Manuel Nathan
We all know that the Ford F-150 Raptor R in all its forms, especially the 2024 model, is the company`s most prolific truck, coming as the direct competitor of the likes of RAM or DMC.
This means that it came out with a massive V8, 5.2-liter engine, capable of generating 720 horsepower and 868 Nm of torque. This is almost like comparing it with a Lamborghini Urus SE. With the power package so impressive, it is no wonder that it is capable of reaching the 0 to 60 mph sprint in a staggering 3.6 seconds.
Then one owner decided those numbers were not enough.
The truck ended up at Late Model Racecraft in Houston, Texas. The request sounded simple. Build something far more aggressive than the original Raptor R. Weeks later, the pickup returned carrying a completely different personality.
LMR installed its 1,000-horsepower package, though the final result goes beyond that figure at the crank. On 93 octane fuel, the modified truck delivers 855 rear-wheel horsepower. Switch over to E85 and the output climbs to 965 rear-wheel horsepower. Before the work started, dyno testing showed 593 rear-wheel horsepower. The increase adds up to 373 rear-wheel horsepower over the original measurement. Crank output now sits near 1,100 horsepower.
Several hardware upgrades helped the truck reach those figures. The tuner added a 3.8-liter Whipple supercharger together with a larger 132-millimeter throttle body. A massive SMB cold air intake also appeared under the hood. Cooling duties changed as well, because the intercooler setup now uses twin pumps. Fuel supply became far more serious through a triple-fuel-pump arrangement, ID1300 injectors, and a complete E85 conversion.
The truck’s appearance changed alongside the engine package. Lifted Truck, a company based in San Antonio, handled the suspension work. The result places the Raptor R much higher above the pavement than before. It now rolls on 37-inch tires, creating enough ride height that looking into the engine bay becomes difficult without stretching upward.
Driving behavior depends heavily on the selected mode. In 4WD Auto, the truck stays controlled and surprisingly civilized for something producing this much output. Move into 2WD, though, and traction disappears quickly. The rear tires spin through the gears while leaving thick black marks behind.
Sport Mode changes the entire experience once more. The truck launches with violent force for a vehicle of this size. Under full throttle, the engine note becomes impossible to ignore. Loud, rough, and mechanical, the V8 announces itself from a long distance away.
Strangely, the heavily modified pickup still works as a dependable daily driver. At least according to the build itself. The Ram 1500 TRX rival no longer resembles the factory machine that first entered the Houston shop.
Ford F-150 Raptor R by Late Model Racecraft – Photo Gallery
