Ford’s first Raptor didn’t arrive until 2008 at the 41st Baja 1000 in Ensenada, Mexico. The high-performance F-150 SVT Raptor-R had a podium finish, and the Raptor name continues to grace the widened bodywork of some of Ford’s most powerful pickups.
But imagine if Raptor had come around about two decades earlier. It might’ve looked like Matt Johnson’s Raptor-inspired 1985 F-250, which is getting a huge reveal at Ford’s SEMA booth this year.
The F-250 project actually started with an old Toyota Land Cruiser, which Johnson had planned to put an EcoBoost engine into. A call to Ford Racing Parts led to discussions about a collaboration between the automaker and Johnson, who restores older off-roading vehicles and documents the process on social media.
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A few months later, Ford suggested putting a small-block Heritage motor in the Land Cruiser. Johnson bounced back with a photo of a 1985 F-250 with a blown engine that had been sitting behind his shop. He felt the small-block was better suited for a classic Ford, and the bullnose F-250 seemed like a perfect candidate.
Soon, Johnson’s $800 shop truck, called Norma Jeane, was getting a full makeover backed by Ford Performance. The truck’s original engine was replaced with Ford Racing’s 575-hp 460-cubic-inch Boss V-8. He paired the small-block with a Ford R680 six-speed automatic transmission.
Johnson documented the transformation through a 92-part series on social media. His daily updates covered everything, from installing a custom-made suspension kit to weatherstripping the windows. Though a lot of the truck is now brand new, the F-250 maintains its distinctly ‘80s qualities, right down to the hubcaps and vintage-style stereo.
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