeless exterior design.

“Investing in another generation of Mustang is a big statement at a time when many of our competitors are exiting the business of internal combustion vehicles,” said Jim Farley, CEO of Ford Motor Company. “Ford, however, is turbocharging its ICE growth plan, adding connected technology, opinionated derivatives, and hybrid options to our most profitable and popular cars – all in the Ford Blue family – on top of investing $50 billion in electric vehicles through 2026.”

The new Mustang adds another chapter to an icon, delivering the looks, sound and appeal of the world’s best-selling sports coupe for seven years running*. Whether convertible or...

No trip to Detroit would be complete without stopping by @Livernois Motorsports for a visit. Since I had the Bronco Raptor with me, and it was obviously thoroughly broken-in with ~100 miles on it, I thought it would be a good idea to get some dyno numbers on it. Since I had just picked it up it had a tank full of mystery fuel supplied by the dealership. We were obviously dyno ready... Here's how the runs turned out:

After driving back to SC I had a chance to more closely review the dyno charts. Surprisingly, the third pull was the best one. Once I applied the SAE correction factor to it, the final numbers were 315 HP @ 5400 RPM and 362 lb-ft @ 3700RPM. Considering the factors mentioned above and the low 90s temperatures I'd say those numbers are decent. The factory rating is 418HP and 440 lb-ft, and the drivetrain contains far more rotating mass than your average truck.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. At its most basic an internal combustion engine is essentially an air pump, and reducing restrictions in that pump tends to increase efficiency. In our case, we’re looking for more horsepower from a 2021 5.0L Coyote Powered F-150 and we’re installing some tried and true mods to get there.

The subject vehicle of this install belongs to Andy at Livernois Motorsports, and is currently his daily driver. Being a regular-cab short-bed 4x4 makes it a pretty hot commodity these days. I know more than a handful of former S550 owners who have traded in there steeds for such a truck, typically with some boost added in for good measure. That has become a bit more difficult with the encryption of the ECU on the 2021+ F-150s, but Livernois has that covered. When it comes to locked-ECU tuning, Livernois has the keys to the castle.

Bronco® brand is taking trail riders to their off-road roots with the introduction of the 2023 Bronco and Bronco Sport™ Heritage and Heritage Limited editions.

The special-edition models will be available across the Bronco family lineup, including Bronco two-door, Bronco four-door and Bronco Sport SUVs. Ford will build just 1,966 units of each Heritage Limited Edition model to commemorate the year the original Bronco debuted.

“Bronco captivated America in the mid-’60s with its rugged style and uncompromising off-road agility, a legacy that is still prevalent today,” said Mark Grueber, Bronco marketing manager. “With these new Heritage and Heritage Limited editions, we’re paying respect to Bronco’s roots with nods to some of the signature design cues from the first-generation vehicle, while continuing to build the Bronco Brand with more special editions that our customers want.”

The 2023 Bronco Sport Heritage and Heritage Limited edition models are available to order for all...