This year, for the first time, I went on an adventure to Pennsylvania for the 4 Wheel Jamboree show. Unsure what to expect, the Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania fairgrounds were filled wall to wall with everything four-wheel-drive. I have been hearing about this show for years and I was excited to finally hit the event and see what the east coasters had to offer. To check out the event coverage from this show, click here. It didn’t take long to see Kathy Groft’s family-sized Excursion.
I travel all around the country to shows like this and I see everything from mild to wild. I don’t mean this in a hateful way, but typically the winners of the show are whoever can sink the most money into a truck. A lot of times I see brand new $75,000 to $100,000 trucks that have an additional $20,000-plus invested in paint, chrome, and accessories.
I am not talking smack about these high-dollar builds, I’m just stating that when I am looking for my choice, I’m looking for a truck that is more than just “loud”. What I am looking for is something that clearly took time to put together, budget-minded use of funds, and a true enthusiast-style build. When I saw Groft’s Excursion, it was understated and still grabbed my attention. It was nearly bone stock and was impeccably clean from top to bottom. She spent a big part of the day walking around it, wiping it down, and showing true enthusiasm towards her build. To me, that is why it deserved my Editor’s Choice award.
An Introduction To The Excursion
Kathy bought this ’05 Excursion back in January of 2015. For years, she had been attending truck shows with friends and wanted to get involved. She wanted something she could cherish and make hers. The thought of working and fixing up a truck reminded her of when she used to work on vehicles with her dad.
Before Kathy got her Excursion, it was actually used to haul motorcycles for a local Harley Davidson dealership. Since then, she has changed out the headlights, taillights, mirrors, intercooler pipes, and the stereo. She has certainly taken her time to create a ride that is exactly how she wants.
Can you believe this truck has over 180,000 miles on the clock? Look how clean it is underneath.
Once I took a closer look I learned the underneath of the truck is just as spotless as the topside. Meaningless parts that people don’t normally pay attention to were either painted, polished, or replaced with clean new ones. Kathy might not have mega-dollars sunk into this build, but she does have blood, sweat, and elbow grease in it.
I have never seen a 6.0-liter engine bay look like this one.
Under The Hood
Pop the hood and you are greeted by a meticulously cleaned 6.0-liter Power Stroke. With 182,000 miles on the ticker, this 6.0-liter is still clean and chugging along just fine. Kathy hasn’t put a ton of money into aftermarket goodies on the engine and that may be a factor in the reliability. Although there aren’t many items added to it, the ones that she did are not for performance gains, but for good looks and reliability. This includes an aFePower cold air intake manifold and a 4-inch Diamond Eye Performance exhaust.
After being blown away at how clean the truck was, it was time to pop the doors open. You guessed it, spotless. Kathy’s Excursion looks like your typical mid-2000s Ford Excursion interior with a few personalized pieces. To keep an eye on critical engine and transmission operating conditions, she uses an Edge CTS monitor.
Full-Time Support
Making our way back outside, I noticed a small lift and a modest set of wheels and tires. No, these aren’t 14-inch-wide polished wheels with a thin sidewall surrounding them. That just isn’t her cup of tea. Instead, Kathy chose a set of 16×8 chrome Raceline Raptor wheels wrapped in 37-inch Interco tires.
Geared with 3.73 axles, Groft’s Excursion rolls down the highway with a Rough Country suspension, Pro Comp shocks on all four corners, and Rough Country leaf springs. When it comes to the painted undercarriage parts Kathy used Eastwood Products for that, and she noted that she did it all by herself.
Like any enthusiast, I assumed that Kathy had a favorite part of her truck. “I would have to say my favorite part is the reactions I get from it,” she said. “When people realize that I own and perform the majority of the work on it, it gives me satisfaction. This is really something I enjoy doing.”
I asked how often she shows her Excursion and she told me, “I don’t run in any particular class but I do show it quite a bit. I have gotten runner-up for 4 Wheel Jamboree’s Street Zero Class multiple times and I have won First Place at the Carlisle All Ford event in the Excursion class multiple times.” Kathy went on to claim many other awards that she and her all-black machine have earned with a huge smile on her face.
My husband Scott has helped me with all of the heavy-lifting items like the wheels and tires and some of the mechanical issues we’ve experienced. If he isn’t around, my daughter will help, too. – Kathy Groft
Kathy wanted to put out a huge thank you to everyone who has been there for her and helped her get the Excursion to where it is today. This includes Scott and Jess Groft, Bob Powers, Chip Simon, Eric Schlitzer, Matt Zdaniewicz, and John Kovach Jr.
I was excited to give Kathy the Editor’s Choice Award at the 4 Wheel Jamboree in Bloomsburg this year. She was trembling with excitement and that made my choice of her truck that much sweeter. Congratulations on the award and we look forward to seeing you at future events.
