writer: Scott G.
Robert Rugani Jr. of Stockton, Calif., has been involved in car audio for as long as he can remember. His father, Robert Sr., owns Rolling Sounds Car Stereo Inc., and was in the business before Robert Jr. was even born. Like every son, he wanted to learn the trade his father mastered, so at age 16 he started working part time at his father's business. Now, at age 22, he has taken on the responsibility of store manager and installer. After seeing a lot of custom cars out at shows and on the streets, Robert decided it was time to try his hand at fiberglass and painted parts integrated with top-of-the-line electronics. This silver work of art is the end result.
Platform
The popularity of trucks in California seems to be at an all-time high. However, it should be noted that this popularity has as much if not more to do with fashion than utility. In terms of audio systems, trucks can be difficult to work with due to space limitations, especially in the case of standard cabs. With this in mind Robert felt he could best display his abilities through a banging install in his leased 2000 Ford F-150. The idea was to give the truck a little external styling while not attracting too much attention.
Exterior/Performance
Due to the agreements of the lease, no extreme body modifications could be performed. Instead Robert opted for simple, aesthetically pleasing add-ons such as the billet grille, clear corners, and rear carbon fiber euro lights. The front bumper and windshield cowling were also removed for paint matching to the factory silver finish. D&S Paint handled all of the project's paint-matching needs. The stance of the truck was next on the list, and Robert felt a mild lowering kit was in order. He installed a 3/5 Bell Tech drop with Nitro dampeners. The kit dropped the F-150 three inches in the front and five in the back. To fill the huge wheel arches of the Ford, Robert decided to go with SVT Ford Lightning 18" x 10" rims wrapped in 255-55R18 rubber from Toyo. The combination of lowered suspension and today's tire technology keep this F-150 stuck to the planet. With the added weight of the audio system it was inevitable that the vehicle would lose a portion of its overall power-to-weight ratio. Knowing this, Robert decided to step up the factory's 280 hp by adding a K&N Generation II intake system and an exhaust system from Flowmaster. With the motor's ability to receive and expel more air, a power chip was installed in the factory computer to make the absolute best of the intake and exhaust modifications. The end result is a vehicle that runs on 350 hp.
Interior
The amount of equipment slated to be installed into the interior of this Ford would make even the most seasoned veteran sweat. First, all of the interior panels were removed except for half of the dash. The cab's interior and doors were then covered with Scosche Accumat for sound deadening. All of the factory panels that were not to be used again were put in a safe place awaiting reinstallation. As this is a leased vehicle, the vehicle will have to be returned to Ford as it came in order to avoid any penalties; so Robert designed the entire system with that stipulation in mind. In all, there are five panels that can be re-installed and one that needs replacing due to extensive modification.