Stage 3 ProCharger Boost Propels A Bolt-On F-150 Pickup Into The Nines

Back in the day, the concept of running 9-second elapsed times was a goal that required massive mods and driveability compromises. That was with a performance car. The idea of putting a full-size pickup truck into that territory was an even more daunting prospect. These days the combination of Coyote power, modern electronics, and a power adder can make single-digit performance a bolt-on proposition. An example is ProCharger’s in-house development truck, which recently clicked off a 9-second pass courtesy of a Stage 3 ProCharger and E85.

The impressive part isn’t just the 9.863-second elapsed time at 144.76 mph. This F-150 had already accumulated more than 17,000 real street miles traveling across the country before the company turned up the boost for this impressive pass. Then it drove an hour to the track, ripped off a nine, and drove home.

“Seriously, if you told me 10-15 years ago that you could go buy a F-150, slap on a ProCharger kit, fill the tank with E85, and go run 9-second passes, I would have thought you were as weird as the guy talking about doing ‘wheelies’ with your three-quarter race cam,” Erik Radzins, Director of Business Development at ProCharger, said. “But here I am, sitting on the tailgate of a truck that just made back to back to back 9-second passes, after being driven all over the country, to events, shows, and ProCharger dealer visits. Thinking to myself. ‘I wouldn’t change a thing.’”

What really makes this truck impressive is that the engine, transmission, torque converter, exhaust manifolds, wheels, and tires remain stock. The mods include the aforementioned Stage 3 ProCharger kit, which is supported by a modified Boss 302 intake manifold, upgraded injectors and fuel system, a MagnaFlow muffler, a Wiles Driveshaft, a Wiles driveshaft safety loop, and a RADTuned calibration for pump E85.

“And to say driving this thing down the track is an absolute riot is a total understatement. Since it doesn’t look fast at all rocking the stock wheels and tires, and it’s comical to not know how fast you are going, since it buries the 120-mph speedo just after the eighth mile…” Radzins added. “The fact that you could probably duplicate this thing in a weekend with some common hand tools and some high fives with your buddies is even better.”

There is a limit to the bolt-on formula, however. Radzins reports the factory tires spin above 1,900 rpm at launch, so additional boost will have to wait for better traction. That hardly diminishes the appeal. A full-size F-150 that can run the nines, rack up highway miles, and retain most of its factory drivetrain is a pretty compelling demonstration of how accessible serious Coyote performance has become.