When I look at a truck like Houston Haskins’ 2019 Ford F-350, I think of a truck that has a real enthusiast as an owner. It looks good, rides high, and sure has a boatload of torque. Not only is Houston a true enthusiast, but he also runs a shop in Gresham, Oregon called Superior Off-Road. Every day, he takes whatever rolls in and puts the effort into it to make it one of a kind. That’s why it’s no surprise Houston took what otherwise would have been a normal Super Duty, and made it stand out in a crowd.
Our good friend Cris Payne over at Truck Guru put us in touch with Houston. We quickly realized that the truck was a realization of a dream for Houston. Curious to know more, we got the full scoop from Houston and how this build came to fruition.
The F-350 Build Background
Houston’s love for all things diesel started when he was in high school. “I was raised in a body shop called Superior Auto Body,” he says. “When I graduated, almost as soon as I graduated, I started my own business – Superior Off-Road.”
Over the years, Houston has lent his expertise and creative insight into other people’s builds. “I’ve built 12 different SEMA Show vehicles,” he states. “I built them for companies like Bushwacker, Gear Off Road, Center Line Wheels, Truck Hero, and more.” Working for other people and creating their vision has been a rewarding experience for the man, but as time went on, the urge to express his own ideas became stronger and stronger.
Green is seen all over the truck.
Then finally, in 2019, he set out to craft his own creation. “From the beginning, I knew this truck was going to be mine,” he says. “I would plan it out and follow through on its build. I’ve always wanted to do something on my own.”
Houston went out and purchased a 2019 Ford F-350 in Magnetic Gray. He paid a little over $72,000 and spent the next three months getting it ready for the SEMA Show. “I was definitely feeling the SEMA crunch!” he laughs. “I didn’t have a lot of time to get everything ready, but I took care of it.”
The skin of the F-350 retains its roots of Magnetic Gray. However, when the decision was made to incorporate a Royalty Core unit. These grilles are well-known in the diesel market and are all but guaranteed to make the face of a truck stand out. Paired with the grille are a Hammerhead front bumper and Rigid Industries lights. Green accents round out the front end and can be seen on the grille, bumper, and even the clevis shackles. Additionally, Houston painted the bumpers, emblems, and other touches in the OE’s Magnetic Gray.
The Finished Product
The headlights are courtesy of On Point Retrofits and are adorned with custom emblems. Looking at the back half of the truck, Houston commissioned NW Sign Solutions in Vancouver, Washington to make custom graphics. It lends a digital camouflage look to the truck that gives it an extra aesthetic punch.
Houston made this truck to fulfill his wish for self-expression. “I built the truck because I wanted to have something that was my own,” he says.
Under the hood, the truck runs the 6.7-liter Power Stroke engine that it came with from the factory. but like a true enthusiast, Houston gave it some more juice with the help of a Banks Power Derringer and Monster exhaust system. We’ve covered the Derringer in-depth as it relates to the L5P Duramax, and on the Super Duty, it’s a worthwhile addition for the sake of ramping up horsepower and torque.
The F-350 uses the stock six-speed automatic. It diverts power to the axles, both of which run 4.30:1 gearing. These axles received PMF differential covers and axle trusses. The trusses add more durability to the axle housing, linking the tubes together to reinforce the overall strength. The front axle also has a built-in stabilizer as part of the truss.
Under that 12-inch lift from PMF are 42-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers. He also got a custom set of 28-inch wheels from Kompression, and had them done up with lime green accents.
For suspension and lift, Houston knew that bigger was always better. He went with a PMF lift kit, raising the truck another 12 inches off of the ground and making more than enough space for the wheels and tires. The front end runs on King 2.5-inch-diameter coilovers and reservoir shocks for unrivaled damping ability, while the rear uses reservoir shocks and PMF leaf springs.
The front end uses a PMF mini cradle to mount all of the suspension. The four-link and traction bars all hook into the mini cradle. “I did all of the suspension modifications myself,” commented Houston. For braking, Wilwood disc brakes give the truck respectable stopping power.
For footwear, the Super Duty uses a set of 26×14-inch Kompression Warlord wheels. These wheels are part of the Rogue Forged series, targeted at the truck crowd and offering a slick appearance. Houston again had these bolstered with lime green accents against the polished metal to give them a one-of-a-kind look.
Also unique to this truck are the 42-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers. “I got lucky with this build and working with Kompression and Nitto,” says Houston. “I got the wheels made custom for me and the tires were one of the first new sets of 42-inch Trail Grapplers. People who see my truck, who know what they’re looking at, know they’re looking at something special.”
Houston's F-350 sports some notable upgrades, including Rigid Industries lights to help him see in the dark, and a roaring Banks exhaust to showcase the sounds of the diesel engine.
Putting everything in perspective, Houston explained that the truck’s significance for him due to his background of working on others’ vehicles. After well over a decade of exercising his creative vision to other rigs, Houston’s opportunity to do a build for himself was refreshing and reinvigorating.
“I’ve been building trucks and cars for 16 years,” he affirms. “I’ve always had a passion for vehicles, and that drives what I do. I built this F-350 to show what can really be built through my shop. I didn’t want something just basic, and I also didn’t want something that was too gaudy, either. So, I came up with this. It matches the themes on other rides I’ve done, mainly the sublime green Hellcat and green-gray Malibu MXZ boat.”
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