Reader’s Rig: Parker Inman’s 2019 Ford F-250

Customizing a vehicle can create or follow many trends, but every result can be something to marvel at. Projects can take days, months, and most often, years to complete, but no matter the end result, they all stand as testaments to what the owner envisioned. Of course, it helps to have a goal in mind when starting a project. In the case of Parker Inman, the young man wanted to prove his naysayers wrong and give himself something to be proud of. he accomplished that with this F-250.

F-250

The end result of his mission was realized when this 2019 Ford F-250 was complete. To say that it gets attention everywhere it goes in Parker’s hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma would be a huge understatement. His truck is a statement piece solidifying the mantra, “the work you put into a project is what you get out of it.”

Background Of The Build

F-250

Parker is 22 years old and works as an electrical line technician. It’s dangerous work, climbing high in the air and working on heavy electrical wires, but Parker is well-compensated for it. And as any young man with a lot of money at his disposal would, he found a hobby he loved — the world of diesel trucks.

“I’ve been into diesels since I was about 16 years old,” he says. “My first truck was a Duramax I bought in 2017. It got me started on what it was like to own and work on diesels, and I’ve been hooked ever since.”

Parker's F-250 made his wish come true: to one day build a truck that would make it to SEMA. The truck was featured in the Fusion Bumpers booth at the 2019 show.

After getting firsthand experience on the Duramax, Parker was officially bitten by the diesel bug. He realized that simply having a diesel wasn’t enough, and became fixated on one day owning a diesel that would take him all the way to SEMA. “I wanted a truck that could make the grade for the show,” comments Parker. “It had to be big and bold. I called it Project Trust Fund.”

The F-250 Build Begins

F-250

In the beginning, it was actually Truck Guru founder, Cris Payne, that got the ball rolling on Trust Fund. He asked Joel Smith of Auto Definitions if he knew anyone with a Super Duty. Joel put Parker in contact with Cris Payne, and eventually, Parker signed a contract stipulating that he would provide the truck and offer some insight into the rendering. Parker delivered his F-250 to  Auto Definitions, a build shop in Claremore, Oklahoma, where the more than capable crew was ready to make Parker’s vision a reality.

During a casual breakfast meeting, Joel and his friends, Kenneth and Eric, drew up the custom lift kit. “We used CAD and Solidworks to design it from scratch,” he says. “Each one of the arms uses 75 feet of weld. We had to machine the heim-joint threads from a solid block of steel. It was a full build.”

Styling cues all over make it clear this is Parker's truck!

The end game was raising the truck 28 inches and making it capable of fitting the enormous 42-inch Fury Country Hunter M/T tires on 30-inch American Force 30×16-inch Sidewinder wheels. “The wheels are my favorite part about the truck,” comments Parker.

Highlights Of The Build

F-250

The build was a complete frame-off endeavor. Joel put a lot of pride into it. “Me and Ken welded on it and we took the time to make sure our beads looked the same,” comments Joel. “Everyone that looked at it and knew what they were looking at knew we had an elite truck.”

The truck took form, and that form was tall. Riding around on those 42-inch tires, it would become one of the most visible trucks in Tulsa, and easily make the grade for a SEMA build.

Reflecting on what it took to get the truck built, Parker says, “My F-250 offered a lot of learning experiences, especially when it came to doing a frame-off project for the first time. It was very, very stressful.”

The build took three months to complete and was a shared project with multiple parties. "I wanted to thank a lot of people and companies for their help on this build," says Parker. "Joel Smith, Kenneth Sloan, Eric Long, Todd Hastings, Eric Davis, Stephen Steward, Jess Walker, Roy Jones, Willie Fidler, Cody Landis, American Force Wheels, Auto Definitions, Fusion Bumpers, and Michael Johnson."

But all of that stress and worry paid off in the end. From front to back and top to bottom, the Super Duty is an imposing creation. Its exterior is bolstered by Fusion bumpers, each fitted with Rigid Industries pod lights. Other lighting includes 32 Rigid rock lights installed throughout the truck. A Royalty Core grille accentuates the front with attitude.

The paint is gray metallic and contrasts the Candy Blue highlighting the undercarriage. Parker let the experts at Highway 20 Collision in Claremore, Oklahoma handle the task of color application. “They used a new Candy Blue paint on the frame,” comments Joel. “We had to be extremely careful with it while we were lowering the engine into it.”

F-250

Under the hood, Parker wanted the 6.7-liter Power Stroke to bang out some more ponies. He worked with Fat Daddy’s Auto, also in Claremore, to make it happen.

The team at Fat Daddy’s kept a good portion of the Power Stroke stock, but gave it a few significant upgrades. These came in the form of 40-percent-over injectors, which boosted the output of fuel to the combustion chamber. A new FASS 220G fuel filtration system was installed as well, ensuring the fuel that wound up in the engine was as clean as possible. Last but not least, a Maryland Performance Diesel (MPD) 68mm non-VGT turbocharger put the “power” back in Power Stroke.

The work that went into the suspension was incredible. "We laser cut out 8-inch flat steel, and gave it strength with an I-beam design and boxed it in," says Joel. "It's a detail that isn't noticeable, but it went a long way toward making it a top-tier truck. For shocks and springs, we went with 3.0-inch Radflo coilovers and Eibach springs. The fronts are 300/250 and rears are 250/250."

Further down from the engine, Parker kept the transmission and axles stock, but upgraded his brakes to high-end Wilwood rotors. These brakes come in handy for slowing down the much larger wheels and tires the truck is running.

Massive 42-inch Fury tires and 30-inch American Force wheels round out the aesthetic attitude of the truck. The wheels are Parker’s favorite aspect of his F-250.

The interior received just one major modification – the seats. Parker went with Roadwire Leather to give the truck an exquisite feel and look, complementing the top-dollar treatment to the exterior.

What’s Next For Trust Fund F-250

F-250

Parker has realized his wish for his F-250. Project Trust Fund hit its deadline and made it to SEMA 2019, and Parker was honored to have his truck as part of the Fusion Bumpers booth.

After the 2019 SEMA Show, Parker sold his truck to another Parker, Parker Yates. Under new ownership, the truck is now the recipient of even more work. “We’re adding more external speakers, adding a ball joint delete kit, and fixing the steering,” comments Joel. “I think we’ll add some Horn Blasters to it, too.”

Let us know if you or someone you know has a truck we can feature here on Diesel Army! And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

About the author

David Chick

David Chick comes to us ready for adventure. With passions that span clean and fast Corvettes all the way to down and dirty off-road vehicles (just ask him about his dream Jurassic Park Explorer), David's eclectic tastes lend well to his multiple automotive writing passions.
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