Roll Up Your Sleeping bag, stuff in that last pair of jeans, and meet us at the truck! Project Super Cross is just about finished and we're ready to hit the road. Last month we told you about the goal of transforming this '00 Ford Super Duty into a formidable cross-country wheeler, one that you could stuff with all your buddies, gear, and wheeling supplies and travel from one remote destination to another. With a deadline looming and only a little over a week before my dad and I were slated to leave on our journey from Wilmington, North Carolina, to Los Angeles, we still had plenty of work to do.
With the four-door shortbed taking up valuable space at Cape Fear 4x4, shop owner Danny Farrow, along with a few old friends and family that were bribed with promises of free meals, kicked it into high gear as we moved into the final stages of the build. With most of the drivetrain work done, we still needed to bolt on a few of the major components that would help our rig survive whatever terrain we would encounter. By using parts from common aftermarket companies such as Pro Comp and Interco, we knew that if we cut a tire or broke a leaf spring, we could find a replacement at one of the many 4Wheel Parts stores across the country, and that's peace of mind. Though there's never anything certain about a cross-country adventure, one thing we didn't count on was having so little in the way of a shakedown run with the truck. Be sure to check out next month's issue as we get started on our cross-country adventure and live to tell the tale. For more information on Project Super Cross and exclusive photos from the build, check us out at www.4wheeloffroad.com.
Bargain Buddies
Tackling a project like this with as limited a time frame as we had is sometimes beyond ridiculous, and each time we pull it off it's simply mindboggling how we managed to get it done. To all our friends, family, and especially the crew at Cape Fear 4x4 for getting there early, staying late, and working through the holidays to help get this truck finished, we thank you.
 1. While most GPS devices...  1. While most GPS devices can get you to the trail, the Crossover from Magellan helps you find your way when the rubber meets the dirt. Fully removable and complete with a protective case, the Crossover provides you with in-depth directions, exact GPS coordinates, and a bread-crumb feature that will keep you on track when you're ready to head back to civilization. |  2. To keep our charging system...  2. To keep our charging system on the positive side, we strapped in a set of Optima YellowTop batteries. Made with spiral-cell technology, the batteries hold charges longer and are designed to stand up to a barrage of electronic accessories better than conventional batteries. |  3. Door dings and scratches...  3. Door dings and scratches are all part of wheeling, but sometimes simple road debris takes its toll on your truck's paint. To give our black and tan beast a fighting chance, Shannon Curran from Carolina Tint applied a clear protective coating that becomes an invisible shield and keeps rocks and other projectiles from chipping away at your paint. |
 4. Weld Racing has a chrome...  4. Weld Racing has a chrome finish, but we decided that the less bling our cross-country cruiser had, the less unwanted attention we'd receive. After staring back and forth between the new rich chrome and a rattle can, we decided to let the pros at Area 51 Powdercoating give our 17x10 Cheyenne 8s the finish we were looking for. |  5. Knowing that a heavy mix...  5. Knowing that a heavy mix of mud, rock, snow, sand, and highway driving was all in the forecast, we went with a set of 38x15.50 SSRs. With their radial compound designed to help them last longer on the street, and staggered lugs to clear out the muck, the SSR gives us the best of both worlds. |  6. Lifting the heavy 3/4-ton...  6. Lifting the heavy 3/4-ton Ford without compromising articulation can be a bit of a challenge. Pro Comp Suspension makes an 8-inch lift kit that utilizes 2-inch hangers and a longer 6-inch spring pack that allows more lift without using an overly arched spring. Although you can bolt on the new spring hangers, we added a few weld beads since our Super Duty will be wheeled a bit more than the average 3/4-ton. |
 7. To keep our Project Super...  7. To keep our Project Super Cross riding smooth from the Carolinas to the California coast, we incorporated a set of MX-6 adjustable shocks. Supporting the 7k-plus platform we were able to dial in just the right amount of damping to be soft enough for the road days, but still tough enough for when it was time to take down the terra. |  8. As is the case with many...  8. As is the case with many aftermarket plate bumpers, the winch engagement lever needs to be rotated so it can be reached easily. Although we're hoping to use our 15,000-pound T-Max for other rigs when they get demobilized, it's nice to know that we've got the right tools to pull out our heavy carcass when the time comes. |  9. That spool of cable sure...  9. That spool of cable sure looks nice, but it needs to be rewound. This is necessary to create a tighter wrap so the cable doesn't lift or pinch. Just attach the cable to something that will create a fair amount of resistance (a heavy friend will usually do), and use your wireless T-Max remote to spool in the winch. And just in case we lose track of our cable at night, we have our four Hella Black Magics to brighten up the darkness. |
 10. Driving cross-country...  10. Driving cross-country means carrying camping gear, spare parts, tires, tools, and lots of fluids. Rather than have our gear out in the elements, we bolted down a SnugTop Super Sport shell to aid in shielding all our goodies. Our shell arrived with a matching black paint job and a carpeted roof liner that installed in no time. |  11. With powdercoating by...  11. With powdercoating by Area 51 to match the tan trim on our '00 F-250, we feel pretty confident that whatever gets in our way will have a bad day when it meets the massive Fab Fours bumper. And to make certain that we have both ends covered, we used the matching rear bumper that's sure to make tailgaters think twice. |  12. Giving us a helpful boost...  12. Giving us a helpful boost into the truck and protecting our crew cab's body is a custom set of Cape Fear 4x4 1/4-inch-wall DOM sliders that connect both to the pinch seam and frame for additional support. While they are completely bolt-on, we tacked the rocker guards into place and then removed them for additional welding and a rattle-bomb finish. |