The Highs and Lows of the 2019 Lone Star Throwdown
Whether it’s slammed to the pavement or jacked up to the sky, trucks of all kinds descended upon Conroe, Texas last week for the annual Lone Star Throwdown show. Trucks spanning every decade from the classics of the 1930s to today lined the gounds, each with a unique style and stance to call their own. As we walked the show, we noticed a healthy mix of lowered and lifted vehicles, but several builds stood out among the rest. Here’s our editor’s top picks for the best lifted and lowered trucks at LST 2019.
Any Level Lift F350
Starting life as a 1996 Ford F350 7.3L Power Stroke, this SEMA build by FiveR Trucks has a few tricks up its sleeve. For starters, it no longer has a 7.3L Power Stroke engine, or even a 1996 F350 frame. The cab was swapped onto a late model F350 frame, along with the 6.7L Power Stroke found in the current model year F350, as well as the interior from the newer truck. But perhaps its most dramatic modification is the suspension system, built by Any Level Lift, which allows the truck to adjust its ride height on command with the help of hydraulic coilovers that can be actuated on the fly from switches on the dash or even an app on your smart phone or device. The flatbed and front fenders nicely fit the Nitto 40x15.50x24 Trail Grapplers at any height. All it takes a flip of a switch to make this truck stand out from the rest.
Tractor Ranger
With the rising popularity of UTVs in the off-road market, it was only a matter of time before we saw some really jaw-dropping side-by-sides. This Polaris Ranger, found inside the American Force Wheels booth was nothing short of unique. Sitting on huge tractor tires and American Force Camino UTV Wheels, this Ranger requires portal axles to alleviate the extreme driveline angles. The interior and exterior has been completely revamped to its own unique style, complete with wood floors, LED lighting throughout, and a premium sound system. Something tells us you won’t see this Ranger working the farm.
Specialty Forged Tundra
Lifted foreign trucks were definitely a minority at this show, but this Tundra definitely held it down for the jacked up Toyota crowd at LST. We found it while cruising the Specialty Forged booth, with plenty of mud on the tires thanks to the weather during the show. Sitting on a Bulletproof lift and 38x13.50x24 Nitto Trail Grapplers and deep-dish Specialty Forged Wheels, this color-matched Tundra brought some much needed variety among the many domestic trucks at the show.
Drag F250
Something about single-cab short bed full-size diesel trucks makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside. This lowered 2018 F250 caught our eye for its “drag-racer” styling and beautiful color combination of bright red with gold wheels. The truck is rolling on a set of Nitto NT420S tires, giving it a wide stance like you’d find on a truck at the local track. The 6.7L Power Stroke gives this truck plenty of power to be a formidable opponent when the light goes green.
Classic C10
We can’t talk about Lone Star Throwdown without mentioning a classic. This green Chevy C10 caught our eye for its simplistic, yet effective styling. No frills, this truck looks like something anyone could own and cruise down the highway in. Sitting on lowered suspension means it fills the wheel wells with low-profile Nitto Motivo tires and classic style wheels nicely.
’64 F100
Of course, to be fair, there were plenty of classic Fords at the show as well. This particular 1964 F100 was tucked nicely under an awning in the Scot Rod’s Garage booth. Tastefully dropped suspension tucked the 19-inch SVE wheels wrapped in Nitto NT05s. The red interior was a nice contrast to the dynamic grey paint.
